Minnesota @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2014 ) Minnesota 1, Boston 2

The Boston Red Sox look to complete a three-game sweep despite their recent offensive struggles when they host the Minnesota Twins in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Boston, which hadn't won a set since recording back-to-back sweeps against Atlanta and Tampa Bay from May 26-June 1, has scored a total of seven runs over four games since posting a 10-3 triumph over Cleveland on Friday. Luckily for the Red Sox, their pitching has been superb against Minnesota as they have registered 1-0 and 2-1 victories heading into the final game of the matchup.

The Twins have been swept three times this season, most recently in a three-game series at San Francisco from May 23-25. Minnesota wasted a strong effort by Phil Hughes that resulted in his third career complete game as it lost its fourth straight contest and fell to 3-5 on its nine-game road trip. The Twins have registered a total of seven hits over the first two games of the series, with Danny Santana collecting three while scoring the team's lone run.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN North (Minnesota), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (6-5, 3.55 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH John Lackey (8-4, 3.24)

Gibson has been superb in his last two starts, allowing a total of eight hits while tossing seven scoreless innings in victories over Houston and Detroit. The 26-year-old has kept opponents off the scoreboard in five of his 13 starts this season and held them to one run on three occasions but also has been tagged for five or more runs four times. Gibson, who is 2-4 with a 5.91 ERA in seven road outings, never has faced the Red Sox.

Lackey also has won his last two starts, defeating Detroit and Cleveland while allowing three runs in each contest. The 35-year-old has yielded fewer than four runs while working at least six innings in nine of his last 10 outings. Lackey is 8-6 with a 3.35 ERA in 17 career starts against the Twins.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox have been held to fewer than three runs in seven of their last nine games but are 5-4 in that span.

2. Minnesota is expected to recall 30-year-old RHP Yohan Pino from Triple-A Rochester to start against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday in his major-league debut.

3. Each of Boston's last four games were decided by one run, with the club going 2-2. The Red Sox are 10-15 in such contests this season.

PREDICTION: Twins 6, Red Sox 2