Tampa Bay @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 18, 2013 ) Tampa Bay 1, Boston 3

The Boston Red Sox are 15 games over .500, matching their season high, and their success against the Tampa Bay Rays has been instrumental in getting to that point. The Red Sox have won nine of 11 against the Rays and will go for a three-game sweep in the series finale Wednesday night at Fenway Park. Boston captured both ends of a marathon doubleheader Tuesday, overcoming a three-hour rain delay to open a 2 1/2-game lead over Baltimore atop the AL East.

Tampa Bay's offense has been feast or famine this month. The Rays had a four-game stretch from June 8-11 in which they piled up 31 runs, including eight in back-to-back games against Boston. However, they have been held to three runs or fewer in 11 of 17 games in June and have scored two runs or fewer in seven of the 11 matchups with the Red Sox. Highly touted slugger Wil Myers made his major-league debut Tuesday and went 1-for-7 in the doubleheader.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 5.67 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Ryan Dempster (4-7, 4.21 ERA)

Hellickson gave up as many as five runs only three times in 31 starts a year ago, but he has already doubled that total in 14 outings this year. The latest rocky performance came in Hellickson's last start, when he was battered for eight runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 10-1 loss to Kansas City. He gave up two runs on three hits in seven innings in Boston on April 15.

Run support has dictated Dempster's success in his first season with the Red Sox. The team has amassed 37 runs in his four victories and been held to a meager 13 runs in his seven defeats, including a 2-0 loss at Baltimore last time out when Dempster went a season-high 7 2/3 innings. He outdueled Hellickson in April, striking out 10 and allowing one run on two hits.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dempster has held James Loney, Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar to a combined 4-for-42.

2. Hellickson is 3-2 with a 4.26 career ERA vs. the Red Sox. DH David Ortiz is 7-for-19 with two homers against him.

3. Red Sox SS Jose Iglesias has an 18-game hitting streak, tied for the longest in the AL this season.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Red Sox 3