Boston @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 16, 2013 ) Boston 3, Baltimore 6

The Boston Red Sox survived a series against the Tampa Bay Rays with their grip on first place in the American League East secure. The Baltimore Orioles, who host the opener of a three-game series with the Red Sox on Friday, are the next AL East foe taking aim at Boston. The Orioles dropped three straight against the Kansas City Royals and enter the weekend four games behind the Red Sox, with the Rays sitting between the clubs.

Boston is one-half game ahead of Tampa Bay after dropping two of three to the Rays this week. Thursday’s series finale was rained out, ensuring that the Red Sox would make it a full two months in first place since ascending to the top on May 26. The Orioles have had Boston’s number in 2013, taking five of the first seven meetings between the division rivals.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH John Lackey (7-7, 2.95 ERA) vs. RH Chris Tillman (12-3, 3.84)

Lackey had a string of six straight starts of at least seven innings pitched and two or fewer runs allowed come to an end on Saturday, when he was knocked around for four runs in 6 1/3 frames of a loss to the New York Yankees. The veteran struck out seven but matched a season high with 10 hits allowed in that contest. Lackey has yielded more than three earned runs three times this season and two of those instances have been against Tampa Bay, which has pounded him for a total of nine runs on 19 hits in 10 innings.

Tillman has allowed three or fewer earned runs in eight of his last nine starts and is coming off a win at Texas in which he allowed two runs in eight innings. The 25-year-old gets in trouble with his command from time to time and has yielded 21 home runs in 119 2/3 total frames. Tillman kept Boston in the park on June 14, when he held the Red Sox to three hits in six scoreless frames to earn a win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia, who signed an eight-year, $110 million contract extension this week, is 2-for-23 since the All-Star break.

2. Baltimore rookie DH Henry Urrutia is 7-for-20 in his first six major-league games.

3. Boston reportedly has been scouting potential trade acquisitions, including Chicago White Sox RHP Jake Peavy.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Orioles 3