Boston @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2014 ) Boston 3, Cincinnati 2

Yoenis Cespedes is turning out to be everything the Boston Red Sox hoped when they acquired the slugger at the trade deadline. Cespedes will try to homer for the third straight game when the Red Sox visit the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of their two-game interleague series Wednesday afternoon. The Reds could use some home runs of their own as they have dropped three of their last four while scoring three runs or fewer in each of those setbacks.

Cespedes, whose three-run homer on Sunday gave Boston a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, belted a decisive blast for the second straight game with a two-run, go-ahead shot to straightaway center in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 3-2 triumph. Cincinnati is having trouble getting offense from anyone other than Devin Mesoraco, who followed up a six-RBI performance in a win on Sunday with three hits and an RBI on Tuesday. The Reds (60-59) still are hanging around in the playoff race as they trail first-place Milwaukee by 5 1/2 games in the National League Central and are 2 1/2 out of the second wild-card spot.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, MLBN, NESN (Boston), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Anthony Ranaudo (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (9-10, 3.42)

Ranaudo was recalled on Tuesday and will make his second major-league start in place of right-hander Brandon Workman, who was used in relief on Saturday. Ranaudo made his debut at home against the New York Yankees on Aug. 1, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks in six innings to earn the win. The 24-year-old owns a 2.58 ERA in 125 2/3 frames at the Triple-A level this season.

Leake is being moved up in the rotation to start in place of Homer Bailey, who was pushed back to Saturday in order to allow some elbow stiffness to rest. Leake ran into some tough luck against Miami on Friday, when he suffered the loss despite allowing two runs in seven innings. The Arizona State product has been a little off with his control of late, issuing four walks in each of his last two turns.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox CF Jackie Bradley Jr., who is mired in an 0-for-35 slump, was limited to work as a defensive replacement on Tuesday.

2. Cincinnati 2B Brandon Phillips (thumb) took on-field batting practice Tuesday and is close to a minor-league rehab assignment.

3. Boston has taken eight of the nine all-time interleague meetings between the teams.

PREDICTION: Reds 5, Red Sox 4