Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2015 ) Boston 4, Tampa Bay 8

The Tampa Bay Rays need only to look around the field at the current matchup to know that hope is not lost in the race for the second American League wild card. The Rays will try to keep their slim postseason hopes alive and clinch a series win when they host the Boston Red Sox in the second contest of a three-game series Saturday.

Tampa Bay was nine games behind the Red Sox heading into September of 2011 but came all the way back to steal the wild card spot away on the last day of the regular season. The Rays aren’t struggling this time to overcome Boston, which is in last place in the AL East, but is trying to climb over four other teams in the wild-card race. Tampa Bay came from behind to claim an 8-4 victory in Friday’s opener and sits five games behind the Texas Rangers, who lead the race for the second wild card, while the Red Sox squandered an opportunity to tighten things up at the bottom of the East and possibly climb out of the basement by the end of the weekend. Boston will try to spoil things for its division rivals when it sends Rick Porcello to the mound to oppose Matt Moore on Saturday.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (7-12, 5.12 ERA) vs. Rays LH Matt Moore (1-3, 8.04)

Porcello is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA in three starts since returning from the disabled list and is coming off a win over Toronto. The sinkerballer surrendered a pair of home runs in that outing but limited the damage to four runs (three earned) on eight hits and a pair of walks in 7 1/3 frames. Porcello went seven scoreless innings in a home win over Tampa Bay on May 5 but was reached for three runs in six frames without factoring in the decision at the Rays on June 26.

Moore is making his second start since being recalled from the minors and was solid in an abbreviated outing at the New York Yankees on Sept. 5. The Tommy John survivor allowed two runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings before being pulled after 78 pitches. Moore was sent to the minors after getting rocked for six runs and nine hits in three innings at Boston on Aug. 1.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox CF Mookie Betts is hitting .379 during his 16-game hitting streak.

2. Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria is 8-for-15 with six RBIs and five runs scored in his last four games.

3. Boston DH David Ortiz recorded two hits Friday but both stayed in the park, leaving him two homers shy of 500.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Red Sox 3