Los Angeles @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2014 ) LA Angels 4, Boston 3

The Los Angeles Angels have shut down the host Boston Red Sox in back-to-back games despite a pair of mediocre pitching performances and now get to send their best starter to the mound in the third of a four-game series. Garrett Richards goes for his 14th win Wednesday night for the first-place Angels, who have won six of seven and hold a half-game lead over Oakland in the American League West. Richards is 9-2 in his last 14 starts, yielding two runs or fewer on 11 occasions.

Los Angeles has won 14 of its last 19 meetings with the Red Sox, including eight of the last 10 at Fenway Park despite starters C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver each lasting 5 1/3 innings in the first two games of the series. Boston continues to stumble at home, dropping nine of its last 12, and has stranded 21 runners in the series. David Ortiz, who leads the majors with 92 RBIs, is 10-for-22 with three homers and eight RBIs in the first six games of the homestand.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN West (Los Angeles), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (13-4, 2.53 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (5-7, 5.79)

Richards notched his 13th victory last time out by limiting the Texas Rangers to two runs over seven innings. He has tossed six innings of no-hit ball against the Red Sox in his previous turn but retired only one more batter and wound up settling for a no-decision after giving up three runs in 6 1/3 innings. Richards has had his problems against Mike Napoli (4-for-7, homer), while Yoenis Cespedes is 6-for-19 with three doubles against him.

Although he has not won since July 18 against Kansas City, Buchholz has shown improvement in his last two starts - giving up five runs in 15 innings while earning a pair of no-decisions. That followed an ugly three-start stretch in which he went 0-2 was whacked for 19 runs over 16 innings. Buchholz is 6-3 with a 4.48 ERA in 11 career starts against the Angels, including eight innings of three-run ball at Los Angeles on Aug. 9.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels CF Mike Trout, who has hit safely in all eight career games at Fenway Park, is 6-for-13 with two homers against Buchholz.

2. Red Sox 3B Will Middlebrooks is listed as day-to-day after exiting Tuesday's game with tightness in his right hamstring.

3. Angels 3B David Freese is batting .350 over his last 18 games.

PREDICTION: Angels 5, Red Sox 3