Boston @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2013 ) Boston 7, San Francisco 0

The Boston Red Sox did not get much sleep on their way to the West Coast but still managed to hang onto their lead in the American League East. The Red Sox will try to take advantage of the last-place San Francisco Giants again when they play the second of the three-game set on Tuesday. Boston is fighting off the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East and kept the lead at one game with a 7-0 win over the Giants in the opener.

Boston is 2-4 over its last six games after the Monday win and could stand to pad its record against San Francisco before heading to Los Angeles for a series against the red-hot Dodgers. The Giants are 2-5 in their last seven home games and averaged 0.86 runs in those setbacks. The defending World Series champs have a chance to swing the balance of two divisions with the National League Central-leading Pittsburgh Pirates coming up after the Red Sox.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Jake Peavy (9-5, 4.41 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (2-4, 6.75)

Peavy suffered his first loss in a Red Sox uniform last week despite a solid start at Toronto in which he allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. Overall, the veteran is 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA in three starts since coming over in a trade from the Chicago White Sox. Peavy, who spent the first 7 1/2 years of his career in the NL West with the San Diego Padres, is 8-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 13 starts at San Francisco.

Vogelsong is making his third start since coming off the disable list and could not make it through the fourth inning at Washington last Thursday, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks in 3 2/3 frames. The former All-Star issued three walks in each of his last two turns. Vogelsong is 1-2 with a 6.68 ERA in six home starts this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox top prospect SS Xander Bogaerts is expected to get his first major-league start Tuesday.

2. San Francisco C Buster Posey is 7-for-16 in the last five games after going 3-for-23 in the previous seven contests.

3. Boston is 10-3 in interleague play.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 8, Giants 4