Boston @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2013 ) Boston 2, San Francisco 3

The Boston Red Sox have some company atop the American League East because their bullpen could not hold a lead. The Red Sox will try to pull back ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays in the East and take the rubber match of a three-game set when they visit the San Francisco Giants again on Wednesday. Boston is trying to avoid a fourth straight series loss.

The Red Sox took a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning Tuesday but Junichi Tazawa allowed the tying run in the eighth and Franklin Morales loaded the bases on a hit, a walk and a hit by pitch before Brayan Villarreal made his team debut and threw four straight balls to force in the winning run. Boston’s pitching staff has been on a steady decline since the first two months of the season but the back of the bullpen is normally a strong point. The Giants jumped out of sole possession of last place in the NL West with Tuesday’s win and are a factor in the division races.

TV: 3:45 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Felix Doubront (8-6, 3.95 ERA) vs. Giants LH Barry Zito (4-8, 5.34)

Doubront is trying to bounce back from his worst start since May after he was knocked around for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in four innings by the New York Yankees on Friday. The Venezuela native surrendered two home runs to the Yankees after going six straight starts without yielding a blast. Doubront has never faced the Giants and is 4-1 with a 4.66 ERA in five career interleague starts.

Chad Gaudin was scheduled to go for the Giants but was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with carpal tunnel, leaving the spot open for Zito. The former AL Cy Young Award winner has been working out of the bullpen and last pitched Friday, when he allowed a solo home run in one inning at Miami. Zito failed to get out of the fifth inning in any of his last three starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox rookie SS Xander Bogaerts went 0-for-3 in his major-league debut on Tuesday but will probably get another chance Wednesday with the left-handed Zito on the mound.

2. Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval (sore back) was scratched Tuesday and is day-to-day.

3. Boston DH/1B David Ortiz is expected to play first base again in the finale after getting Tuesday off.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Giants 4