Baltimore @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2013 ) Baltimore 2, Boston 13

Shane Victorino is an important member of the Boston Red Sox simply because of his stellar defense in right field, though a few seven-RBI performances certainly don’t hurt. Victorino and company will look to clinch a series win when they continue their three-game set against the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Victorino homered twice and drove in seven runs as Boston pounded its way to a 13-2 victory in Tuesday’s opener.

Lost in a few recent offensive shows has been Boston's rotation, which will try to surrender fewer than three runs for the eighth straight game behind John Lackey. That type of pitching is helping the Red Sox stay 2 1/2 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the American League East. The Orioles trail the Red Sox by 6 1/2 games in the division and sit 3 1/2 behind the Oakland Athletics in the race for the second wild-card spot.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, MASN (Baltimore), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Bud Norris (9-10, 4.22 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH John Lackey (8-11, 3.17)

Norris suffered through his worst start since joining the Orioles on Friday, when he was knocked around for seven runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old is 3-1 since coming over in a trade with the Houston Astros but owns a 5.53 ERA in that span. Norris made a start at Boston when he was with the Astros on April 28 and yielded five runs (three earned) on nine hits in six frames to suffer the loss.

Lackey was a victim of poor run support on Friday at the Los Angeles Dodgers and absorbed the loss despite allowing two runs in an eight-inning complete game. The veteran has made four quality starts in his last five outings but has posted only one win in that span. Lackey was tagged for five runs on nine hits - three home runs - in 6 1/3 innings during a loss at Baltimore on July 26.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz (shoulder) came out of his first rehab start on Sunday pain-free and will start in the minors again on Friday.

2. Baltimore RHP Jason Hammel (right flexor mass strain) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Bowie on Thursday.

3. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia is 11-for-20 with six doubles in his last five games.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Orioles 5