Boston @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 19, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 4, Boston 2

The Pittsburgh Pirates look to maintain their hold on a postseason berth as they continue their final homestand of the season Tuesday with the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Boston Red Sox. Pittsburgh enters the set with a 1 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee for the second wild-card spot in the National League and still within reach of the Central Division crown as it trails first-place St. Louis by 3 1/2. The Pirates improved to 2-1 on their homestand Sunday with a 7-3 triumph over the Chicago Cubs in the finale of their series.

Neil Walker went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs while Josh Harrison also drove in a pair of runs for Pittsburgh, which turned a triple play en route to its eighth win in 10 games. Boston is coming off an 8-4 triumph at Kansas City in which Daniel Nava belted his second career grand slam and Xander Bogaerts added a homer and four RBIs. The Red Sox rallied from a 4-0 deficit as they embraced their role as spoilers by taking three of four from the Royals, who fell farther behind first-place Detroit in the American League Central.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Anthony Ranaudo (3-2, 5.40 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Charlie Morton (5-12, 3.84)

Ranaudo lasted only 3 1/3 innings against Baltimore on his 25th birthday last Tuesday as he surrendered four runs on six hits - three homers - and two walks en route to his second straight loss. The rookie has served up eight home runs in his first five major-league starts and issued 12 walks while registering only 10 strikeouts in 26 2/3 frames. Ranaudo worked six innings in each of his first three outings - all victories - but failed to reach the plateau in his two losses.

Morton will be making his first start in a month as he returns from a sports hernia. The 30-year-old looks to halt an eight-start winless streak during which he is 0-3 and has allowed four or more runs five times. Morton, who last won on July 2 against Arizona, is 3-4 with a 2.58 ERA in 11 home outings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pittsburgh won two of three when the teams last met at PNC Park in 2011.

2. Bogaerts is riding an eight-game hitting streak during which he is 13-for-33 with three homers and seven RBIs.

3. Walker's homer on Sunday was his 20th of the season, a new franchise record for a second baseman. He eclipsed the mark set in 1958 by Bill Mazeroski.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 7, Pirates 5