Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2013 ) Boston 2, Tampa Bay 0

The Boston Red Sox are rapidly closing in on an American League East crown while the Tampa Bay Rays seem determined to make the wild card race last as long as possible. The Red Sox will look to take advantage of the slumping Rays again when the teams meet in Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Boston posted a 2-0 triumph in Tuesday’s series opener and owns an 8 1/2-game lead in the AL East.

The Rays are losers of 12 of their last 16 contests to drop from tied for the division lead to clinging to a 1 1/2-game lead over the Cleveland Indians for the second wild card spot. The Red Sox’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is eight and 10 for the division title following Tuesday’s victory, in which the team got stronger with the return of All-Star right-hander Clay Buchholz. His successful appearance leaves Boston with six starters as it spends the rest of the month sorting out the playoff rotation.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, NESN (Boston), SUN Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Ryan Dempster (8-9, 4.79 ERA) vs. Rays RH Alex Cobb (8-3, 2.99)

Dempster is looking to win his third straight start and hoping for the kind of run support he received last time out, when Boston trashed Detroit 20-4. The British Columbia native allowed four runs on six hits in six innings in that game - the fourth time in six outings he failed to post a quality start. Dempster was not quite as fortunate in the run support department the last time he faced Tampa Bay, suffering a loss on June 19 despite yielding three runs in six innings.

Cobb, who was born in Boston, will try to snap a three-start winless streak. The 25-year-old had a run of four straight starts allowing two or fewer earned runs come to an end at Seattle last weekend, when he was reached for four runs on seven hits in six innings. Cobb was knocked around for six runs on seven hits in four innings by his hometown team on June 10.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox RHP Koji Uehara has retired 31 straight batters dating back to Aug. 17.

2. Tampa Bay RHP Jesse Crain (right shoulder) threw in the bullpen on Tuesday and will map out further throwing plans based on how he feels Wednesday.

3. Boston 1B Mike Napoli is 11-for-22 with eight runs scored, four home runs and nine RBIs in the last seven games.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Red Sox 3