New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2013 ) Boston 3, NY Yankees 4

The last time the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees met, the Red Sox extinguished any hope the Yankees had of competing for the American League East crown. When Boston hosts New York in the opener of a three-game set on Friday, it will look to knock its rivals out of the wild-card race. The Yankees are one game behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the second AL wild card.

Boston actually did New York a favor by taking two of three from the Rays this week but fell just short of the three-game sweep that would have lifted the Yankees into a tie for the final playoff spot. The Red Sox had few problems with New York pitching last weekend, putting up 39 runs while taking three of four. The Yankees' bullpen accounted for two of those losses and was shaky again on Thursday, when David Robertson surrendered a game-tying, three-run homer in the eighth before New York claimed a 6-5 win over Baltimore.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MY9 (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (11-10, 2.99 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH John Lackey (9-12, 3.48)

Kuroda probably had the best showing of any New York pitcher against Boston last week, when he held the Red Sox to two runs on five hits in six innings. The Japanese veteran did not factor in the decision in that turn and is 0-3 in his last five outings. Kuroda is 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA in five starts against Boston in 2013.

Lackey finally got some run support on Saturday and needed almost all of it as he picked up the win in a 13-9 triumph despite allowing seven runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Texas native had gone at least six innings in each of his previous 15 starts. Lackey is 2-1 with a 5.79 ERA in three outings against the Yankees this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston’s magic number to clinch the AL East is eight.

2. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera will be honored by the Red Sox before Sunday’s series finale.

3. New York CF Brett Gardner (oblique) left Thursday’s game in the first inning and will have an MRI on Friday afternoon.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 8, Yankees 3