Boston @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2012 ) Boston 1, Baltimore 9

The Baltimore Orioles crushed the dreams of the Boston Red Sox in the final game of 2011. This season, the Orioles are hoping the Red Sox can help them out a little bit. Boston, which plays two more against Baltimore before closing the season at the New York Yankees, has an opportunity to determine the American League East winner. The Orioles, who beat the Red Sox in the opener, are hoping to continue to roll right past.

Baltimore trails the Yankees by one game for first place in the division and sits first in the wild card standings. Getting past New York means no one-game playoff to reach the division series. The Orioles crushed the Red Sox in Friday’s opener, putting six runs up in the first inning and cruising to a 9-1 win. Boston is continuing its spiral to the end of the regular season. The Red Sox managed only one hit - a leadoff bunt single by Scott Podsednik - on Friday and have scored two runs or less in four straight games. The only thing left to play for is avoiding the basement. Boston is currently tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for last in the East.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LF Felix Doubront (11-9, 4.91 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Steve Johnson (4-0, 1.62).

Doubront is attempting to finish his first full season strong and is coming off a career-high 11 strikeouts last Sunday against Baltimore. The left-hander allowed only one run on four hits in seven innings but did not factor in the decision. Doubront has put together three straight quality starts, surrendering no more than four hits in any of the three outings. He has never beaten the Orioles, owning an 0-1 record with a 2.81 ERA in five games - two starts.

Johnson has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen since being recalled last month but will be making his second straight start after yielding just three hits in five scoreless innings to beat Toronto on Monday. The 25-year old has not been scored upon in any of his last six appearances, totaling 16 1/3 frames. Johnson worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen against Boston on Aug. 16, striking out four.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore C Matt Wieters missed Friday’s game after his wife gave birth to a son earlier that morning. He could return Saturday.

2. Boston CF Jacoby Ellsbury, who has missed the last week with an undisclosed injury, could return on Saturday.

3. The Orioles have hit 122 home runs this season at Camden Yards, setting a new franchise record.