Tampa Bay @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 3, Boston 11

The Boston Red Sox need one more victory to ensure they won’t match the 2012 squad as the worst since the 1965 team managed only 62 wins. The Red Sox will attempt to lock up win No. 70 when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the rubber match of a three-game series. Boston bounced back from a crushing loss in Tuesday’s opener to grab an 11-3 victory on Wednesday as the Rays staff paid for nine walks.

Tampa Bay had not allowed an opposing team to reach double figures since June 5 before letting the White Sox go off in a 10-5 loss on Sunday, and has now surrendered double-digit runs in two of the last three games. The Rays were forced to burn through five relievers on Wednesday, when starter Jake Odorizzi failed to record an out in the fourth inning. The Red Sox are giving several young players a long look in the last month and third baseman Garin Cecchini shined with his first major-league home run and some strong defensive plays in the first two games of the series.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (1-4, 3.96 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Allen Webster (4-3, 5.54)

Hellickson is winless in his last eight starts and failed to complete six innings in five of those turns. The 27-year-old was reached for four runs on seven hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings to suffer a loss to the White Sox last time out. Hellickson held Boston scoreless on five hits in 4 2/3 innings on July 26 and is 4-2 with a 3.96 ERA in 14 career games (13 starts) against the division rivals.

Webster was strong in his last two efforts, showing promise as the team tries to figure out its 2015 rotation. The 24-year-old won at Kansas City on Sept. 12 and followed that up by holding the Baltimore Orioles to one run and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision on Friday. Webster earned a win at Tampa Bay on July 27 but was knocked around for six runs in four frames to suffer a loss at the Rays on Aug. 30.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox DH David Ortiz (soreness) got the night off Wednesday and is day-to-day.

2. Tampa Bay C Curt Casali (concussion) left Wednesday’s game after taking a pair of foul tips off the mask and joins C Ryan Hanigan (toe) as questionable the rest of the way.

3. Boston OF Daniel Nava has hit safely in nine straight games.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 4, Rays 3