Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 7, 2013 ) Boston 4, Tampa Bay 5

The Tampa Bay Rays kept their season alive in dramatic fashion and are showing a knack for winning elimination games. The Rays will look to stave off elimination for another day when they host the Boston Red Sox in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Tuesday. The Red Sox, who own a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, held a 3-0 edge in Game 3 on Monday before falling 5-4 on Jose Lobaton’s walk-off homer.

Nothing seemed to go right for Tampa Bay in the first two games in Boston, but the Rays finally started to get some breaks in Game 3 and cashed them in on Evan Longoria’s three-run homer and Lobaton’s solo blast. The Red Sox scored 19 runs in the first two games but struggled with runners in scoring position in Game 3. After being beaten by David Ortiz several times in Boston, Tampa Bay decided to be a little more careful with the Red Sox slugger in Game 3, walking him three times.

TV: 8:37 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Jake Peavy (12-5, 4.17 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 5.17)

Peavy started out strong in his tenure with Boston but posted a 5.40 ERA in four September starts. The veteran last worked at Colorado on Sept. 25 but pitched in an intersquad game Wednesday as the Red Sox prepared for the playoffs. Peavy allowed three runs in six innings at Tampa Bay on Sept. 12, and is making his first postseason start since 2006, when he was with the San Diego Padres.

Hellickson got the nod for the No. 4 spot over Chris Archer due in part to his relative success against Boston. The 26-year-old went 1-0 with a 3.44 ERA in three starts against the division rivals in 2013 and has faced the Red Sox 13 times in his career. Hellickson made one previous postseason start, allowing three runs on four hits - three solo homers - over four innings against the Texas Rangers in 2011.

WALK-OFFS

1. Ortiz (9-for-24) and Red Sox C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (8-for-25) each have three career home runs against Hellickson.

2. Tampa Bay 1B James Loney is 5-for-6 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs in the last two games.

3. Boston CF Jacoby Ellsbury is 8-for-14 with six runs scored in the series.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Rays 4