New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2018 ) NY Yankees 1, Boston 4

The Boston Red Sox have all but extinguished their chief rival’s chances at an American League East title this weekend and look to finish off a four-game home sweep of the slumping New York Yankees on Sunday night. The Red Sox pushed their lead over the second-place Yankees to 8 1/2 games by outscoring them 23-9 in the first three contests of the series after posting a 4-1 victory on Saturday afternoon.

J.D. Martinez launched his team-high 33rd homer of the season in the last win and is 6-for-15 with four homers during a four-game hitting streak for Boston, which won seven of its last eight contests and is 7-5 against New York in 2018. David Price will try to wipe away his two appearances against the Yankees this season (0-2, 12 runs and six homers allowed in 4 1/3 innings) when he faces red-hot Masahiro Tanaka in the series finale. New York still holds down the first wild-card spot in the AL, but has lost a season-high four games in a row and is just 7-10 in its past 17 contests. Giancarlo Stanton is 4-for-11 with two doubles and a homer while teammate Didi Gregorius boasts five RBIs in the series for the Yankees, who left the bases loaded in the ninth inning Saturday.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (9-2, 3.84 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH David Price (11-6, 3.97)

Tanaka was outstanding in his last two starts, allowing six hits over 15 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts, to stretch his unbeaten streak to 13 outings. The 29-year-old Japan native, who posted a 1.75 ERA in four July starts, is 6-0 with a 4.00 mark in 11 road outings this season. Martinez is 7-for-14 with three homers versus Tanaka, who is 8-4 with a 4.18 ERA in 16 career starts against Boston - 1-0 with an 8.71 mark in 2018.

Price strung together three straight quality starts to end July - a month that started at Yankee Stadium when he served up five home runs in a loss. The 32-year-old Vanderbilt product, who is 22-7 all time at Fenway Park, limited Philadelphia to one run and eight hits with five strikeouts across eight innings of a no-decision Monday. Gregorius is 13-for-30 with a homer against Price, who is 15-13 with a 4.90 ERA in his career versus the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York RHP Dellin Betances has at least one strikeout in his last 24 relief appearances, the second longest streak in club history.

2. The Red Sox placed recently acquired 2B Ian Kinsler (hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list Saturday and recalled UTIL Tony Renda.

3. The Yankees acquired INF Giovanny Urshela from Toronto for cash considerations and assigned him to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Red Sox 3