New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2018 ) NY Mets 8, Boston 0

The New York Mets have been a pesky spoiler this month and can make the strongest statement yet if they can clinch a series victory in the second of a three-game set against the major league-best Red Sox on Saturday afternoon in Boston. The Mets have already won series against National League playoff hopefuls Philadelphia and Los Angeles in September and improved to 10-3 this month with an 8-0 victory Friday at Fenway Park.

Veteran Jay Bruce, who missed more than two months with a hip injury this season, launched his fourth homer in eight games Friday as New York went deep four times while moving within a victory of sealing their 10th series in 13 tries. Corey Oswalt gets the call in the second game of the interleague series and Boston counters with 16-game winner Rick Porcello, who is expected to be limited to five or six innings at the most to lighten his workload before the playoffs. Ian Kinsler had two of the four hits and stole two bases for the Red Sox Friday as Boston’s magic number for clinching the American League East remained at six. The Red Sox are 14-4 in interleague play and own 101 wins on the season - one shy of the third most in franchise history.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, WPIX (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Corey Oswalt (3-2, 6.62 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (16-7, 4.27)

Oswalt gets the 10th start of his rookie season after permitting two runs on five hits and one walk over three innings in a no-decision against Philadelphia on Sunday. The 25-year-old California native has yielded 13 runs on 15 hits and four walks across 4 2/3 innings combined in his last four trips to the mound. Oswalt is 2-2 with a 5.36 ERA in his first nine starts this year and owns an 8.25 ERA in seven appearances (four starts) on the road.

Porcello has not completed six innings in any of his last four starts after allowing four runs and seven hits (two homers) over 5 2/3 innings Sunday in a no-decision against Houston. The 29-year-old New Jersey native has given up 26 blasts on the season - 12 in his last nine games - the second-most in his career after serving up 38 in 2017. Jose Reyes is 6-for-12 with a triple versus Porcello, who is 1-1 with an 8.44 ERA in two career starts against the Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston OF/DH J.D. Martinez has 41 homers, one shy of Dick Stuart’s club record for the most in a player’s first season with the team.

2. New York OF Michael Conforto is 11-for-29 with four homers and 10 RBIs during his current seven-game hitting streak.

3. Red Sox INF Eduardo Nunez, who is 5-for-12 in his last four contests, is expected to sit out his second straight game Saturday with a sore knee.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 8, Mets 3