Boston @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2019 ) Boston 2, Philadelphia 1

The Philadelphia Phillies have been doing a lot of scoreboard-watching lately but aren't happy with what's on display as they host the Boston Red Sox on Sunday for the finale of their two-game interleague series. Philadelphia sits 3 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second National League wild-card spot after suffering a 2-1 loss on Saturday and also must pass Milwaukee and the New York Mets to reach the postseason for the first time since 2011.

The Phillies also face a daunting schedule down the stretch with an 11-game road trip against NL East champion Atlanta (three games), American League wild-card contender Cleveland (three) and NL wild-card leader Washington (five) that begins Tuesday. Boston is 20-11 at Citizens Bank Park and has lost only one series in Philadelphia (7-1-3) since the inception of interleague play in 1997. Boston's Rick Porcello takes the mound Sunday armed with the worst qualifying ERA in baseball as he opposes Jason Vargas, who is 0-2 with a 5.01 ERA in eight starts since being acquired from the Mets. “This has been the toughest year of my career, by far," Porcello told reporters. “It has been the most disappointing and the most emotional. I don’t have the words to describe it other than: I’m sorry to the Red Sox fans who have to watch me. I’m sorry to my teammates, the guys who have been playing their (butts) off all year.”

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), NBCS Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (12-12, 5.83 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Jason Vargas (6-7, 4.31)

Porcello has allowed six runs and two homers over four innings in each of his last two starts - losses to the New York Yankees on Sept. 8 and Minnesota on Sept. 3. The 30-year-old native of New Jersey has served up 30 home runs this season - the second-highest total of his career behind the 38 he permitted in 2017. Bryce Harper is 1-for-9 with a homer and three strikeouts against Porcello, who is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in five career starts versus the Phillies after suffering a loss at Fenway Park on Aug. 21 in which he allowed three runs over five innings.

Philadelphia is 3-5 in Vargas' starts after he allowed four runs - two earned - on six hits and three walks in three innings in the team's victory over Atlanta on Tuesday. The 36-year-old Californian owns a 1.50 WHIP with 26 strikeouts and 16 walks in 41 1/3 frames since joining the Phillies at the trade deadline. Boston's active roster is batting .231 versus Vargas, who is 3-3 with a 3.48 ERA in eight career starts against the Red Sox but hasn't faced them since 2017.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox RF Mookie Betts (major league-leading 131 runs) and Philadelphia LF Corey Dickerson missed Saturday's game with sore left feet. Dickerson also sat out Thursday's contest in Atlanta.

2. Harper has gone 8-for-37 with two home runs, five RBIs, five runs and eight walks in 13 games this month.

3. Boston pitchers are 1-for-19 with two sacrifices and 10 strikeouts this season after Eduardo Rodriguez went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice as he struck out twice on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Phillies 6, Red Sox 5