San Francisco @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2019 ) San Francisco 7, Boston 6

The San Francisco Giants entered a three-game series at Fenway Park with a bit of a home-field edge, courtesy of a family tie to one of the most beloved players in the history of the Boston Red Sox. The Giants needed 15 innings before finally prevailing Tuesday night and will go for an interleague series win in the second of a three-game set at Boston on Wednesday night.

Mike Yastrzemski, the grandson of Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, met his grandfather on the field before the series opener and proceeded to hit a home run in his Fenway Park debut to become the first Giants rookie to hit 20 homers since 1972. Although San Francisco is five games below .500, it improved to a major league-best 37-15 in one-run games, including all seven victories this month. Reigning World Series champion Boston had its three-game winning streak snapped and inched closer to mathematical elimination from the postseason while dropping four games below .500 at home. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts had a pair of hits and reached base four times to extend his hitting streak to four games for the Red Sox, who fell to 9-9 in interleague play.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (10-12, 3.72 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Jhoulys Chacín (3-10, 5.44)

Samardzija's ERA rose to 6.62 in three starts this month after he was reached for four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings in a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. One reason for the struggles has been an inability to keep the ball in the park for the 34-year-old, who has surrendered five homers in the three outings after permitting two runs or fewer in his previous seven turns. Samardzija has held J.D. Martinez to 6-for-27, but he is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts versus the Red Sox.

Plucked from the scrap heap after he was released by Milwaukee, Chacin will make his fourth appearance overall and third as the opener for Boston, a role in which he has thrived. The Opening Day starter for the Brewers, he struck out three and blanked Toronto on two hits over 2 2/3 innings on Thursday, giving him seven strikeouts over 5 2/3 scoreless innings with the Red Sox. Brandon Belt is 5-for-31 against Chacin, who tossed five innings of two-run ball versus the Giants on July 14.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox LF Andrew Benintendi is 3-for-29 over his last eight games after going hitless in seven at-bats Tuesday.

2. Giants manager Bruce Bochy needs one win to reach 2,000 for his career.

3. Red Sox OF Mookie Betts sat out his third straight game due to inflammation in his left foot.

PREDICTION: Giants 5, Red Sox 4