Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2019 ) Boston 4, Tampa Bay 5

The Tampa Bay Rays are displaying a flair for the dramatic on their final homestand of the season and can clinch a series win over the visiting Boston Red Sox when the American League East rivals continue a four-game series Sunday afternoon. The Rays have opened the set with consecutive 5-4 wins - both in 11 innings - to move a game ahead of the Cleveland Indians for the second wild card in the AL.

Rookie Nate Lowe was the hero in Saturday's triumph with a two-run homer in the 11th, saving Tampa Bay from a near-disaster after it had lost a late two-run advantage and watched as Mitch Moreland gave Boston the lead with a solo blast in the top of the 11th. Willy Adames had the game-winning hit in the series opener for the Rays and added a solo shot Saturday, helping to support a staff that saw nine pitchers scatter seven hits and record 16 strikeouts. Moreland has three home runs through the first two games of the series and Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts slugged their 31st and 32nd homers, respectively, for Boston on Saturday. Devers is 3-for-9 with a home run and a double against Ryan Yarbrough, who starts Sunday for Tampa Bay against Nathan Eovaldi for the Red Sox

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 6.19 ERA) vs. Rays LH Ryan Yarbrough (11-4, 3.78)

Eovaldi will be making his seventh straight start following a stretch out of the bullpen. He gave up five runs over four innings against San Francisco his last time out and has a 6.44 ERA in 10 starts on the year. The one-time Ray is 2-3 with a 4.39 ERA in eight career games (seven starts) at Tropicana Field.

Yarbrough went 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA between July and August, but he's 0-1 with a 6.50 mark in three September starts. The Old Dominion product limited the Red Sox to one earned run over 7 2/3 dominant innings in his one start against them this year, but he has allowed seven runs across 7 1/3 frames in two relief outings versus Boston. Andrew Benintendi is 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts against Yarbrough.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay has won six in a row over Boston.

2. Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez returned from a groin injury Saturday and went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.

3. Adames is 5-for-13 with a home run, two doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored over his last three games.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Red Sox 4