BOSTON RED SOX (87-64)

at BALTIMORE ORIOLES (82-69)

First pitch: Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Boston -105, Baltimore -105, Total: 10.0

After dropping the first two games of the four-game series, the Orioles—now five games out of first place and just 1 ½ games ahead of the Tigers for the second American League wild-card berth—look to right the ship against the division-leading Red Sox.

In the opener of this four-game series on Monday, the Red Sox (87-64) beat the Orioles (82-69), 5-2, behind home runs from RF Mookie Betts (.317, 31 HR, 108 RBI) and DH David Ortiz (.318, 36 HR, 121 RBI). Baltimore mustered just four hits in the loss. On Tuesday, the Sox won, 5-2, again behind another homer from Ortiz and a CF Jackie Bradley Jr. (.276, 26 HR, 87 RBI) blast. Coming into Wednesday’s game, the first-place Red Sox hold a four-game lead over the Blue Jays and a five-game lead over the O’s in the AL East. The Orioles trail Toronto by a game in the wild-card race, but lead Detroit by 1 ½ games for the second playoff spot. After sweeping the Yankees this past weekend, John Farrell’s club is riding a six-game winning streak, and has gone 13-5 this month. The Red Sox have a narrow 9-8 lead over the Orioles in their season series, but Boston has gone 6-2 against the Orioles at Camden Yards. On the mound for the Red Sox on Wednesday night is RHP Clay Buchholz (7-10, 5.20 ERA, 1.40 WHIP). RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (7-11, 5.94 ERA, 1.61 WHIP) will get the nod for the Orioles. The Sox have gone a very respectable 41-32 away from Fenway Park in 2016. Buck Showalter’s club has played brilliantly at home, going 47-29.

The Red Sox have arguably the best offense in baseball. Boston leads the American League in runs with 840—Cleveland, the next closest team, has 731—hits (1,520), doubles (332), average (.286), on-base percentage (.351) and slugging percentage (.470). In addition to Betts, Ortiz and Bradley Jr., C Sandy Leon (.328, 7 HR, 34 RBI), 2B Dustin Pedroia (.325, 13 HR, 67 RBI), LF Andrew Benintendi (.321, 1 HR, 10 RBI), SS Xander Bogaerts (.296, 20 HR, 88 RBI) and 1B Hanley Ramirez (.292, 28 HR, 107 RBI) have absolutely mashed. Betts (6-for-17 with a 2B), Bogaerts (7-for-18 with a 2B) and Pedroia (11-for-29 with 2 2B) have hit Jimenez very well, but Ramirez (5-for-20) and Ortiz (3-for-23 with 2 HR and 7 SO) haven’t seen the ball well against him. In his lone start against Baltimore this year, all the way back in April, Buchholz allowed five earned runs in five innings and took the loss. For his career, he’s 9-6 with a 3.98 ERA against the Orioles.

The Sox might have the most imposing lineup in the league, but the O’s can hit a little bit, too. Baltimore leads the AL in homers (238), is second in slugging percentage (.447) and is second in OPS (.765). 3B Manny Machado (.300, 36 HR, 93 RBI) has been the Orioles’ best player this season, and CF Adam Jones (.274, 28 HR, 81 RBI) has been his usual terrific self. RF Mark Trumbo (.248, 43 HR, 102 RBI) and 1B Chris Davis (.221, 38 HR, 82 RBI) have hit for low averages, but they’re first and fifth in the league in homers, respectively. Davis (9-for-27 with 4 HR) has crushed Buchholz in his career, and SS J.J. Hardy (.275, 9 HR, 46 RBI) has gone 8-for-24 against him with three home runs. Jones (10-for-35 with 2 HR and 11 RBI) has hit a pair of homers off the two-time All-Star. C Matt Wieters (.237, 14 HR, 60 RBI) has had plenty of difficulty with the right-hander, going just 6-for-34. In two starts against the Sox this year, Jimenez is 0-1 with nine earned runs allowed in 10 innings. For his career, he’s 2-6 against Boston with a 7.15 ERA.