First pitch: Wednesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: New York -165, Boston +155, Total: 8.5

A classic rivalry is renewed on Wednesday as the Boston Red Sox go head-to-head with the Bronx Bombers in the second game of a three-game series.

Boston cannot wait to finish this lost season as they sit at the bottom of the AL East, 19 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. Coming into this contest, they have gone 5-3 in their last eight games; all of which were on the road against divisional opponents. They defeated the Yanks in the first game of this series by a score of 9-4 as they hit three balls out of the park. OF Yoenis Cespedes (.263) has been a great addition to the ballclub and has gone 16-for-40 (.400) with four doubles and eight RBI over his last 10 games. The Yankees attempt to stay in the playoff hunt but are only 2-5 over their last seven contests. They lost their last series, two games to one, against the Blue Jays on the road and scored a woeful three runs over the two losses. On Tuesday, they were easily taken care of by Boston as they were 2-for-7 with RISP while getting solo homers by both OF Martin Prado (.292) and C Brian McCann (.237). For Prado, this multi-hit performance was his sixth in his last 10 games where he has gone 15-for-40 (.375) with three doubles, two home runs, four RBI and seven runs. There is a 15 year age difference between the starters going against each other in this contest as RHP Anthony Ranaudo (3-0, 4.50 ERA) toes the rubber for Boston and will go up against RHP Hiroki Kuroda (9-8, 3.88 ERA). The Red Sox have done better on the road this year (32-37) than at home and will have a chance on improving that record against a New York team that is 33-32 in the Bronx. Overall in the past three seasons, the Yankees have a 27-24 edge over their rivals while Boston actually has a winning record (14-13) in Yankee Stadium. In 2014, New York is 8-6 against the Red Sox but has lost three of the last four. Bettors should know that Boston is 22-19 (.537) on the road when the money line is +125 to -125 this year while the Yankees are 17-7 (.708) after batting .240 or worse over a 20 game span in 2014. On the injury front, 2B Dustin Pedroia (Concussion) will miss this game for Boston as no offensive players on the Yankees are currently injured.

Anthony Ranaudo is now 3-for-3 in getting wins at the major league level despite allowing nine runs on 17 hits in 18 frames. He earned his way up to the Red Sox after a tremendous season at triple-A as he started 24 games (138 IP) and posted a 2.61 ERA (1.20 WHIP) while striking out a modest 7.2 batters per nine innings and struggling with control (3.5 BB/9). He certainly has been lucky in his three starts with Boston as batters are hitting .220 BABIP while he has left 82.5% of batters on base. His first career outing came against the Bombers on August 1st when he went six innings and gave up two runs on four hits while striking out two batters (4 walks). OF Carlos Beltran jacked a home run and was 2-for-2 against Ranaudo as OF Jacoby Ellsbury (1-for-2) and OF Ichiro Suzuki (1-for-2) are the only other Yankees with hits in the matchup. On the other hand, SS Derek Jeter, 1B Mark Teixeira and C Brian McCann are a combined 0-for-9 with two strikeouts against the 24-year old. The Red Sox bullpen is 19-26 (.422) with a 3.28 ERA (1.27 WHIP) while converting 31-of-47 (66%) saves. Koji Uehara (2.36 ERA, 26 saves) has an amazing 73:8 K/BB ratio on the season but has given up seven homers (1.05 HR/9) and blown four games.

Hiroki Kuroda has been the only Yankees starter form the opening day rotation that has stayed healthy and in turn he has given the Yankees 19-of-27 starts with three runs allowed or fewer. Lately he has been stepping up his game, pitching at least six innings in five of his last six starts in which he has not given up more than three earned runs. His strikeout rate has dropped each season for the last five years since he put up a career-high 7.3 K/9 in 2010 with the Dodgers. This year he is mowing down 6.0 batters per nine while having incredible control (1.9 BB.9) and has been unlucky with just 68.1% of batters being left on base. Kuroda has now faced the Red Sox 13 times in his career and owns a 4-5 record (6-7 team record) with an ERA of 4.18 (1.29 WHIP) while earning a win in his one start against them this season (6.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 Ks). Both DH David Ortiz (11-for-20, 4 doubles, 1 HR, 3 RBI) and 2B Dustin Pedroia (11-for-35, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 2 RBI) have done exceptionally well in the matchup against Kuroda. On the other hand, power-hitting 1B Mike Napoli is a mere 3-for-12 (.250) with four strikeouts against the righty. The Yanks relievers have combined to go 20-24 (.455) with a 3.80 ERA (1.25 WHIP) and are 43-for-60 (72%) in save opportunities. David Robertson (2.98 ERA, 35 saves) has struck out 13.5 batters per nine innings but has a loss and a blown save in his last five outings.