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Red Sox look to overtake Rays in AL East

Sep 9, 2008 - 12:25 PM Tampa Bay (85-57) at Boston (85-58) 7:05 p.m. EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox have not been in first place since the All-Star break. That could change on Tuesday, as the Red Sox will move back into first in the American League East Division with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boston beat the Rays 3-0 in the series opener Monday and has won six of seven games since dropping a season-high 5 1/2 games behind the Rays on August 31.

Jon Lester earned his 14th win and Jason Bay homered in the triumph, as the Red Sox set the all-time record for consecutive home sellouts at 456, breaking the mark previously set by Cleveland's Jacobs Field from 1995-2001.

While Boston has been streaking, Tampa Bay has been stumbling. The Rays have lost six of their last seven, getting swept by the Toronto Blue Jays before coming to Boston.

The Red Sox will look to make the jump back into first place behind righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka (16-2, 2.88 ERA). The Japanese hurler leads the American League in batting average against at .210 and has not suffered a loss since July 28.

Matsuzaka has pitched against the Rays once this season, allowing one run and two hits in five innings.

The Rays will counter with ace Scott Kazmir (11-6, 2.99). The 24-year-old lefthander did not allow a run in either of his last two starts while earning wins against Baltimore and the New York Yankees.

Kazmir is 6-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 19 career starts against Boston but has gone 0-1 while allowing eight runs in nine innings over two starts against the division rivals this season.