The Boston Red Sox head to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento to face the Athletics on Tuesday, July 28, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET. Left-hander Jake Bennett gets the ball for Boston against Athletics starter Gage Jump in a mid-week road matchup that carries real stakes in the second half of the season. Sox fans can catch the action on NESN and WEEI 93.7 FM. This is the kind of game where Boston needs to take care of business on the road — no excuses, no letdowns against a young Oakland club that plays hard every night.

Pitching Matchup: Jake Bennett vs. Gage Jump

Jake Bennett draws the start for the Red Sox. The left-hander has shown flashes of genuine promise in his big-league opportunities, and this is another chance to build on that. How Bennett handles the middle of the Athletics order — particularly Jonah Heim at DH and Tyler Soderstrom in the cleanup spot in left field — will go a long way toward determining how long he stays in this game. His ability to keep the ball in the park and generate early-count outs will be the story to watch.

Gage Jump opposes him for Oakland. The Athletics have been developing a pipeline of young arms, and Jump is part of that group. Boston's lineup will need to work counts, stay disciplined, and look for opportunities to do damage early before Jump settles in.

Boston Red Sox Starting Lineup at Sacramento

• Jahmai Jones, DH
• Romy Gonzalez, 2B
• Willson Contreras, 1B
• Wilyer Abreu, RF
• Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
• Caleb Durbin, 3B
• Jarren Duran, LF
• Andruw Monasterio, SS
• Carlos Narváez, C

Athletics Starting Lineup

• Jacob Wilson, SS
• Nick Kurtz, 1B
• Jonah Heim, DH
• Tyler Soderstrom, LF
• Tommy White, 3B
• Colby Thomas, RF
• Henry Bolte, CF
• Alika Williams, 2B
• Brian Serven, C

Keys to Watch for Boston

• Jarren Duran in the seven-hole: Duran sliding to seventh in the order is worth monitoring. Getting him going at any spot in the lineup matters for Boston's offensive continuity.
• Willson Contreras at first base: With Contreras batting third and playing first, Boston needs production from the middle of the order. His at-bats against Jump set the tone.
• Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela: The four-five combination of Abreu and Rafaela gives Boston speed and athleticism in the middle of the order. Both players need to be threats on the bases and in the field.
• Bennett's pitch efficiency: If Bennett can navigate five-plus innings with limited walks, the Red Sox bullpen gets a breather. That depth management matters more and more as the season progresses into August.

Prediction

This is a winnable road game for Boston. The Athletics lineup is young and can be exposed by a left-hander who commands the strike zone. Bennett needs to deliver a quality start — nothing heroic, just efficient and competitive. If the Red Sox get contributions from Contreras and Abreu early, and Bennett gives them five solid frames, Boston takes this one. Red Sox 5, Athletics 3.