The Boston Red Sox head to Pittsburgh for a Friday night interleague matchup against the Pirates at PNC Park, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 PM ET on August 14. Jake Bennett gets the ball for Boston, squaring off against Bubba Chandler on the Pittsburgh side. With the regular season deep into its second half, every game in the standings matters, and the Sox will be looking to grab an early series advantage in what projects to be a pitcher-friendly setting along the Allegheny River.

Probable Pitchers: Jake Bennett vs. Bubba Chandler

Jake Bennett draws the Friday start for the Red Sox. The left-hander has been part of Boston's rotation mix and gets a road test here against a Pirates lineup that features a few legitimate threats in the middle of the order. Bennett's ability to work through lineups efficiently will be the primary storyline to track over the first few innings.

On the Pittsburgh side, Bubba Chandler takes the hill. The young right-hander is one of the more intriguing arms in the Pirates system and has shown flashes of genuine frontline stuff. Boston's lineup will need to be disciplined early — Chandler is the type of pitcher who can put up zeros if the opposing offense doesn't work counts and stay patient.

Boston Red Sox Starting Lineup at Pittsburgh

• Nick Sogard, 2B
• Masataka Yoshida, DH
• Adley Rutschman, C
• Willson Contreras, 1B
• Wilyer Abreu, RF
• Caleb Durbin, 3B
• Jarren Duran, LF
• Andruw Monasterio, SS
• Eli White, CF

Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Lineup

• Nick Gonzales, 3B
• Ronny Simon, DH
• Bryan Reynolds, LF
• Esmerlyn Valdez, RF
• Brandon Lowe, 2B
• Rafael Flores Jr., 1B
• Jake Mangum, CF
• Jared Triolo, SS
• Henry Davis, C

Keys to Watch for the Red Sox

• Yoshida and Contreras as run producers: Masataka Yoshida hitting second and Willson Contreras batting cleanup gives Boston a pair of disciplined, dangerous bats in the heart of the order. Getting those two involved early against Chandler is critical to generating offense.
• Rutschman's plate approach: Adley Rutschman hitting third brings elite on-base skills to a spot in the lineup where Boston needs baserunners. His ability to work counts and set the table for Contreras could be the difference-maker.
• Bennett's command: Against a Pittsburgh lineup anchored by Bryan Reynolds in the three-hole, Bennett can't afford to put free runners on base. Reynolds is the Pirates' most dangerous hitter and the one Boston must keep off the basepaths.
• Duran's legs in the bottom half: Jarren Duran hitting seventh gives the Red Sox a speed element even in the lower portion of the lineup. If he gets on, he changes the dynamic of an inning immediately.

Prediction

This one has the feel of a tight, low-scoring affair. Both Bennett and Chandler are capable of keeping runs off the board, and PNC Park doesn't play like a launching pad. The Sox have enough lineup depth to scratch across two or three runs, which should be enough if Bennett can give Boston five solid innings. Red Sox win, 3-2, in a game that comes down to the bullpen in the seventh and eighth innings. Catch all the action on NESN or WEEI 93.7.