The Boston Red Sox square off with the Tampa Bay Rays for game two of their three-game series in Florida. Can the Rays earn valuable wins at home as they chase the top spot in this division?

The Red Sox have dropped to the 13^th spot in the league rankings. They recently had bad losses against the Houston Astros and one against the Kansas City Royals, the worst team in the league. Kutter Crawford (6-7) takes game two on the mound with an ERA of 4.08.

Their batting average is great at .264, but this is diminished by what they allow their opponents to do, which is average .260. They could have been a great team this year if they had stronger pitching.

They have no problem getting on base with a percentage (OBP) at .330 and a lacking ERA of 4.54. They essentially do well in most of their offensive categories, especially with their slugging percentage, at .438.

The Red Sox are behind nearly 15 games in the AL East behind the Baltimore Orioles. They are not making the postseason, but will still be a threat with their offense no matter who they face.

The Rays need to find a way to click on both sides of the field in order to take over the division, especially since the rest of their schedule will be tough. Currently, they rank as the fourth best team in the league. Zach Elfin (13-8) will be on the mound for this one, with an ERA of 3.40.

They contend with the Red Sox with a .260 batting average, but do much better on the mound with a .232 batting average from their opponents. This ratio is likely why they have overwhelmed the Red Sox in their matchups this season.

Their ERA is at 3.81 and considerably better, while their OBP is a hair more at .331. Their slugging percentage also excels above the Red Sox sitting at .446.

The Rays need all the wins they can get to finish out this month. This will be a tight race for the top spot in the division and the Orioles know it is coming.

MyBookie has odds that show that the Tampa Bay Rays are slight favorites in game two. According to market analysis, the Rays have a 65.6 percent chance to win.

The Rays simply have been a more consistent team this year. This will be close, but look for the Rays to win or take the under.