The Red Sox are the best hitting team in the majors and also No. 1 in runs scored. They should do plenty of damage against a declining Hisashi Iwakuma and a Mariners bullpen that has serious fatigue issues.

Iwakuma has a horrible history against Boston with a 10.20 ERA in four career starts. The Mariners' bullpen has toiled 15 innings during the past three days.

Boston was held to only one run on Thursday. The Red Sox have scored five or more runs in 12 of their last 18 games and average 6.7 runs if held to zero or one run during their previous game.

This is a huge start for southpaw Roenis Elias. Not only is he auditioning for the Red Sox's No. 5 spot in the rotation, but he's facing the team he pitched for the previous two seasons. Elias looks like he has straightened himself out at Triple A holding opponents to a .194 average during his last five starts with 40 strikeouts in 36 innings during this span.

Elias always has been tough on left-handed hitters holding them to a career average of .224 in the majors. The Mariners have a number of key left-handed batters, including Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, Adam Lind and most of their outfielders.