MLB Game Preview - Pittsburgh at Boston

Thu Apr 13, 2017 2:05 PM EDT

BOSTON -- Last Thursday, young pitchers Chad Kuhl of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Eduardo Rodriguez of the Red Sox were set to square off in the finale of a three-game series at Fenway Park.

The rains came, washed the game away, and the makeup date was set for this Thursday. And the same pitchers are still slated to be the starters.

The Pirates flew to Boston after taking their third consecutive loss to the Cincinnati Reds in Pittsburgh. After winning three games in a row, they were outscored 22-5 in the three games by the Reds.

Pittsburgh went hitless in 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

"We get to go to Fenway Park," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said after the Wednesday loss. "Who can complain about a job that takes you to Fenway Park?"

The Red Sox are coming off a split of a two-game series with the Baltimore Orioles, their first home loss in four games this season.

The Boston bullpen was beaten up Wednesday because starter Steven Wright got only four outs. The Orioles hit five home runs in the first three innings -- the most by the franchise at Fenway Park since 1977 -- and pounded out 17 hits in a 12-5 win.

The series featured a pair of lopsided games, with Boston winning 8-1 Tuesday night. The Red Sox have lost four of their past six since opening with a pair of victories over the Pirates.

Boston manager John Farrell said the team might have to bring up a reliever for Thursday's game, with Robbie Ross Jr. a candidate. Ross, one of many Red Sox players struck with the flu, worked a scoreless inning on a minor league rehab assignment Wednesday night and is eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list Thursday.

Farrell sent Wright back to the mound after a six-run first inning Wednesday, hoping the knuckleballer could settle down and give him some length. It didn't work out that way.

"Despite having a rough first inning, you're also looking at not having to go to the bullpen in the second inning, where it's going to have a lasting effect for multiple days to follow," Farrell said. "Unfortunately he wasn't able to settle in and we end up having to go to the bullpen for nearly eight innings of work tonight."

For the Pirates, David Freese hit a home run Wednesday, a two-run shot in the seventh inning he hopes will help get the stagnant offense going.

"That's important," he said of the offense catching some fire. "If our pitchers can do their part -- and they have, for the most part -- then we have to step it up offensively. Timely hitting wins ballgames."

Like Kuhl, Rodriguez has never faced his opponent Thursday. In three interleague outings, Rodriguez is 1-2 with a 6.61 ERA. Freese is the only Pirates player who has ever faced Rodriguez, going hitless in one at-bat.

Kuhl (1-0) gave up three runs (two earned) in his only start of the season, Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. Rodriguez (0-1) allowed five hits and four runs in five innings in a Saturday loss at Detroit.