Red Sox vs. Giants lineups: David Ortiz sits

The Red Sox head into San Francisco as a slipping team in need of at least a solid series split against a division leader. They will have to try their hand at earning said split in the first game without David Ortiz, knowing full well that Madison Bumgarner is waiting for them tomorrow.

This has the feeling of a fairly important game. There's the aforementioned Bumgarner situation which would suggest that, even with David Price on the mound tomorrow, this is Boston's best chance to get a win out west. There's the fact that they've now fallen into second place--albeit by just half a game--after so recently leading the East by three.

And there's the matter of Rick Porcello having slipped in his last few outings, even taking into account the runs that never should have scored against him in that game against Toronto. With an NL lineup tabbed to face him, in a park that's death to home runs, he needs very much to have at least a solid outing, and certainly nothing like the home run derby we saw from him his last time out.

The Red Sox need one win in two, and while Albert Suarez has pitched reasonably well in his first few Major League starts, he's no Madison Bumgarner. First pitch is at 10:15 p.m. ET with broadcasts on NESN, WEEI, and the MLB Network.