John Lackey

The Red Sox wild card lead continues to slip with just four games left in the regular season, and Boston still cannot find an answer to a string of terrible starting pitching. On Sunday night, the Red Sox send out John Lackey to cap off a critical doubleheader in the Bronx that, if the Sox lose, could drop Boston into a tie with Tampa Bay for the wild card lead.

Lackey (12-12, 6.49 ERA) has been consistently underwhelming in his last five starts, in which he has gone 0-3 with a 9.12 ERA. In his last outing, an 18-9 Red Sox win against Baltimore, the Red Sox bats saved Lackey, who had an awful line. In 4 1/3 innings of work, Lackey allowed eight runs on 11 hits, walked two and struck out three.

Despite a string of poor outings, Lackey has pitched respectably against the Yankees this season, going 2-1 with a 6.50 ERA in three games against New York. Lackey’s only loss against the Yankees this season came in his most recent outing against them, which was also Lackey’s best performance in the last two months. The right-hander went seven innings against the Yankees at Fenway Park on Aug. 30, allowing five runs (four earned) while walking four and striking out three. The outing marked the second time since the All-Star break that Lackey lasted seven innings in a start.

The Yankees have plenty of experience against Lackey, and Mark Teixeira and Eric Chavez hit the Texan best. Teixeira owns a .319 batting average against Lackey with two doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs. Chavez hits .309 against Lackey with two doubles, a home run and 12 RBIs.

New York counters Lackey with 24-year-old upstart Ivan Nova, who is 16-4 this season with a 3.62 ERA. Nova has never won a game against the Red Sox in two career starts. In his only start against Boston this season, a 9-4 Yankees win on April 9, Nova did not pitch well, giving up four earned runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings while walking three and striking out three.

Carl Crawford has the most success against Nova, going 3-for-7 with an RBI and a walk. None of the Red Sox has more than nine plate appearances against the rookie.

Red Sox vs. Nova

Carl Crawford (9 plate appearances): 3-for-7, 1 RBI, 1 walk

David Ortiz (6): 1-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 walk

Jed Lowrie (5): 2-for-5, 2 singles

Mike Aviles (3): 1-for-3, 1 RBI

Adrian Gonzalez (3): 0-for-2, 1 walk

Dustin Pedroia (3): 2-for-2, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 1 walk

Marco Scutaro (3): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 strikeout

Kevin Youkilis (3): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 strikeout

Lars Anderson (2): 1-for-2, 1 single

Jacoby Ellsbury (2): 0-for-2, 1 RBI

Josh Reddick (2): 0-for-2

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2): 0-for-2, 2 strikeouts

Nova has not faced Joey Gathright, Jose Iglesias, Conor Jackson, Ryan Lavarnway, Darnell McDonald and Jason Varitek

Yankees vs. Lackey

Derek Jeter (91 plate appearances): .278 BA/.360 OBP/.392 SLG; 6 doubles, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 5 walks, 23 strikeouts

Alex Rodriguez (83): .200 BA/.349 OBP/.492 SLG; 2 doubles, 1 triple, 5 HRs, 9 RBIs, 15 walks, 27 strikeouts

Mark Teixeira (81): .310 BA/.395 OBP/.423 SLG; 2 doubles, 2 HRs, 11 RBIs, 9 walks, 14 strikeouts

Nick Swisher (75): .172 BA/.293 OBP/.281 SLG; 1 double, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 9 walks, 23 strikeouts

Jorge Posada (60): .283 BA/.367 OBP/.396 SLG; 3 doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts

Eric Chavez (59): .309 BA/.322 OBP/.400 SLG; 2 doubles, 1 HR, 12 RBIs, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts

Robinson Cano (55): .255 BA/.309 OBP/.392 SLG; 7 doubles, 6 RBIs, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts

Curtis Granderson (28): .292 BA/.393 OBP/.625 SLG; 1 double, 2 triples, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts

Brett Gardner (23): .286 BA/.348 OBP/.476 SLG; 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

Russell Martin (16): .167 BA/.375 OBP/.250 SLG; 1 double, 2 RBIs, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts

Andruw Jones (7): 2-for-6, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 4 strikeouts

Ramiro Pena (6): 1-for-6, 2 RBIs, 1 strikeout

Lackey has not faced Chris Dickerson, Greg Golson, Brandon Laird, Jesus Montero, Eduardo Nunez and Austin Romine.