The Boston Red Sox head to Baltimore for a 7:15 PM ET first pitch on Thursday, September 3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, with left-hander Jake Bennett taking the ball against Orioles right-hander Brandon Young in what shapes up as a pivotal AL East regular season contest. With September baseball in full swing and every game carrying added weight in the standings, this is exactly the kind of divisional road game that separates contenders from the field. Catch the action on FOX/FOX ONE or tune in on WEEI 93.7 FM.

Starting Pitchers: Jake Bennett vs. Brandon Young

Boston will hand the ball to Jake Bennett, who makes his case to be a reliable piece of this rotation going forward. The Sox are counting on Bennett to eat innings and keep Baltimore's lineup in check. Neither Bennett nor Young comes into this matchup with widely published ERA numbers entering tonight, which makes this something of a chess match — two arms each capable of controlling the narrative if they locate their pitches early and limit damage.

For Baltimore, Brandon Young gets the start and will look to neutralize a Red Sox lineup that carries genuine run-producing capability up and down the order. Camden Yards can be a hitter-friendly environment, so both starters will need to work ahead in counts and avoid leaving pitches elevated in the zone.

Boston Red Sox Lineup to Watch

Manager's card for Boston tonight:

• Roman Anthony, DH
• Mickey Gasper, 1B
• Adley Rutschman, C
• Wilyer Abreu, RF
• Nick Sogard, 2B
• Caleb Durbin, 3B
• Jarren Duran, LF
• Eli White, CF
• Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS

Roman Anthony drawing the leadoff spot at DH is the lineup card's headline. The young talent sets the table for a Red Sox offense that needs Rutschman — yes, the former Oriole — to produce in his return to Camden Yards. Jarren Duran sliding to seventh in the lineup is worth noting; Boston will need him to make noise if the top of the order doesn't get things going early. Adley Rutschman hitting third gives the Sox a clear threat in the middle of the order, and Wilyer Abreu in the four-hole adds another dimension of run production.

Baltimore Orioles Lineup

The Orioles counter with a lineup that features Pete Alonso anchoring the cleanup spot at first base, with Gunnar Henderson hitting fifth at shortstop. Luis Robert Jr. slots into center field in the three hole, giving Baltimore three legitimate threats through the heart of their order. Blaze Alexander leads off at second base and Coby Mayo hits second as the DH. It's a lineup with pop, and Bennett will need to be surgical.

Keys to the Game

• Bennett's command early: If he gets ahead in counts against Alonso and Henderson, Boston controls the pace.
• Rutschman at the plate: His production in the three hole is critical to Boston manufacturing runs on the road.
• Duran's at-bats: Even from the seventh spot, Duran can change momentum in a hurry.
• Bullpen management: With pitching stats limited on both sides, expect both benches to stay active late.

Prediction

This is a coin-flip game on paper, and Camden Yards won't make it easy for Boston. But the Red Sox have enough in that lineup — Anthony, Rutschman, Abreu — to put runs on the board against an unproven Young. Bennett needs to give Boston five quality innings, and if he does, this one goes to extras or gets decided by a single big swing. Red Sox, 4-3.