AP Sports Preview Astros at Red Sox BOSTON (Interstat) — The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, both mired in sub-.500 starts to the 2026 season, meet Saturday evening at Fenway Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. under cloudy skies with a gametime temperature of 62 degrees. Boston (12-19) enters having dropped the series opener 3-1 on Friday afternoon and has lost four of its last five games. Houston (12-20) arrives after a 10-3 loss at Baltimore on Thursday, its third defeat in four contests. The pitching matchup features a bullpen game approach for the Astros. Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (3-0, 2.84 ERA) is scheduled to start, with left-hander Connelly Early (2-1, 3.60 ERA) expected to follow in a tandem role. The Red Sox have not announced a starter. Houston right-hander Peter Lambert is a player to watch in relief. Lambert has been inconsistent recently: He allowed two earned runs over 4 1/3 innings in Thursday’s loss at Baltimore, struck out eight over six scoreless innings in a win at Cleveland on April 22, but gave up four earned runs in five innings against St. Louis on April 17. Boston catcher/first baseman Willson Contreras has been the club’s most consistent hitter. Over his last 10 games, Contreras has three home runs and eight RBIs, including a 2-for-4 game with a homer and two RBIs in a 5-3 win at Baltimore on April 26. He also drove in five runs in a 17-1 rout of the Orioles on April 25. The Red Sox have won four of the last five meetings between the clubs, including Friday’s opener. Houston took three of four at home from Boston from March 30-April 1. Boston has been installed as a -1.5 favorite on the run line. The over/under is 9 runs. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 4-3 Red Sox victory. After Saturday’s contest, the teams conclude the three-game series Sunday at Fenway.