After blowing their MLB-leading 12th save since the All-Star break – no other team as more than eight – in Monday night’s series opener with the Astros, the Red Sox are in need of a statement victory.

For the second time in two weeks, the Red Sox will face Ronel Blanco, whom they knocked around at Fenway on Aug. 9. Over four innings, they tagged him for three runs, two earned, non four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Most notably, they hit the righty’s slider well: entering that contest, batters were averaging .166 with a .242 slugging percentage against.

The less-promising takeaway from that game? The bullpen blew a late lead for the loss in that one, too.

As for Nick Pivetta, the Red Sox starter’s top priority will be shutting down the hard-hitting Jordan Alvarez, a near-impossible feat for any pitcher. When the Astros were at Fenway, Red Sox manager Alex Cora compared Alvarez to a franchise legend and on of its great rivals. .

Red Sox lineup

Jarren Duran CF

Wilyer Abreu RF

Triston Casas 1B

Rafael Devers 3B

Tyler O’Neill LF

Masataka Yoshida DH

Danny Jansen C

David Hamilton 2B

Ceddanne Rafaela SS

Nick Pivetta RHP

Astros lineup

Jose Altuve 2B

Yordan Alvarez DH

Yainer Diaz C

Jeremy Peña SS

Jon Singleton 1B

Mauricio Dubón LF

Jake Meyers CF

Shay Whitcomb 3B

Chas McCormick RF

Ronel Blanco

How to watch

When: 8:10 p.m. ET

Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston

Broadcast info: NESN, WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish)