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(Sports Network) - Bragging rights in the American League East are on the line tonight, when the Tampa Bay Rays pay a visit to the Boston Red Sox for the first of three straight games at Fenway Park.

The Rays and Red Sox are both tied atop the AL East standings and are meeting for the second time this season. Tampa Bay recently swept a three-game set from Boston at Tropicana Field from April 25-27, outscoring the defending World Series champions by a 10-5 margin.

Tampa Bay has won two straight and eight of its last nine games, including a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Thursday's finale of a three-game series at Camden Yards. Carl Crawford put the Rays ahead for good with a two- run single in the seventh inning and finished 2-for-4 with a run scored as Tampa Bay improved to 2-1 on its nine-game road trip.

Baltimore is now a game off the lead in the AL East.

Carlos Pena drove in a run and Jonny Gomes hit a solo homer for Tampa Bay, while starter Matt Garza got the win with six solid innings of work.

Garza yielded a pair of runs on three hits, with two walks and three strikeouts, before Dan Wheeler tossed two perfect frames of relief and closer Troy Percival picked up career save No. 330 with a scoreless ninth. Percival is now tied with John Wetteland for 10th place on the all-time saves list.

The Rays will wrap up their road swing with a three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre from May 6-8.

Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jackson will try to stop a three-game winless streak (0-2) when he takes the ball on Friday. Jackson is 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in five starts and hasn't won since hurling eight shutout frames in a 7-0 victory over Seattle on April 10.

He last toed the rubber in a 2-1 Tampa win against this Boston squad on Saturday, posting a no decision after giving up one run in seven frames. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.54 ERA in eight career contests (five starts) against the rival Red Sox.

The Red Sox are going through a sudden fall from grace, as they have dropped six of their eight most recent tilts following a six-game winning streak. In Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Jays in the final contest of a three-game set at Fenway Park, Toronto starter A.J. Burnett held Boston in check with 7 2/3 shutout innings of three-hit ball.

David Ortiz had a pair of hits for the Red Sox, whose brief two-game win streak was halted. Starting pitcher Tim Wakefield allowed six hits and three runs over seven innings for the loss.

Boston is 2-1 so far on a six-game homestand and 11-5 as the host in 2008.

Clay Buchholz will try to rebound from a poor outing when he toes the rubber for the Red Sox tonight. Buchholz, who is 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA in five starts, was reached for a pair of runs and three hits in eight innings of a 2-1 loss at Tampa Bay on Saturday.

It was his first-ever performance against the Rays. Five days prior to Saturday's start, the righty tossed six shutout frames in a win versus the Rangers.