The Boston Red Sox appear to have some real issues getting over the hump, and it won’t get any easier tonight. The Sox will have their sixth chance at getting over .500 on Tuesday night, but will have to do it against reigning Cy Young winner Justin Verlander.

Verlander is once again the top pitcher in the American League, leading all hurlers with 75 strikeouts, a 2.15 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. He lost just his second game last week when a lack of run support ruined his seven-strikeout day. That’s been the M.O. for the Tigers lately, sitting at 23-25, third in the AL Central. They scored four on Monday, but couldn’t plug the Red Sox bats in a 7-4 loss that dropped them two games below .500.

The lack of offensive support is irrelevant today, though, with Verlander on the mound. He makes Detroit a 1 1/2 run favorite, according to Bovada’s Tigers vs. Red Sox Betting Lines.

Despite winning 12 of 17, Boston has had five opportunities to claim a winning record this month. Each of its last three losses have come when a winning record was on the line.

They will entrust Daniel Bard with the task tonight. The converted reliever has walked four batters in each of his last four outings, and now has one more walk than strikeouts on the year. He won last week against Baltimore but sports a 4.69 ERA. He’s 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA against Detroit but has never faced them as a starter.

“My head’s in a good place,” Bard to the Boston’s website. “I’m feeling confident out there, but I’m having trouble repeating the delivery at the same time. It’s just a matter of finding that delivery I can repeat consistently.”

The Red Sox will likely be without second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who has stared all 48 games this year. He was injured diving for a ball yesterday and is still waiting on test results.