(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox appear poised for another playoff trip, but it remains to be seen as to whether ace pitcher Josh Beckett will be able to showcase his customary outstanding postseason form.

Beckett is slated to make his first start in nearly three weeks this evening, when Boston visits the Lone Star State for the opener of a three-game series with the Texas Rangers.

After being torched for eight runs and eight hits in just 2 1/3 innings of an August 17 loss to Toronto, Beckett was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Red Sox after being diagnosed with inflammation in his throwing elbow. Since the All-Star break, the hard-throwing righty has gone 2-4 with a 5.54 earned run average in six starts.

Beckett, who will be on a limited pitch count tonight and owns a 6-5 record with a 3.17 ERA over 13 career starts against the Rangers, is one of a few ailing Red Sox who could possibly return to action this evening.

Third baseman Mike Lowell, out since August 12 with a strained right oblique muscle, is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Friday and start tonight's tilt. Boston is also hopeful that first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who has missed four of the team's last five games due to back spasms and an illness, will be able to return to the lineup for the series opener.

The Red Sox have opened up a 5 1/2-game lead on Minnesota in the race for the American League's Wild Card by winning eight of their last 10 contests, including this week's three-game home sweep of Baltimore. The surge has also closed Boston within 3 1/2 games of first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

The defending world champions enter this set off a comeback victory over the Orioles on Wednesday. The Red Sox scored five times over the last three innings to rally for a 5-4 decision, with Alex Cora scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a throwing error by Baltimore reliever Jim Miller.

Cora opened Boston's portion of the frame with a single and took second on Coco Crisp's bunt base hit before Jacoby Ellsbury attempted to advance both runners with a bunt. Miller fielded the ball and fired wildly to third to allow Cora to cross the plate.

Mark Kotsay pulled the Red Sox within 5-4 with a two-run triple in the eighth, while AL batting leader Dustin Pedroia had a solo home run while finishing 3- for-4 at the plate.

Pedroia is riding an eight-game hitting streak in which the diminutive second baseman is batting a torrid .618 (21-for-34) with three home runs and 12 RBI. The tear has raised his season average to .333.

He and the Boston lineup will be facing a pitcher in a good groove as well tonight. Texas' Kevin Millwood has won his last three starts and yielded just four runs in a 24 2/3-inning span during the course of that outstanding stretch.

Millwood fired back-to-back complete games to defeat Detroit and Kansas City on August 20 and 26, respectively, then held the AL West-leading Angels to two runs over 6 2/3 frames to lead the Rangers to a 4-3 victory this past Sunday. The veteran right-hander struck out seven as well on the afternoon.

The 33-year-old is 4-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 11 lifetime starts against Boston and recorded a no-decision versus the Red Sox at Fenway Park back in April. In that game, Millwood allowed two runs and fanned seven in six innings of work.

Texas has won two straight and three of its last four games and is fresh off Wednesday's 1-0 decision over the visiting Seattle Mariners, in which Dustin Nippert combined with two Ranger relievers on an eight-hit shutout.

Nippert (2-4) threw the first seven innings and gave up seven hits while issuing no walks. Warner Madrigal pitched a scoreless eighth before turning the game over to Frank Francisco, who set the Mariners down in order in the ninth to notch a save.

Milton Bradley drove in the game's only run with a first-inning sacrifice fly that plated Michael Young, who singled and reached third on a Josh Hamilton double. Hamilton ended 3-for-4 on the night.

The Rangers will be trying to halt a string of eight straight losses to the Red Sox, seven of which have come this season. Texas is 2-13 over its last 15 meetings with Boston, which swept a three-game set in its most recent visit to Arlington from May 25-27, 2007.