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The Boston Red Sox are hoping Dustin Pedroia can avoid a trip to the disabled list.

As long as they still have David Ortiz's bat in the lineup against the Detroit Tigers, they should be all right.

After climbing over .500 for the first time, Ortiz and the surging Red Sox look to continue their home dominance over the slumping Tigers on Wednesday night.

With a 6-3 victory over Detroit on Tuesday, Boston (25-24) moved above .500 for the first time in six tries this season.

"I don't think that's something we're saying -- 'finally,'" said left fielder Daniel Nava, who had a three-run double off Justin Verlander. "We're looking at it like we've got good momentum. We've got things going in the right direction. If you see the scoreboard, in the AL East things are still pretty tight. There's a lot of season left."

The Red Sox have pulled within 3 1/2 games of co-division leaders Baltimore and Tampa Bay, and are tied with the Chicago White Sox for the majors' best record since May 11 at 13-5.

Pedroia missed Tuesday's game after aggravating a right thumb injury in Monday's 7-4 win, but he hopes to avoid going on the DL. Ortiz helped Boston overcome his absence with a home run and two doubles.

Ortiz is 5 for 8 with three doubles and three RBIs in the last two games, and is hitting .391 with six homers, seven doubles and 20 RBIs in 17 games against the Tigers since 2010. That includes a .478 average during Boston's six-game home winning streak in the series.

While things seem to be looking up for the Red Sox, very little has gone right lately for Detroit, which is 7-27 at Fenway Park since 2003.

The Tigers (23-26) have lost five of eight overall to drop 4 1/2 games out of first place in the AL Central. Their ace was knocked around for 10 hits Tuesday and they went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

"Hopefully we can bust some hits together, get a few more guys hitting," manager Jim Leyland said. "There's been too many dead spots in our lineup so far this year up to this point. We've shown signs of breaking out of it at times but we just haven't done it consistently."

Miguel Cabrera, who is 1 for 9 in the first two games of the series, could have better luck Wednesday against the struggling Jon Lester (3-4, 4.72 ERA). He is 5 for 11 with four walks in the matchup.

Lester is coming off a disastrous outing, serving up three homers in four innings in Friday's 7-4 loss to Tampa Bay. The left-hander surrendered seven runs, six hits and three walks, marking the third time in four starts he yielded at least four runs.

"I come out and have a performance like this, it's just unacceptable," Lester said. "I've got to be better -- plain and simple."

Against Detroit on opening day, he gave up a run and six hits in seven innings but didn't get a decision as Boston lost 3-2. He is 0-2 with a 4.62 ERA in four career starts versus the Tigers, with the Red Sox losing each time.

Detroit counters with Drew Smyly (2-1, 3.14), who has also been shaky lately. He allowed four runs and six hits in five-plus innings Friday against Minnesota, although he got credit for a 10-6 win.

The rookie left-hander has now yielded four runs in each of his last three starts without recording an out in the sixth inning in any of them. He had pitched six innings in each of his previous five starts, posting a 1.50 ERA in that stretch.