Stats, LLC
(TSX / STATS) -- ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Boston Red Sox have seen a recent surge up and down their batting order in the past two weeks, but manager John Farrell has been especially pleased with the production he's getting from the bottom of the lineup.
On Friday, that included a key single from Tzu-Wei Lin, filling in for Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, to spark a four-run third inning, and two hits from Deven Marrero out of the No. 9 slot in the order.
"When you look at what the bottom of the order continues to do, Linny and Deven, they're in the middle of starting rallies, continuing rallies, right in the mix with it," Farrell said.
Lin has impressed in his first two weeks in the majors since being called up from Double-A Portland. He's hitting .313 in 13 games, but his on-base percentage is .436, best on the team, with seven walks already.
"It seems like every time he gets in the box, there's three balls on him," Farrell said. "His patience and emotional control in the batter's box is impressive."
The Red Sox have won 18 straight games in which they score at least five runs, as well as 35 of their last 37, this after opening the season 3-3 in such games.
The Rays, among the AL's most surprising offensive teams in the first half, got a boost Friday with the healthy return of second baseman Brad Miller, who had two hits and two walks in his first game back off the disabled list.
"Pretty excited to get back here with the guys and kind of join in on the fun," Miller said after Friday's game. "They've been playing great baseball, so to get out there and feel good and run around was a lot of fun."
With the first two games split in the series and Sunday's finale a showdown between Tampa Bay's Chris Archer and former Rays ace David Price, there's momentum to be had in Saturday's game.
The Red Sox will throw right-hander Rick Porcello, who is 4-10 with a 5.01 ERA and has just one win in his last five starts. Porcello has been remarkably consistent in staying in games for at least six innings. He's done so in each of his last 15 starts, the longest active streak in baseball, even if he is only 3-9 in those starts. He's also lasted at least six innings in his last 21 road starts.
Porcello pitched a quality start against the Rays earlier this year, holding them to three runs in six innings but taking the loss on May 12.
Alex Cobb (6-6, 4.01), who was born in Boston but moved to Florida when he was 2, grew up a Red Sox fan. He hopes to bounce back from a rough start Sunday at Baltimore -- he gave up six earned runs, more than he'd allowed in the previous four starts combined.
Cobb is 4-3 with a 3.84 ERA for his career against the Red Sox, allowing three earned runs or fewer in nine of 11 career starts. He's not as sharp at Tropicana Field, where he's 0-2 with a 4.45 ERA against Boston.
According to STATS
• Boston lost, 8-2, to Texas at Globe Life Park last night, snapping its season-high tying six-game win streak in the process. The Red Sox are 28-15 (.651) in their last 43 contests -- third best in MLB since May 21.
• The Rays dropped a 7-3 decision to the Cubs yesterday, splitting their two-game matchup at Wrigley Field, and finishing up an eight-game road trip with a mark of 4-4. Tampa Bay is 10-5 in its last 15 games at Tropicana Field -- the second-best home record in the AL since May 24 (Boston is 12-5 at Fenway Park during that span).
• The Red Sox have taken four of seven from the Rays in 2017, with all of those games being played at Fenway Park. Dating to June 28 last season, Boston is 6-3 vs. Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.
• Chris Sale pitched 7.0 innings of shutout ball last Saturday in Toronto, earning his third straight win, and improving to 10-1 with a 3.25 ERA in his last 12 starts overall. Sale is 4-0 with a 2.10 ERA in four starts against the Rays since the beginning of last season.
• Jake Faria allowed three runs (two earned) in 6.2 IP last Friday in Baltimore, earning a no-decision for his efforts. Faria has recorded a quality start in each of his first five MLB outings -- the longest streak of its kind to begin a career in Rays franchise history.
• Mallex Smith went 4-for-4 yesterday, recording his first career four-hit game, and running his personal hitting streak to four straight contests (.444 BA during streak). Smith is 3-for-6 with two RBI in three career games against the Red Sox (all with the Braves last season).
• Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 7/6/2017 thru 7/9/2017
No comments:
Post a Comment