Orioles at Red Sox
The Baltimore Orioles attempt to take their recent home success on the road when they visit the Boston Red Sox for the opener of a three-game series Friday afternoon. Baltimore completed a 7-4 homestand with a four-game sweep of Texas, outscoring the Rangers 26-10. The Orioles finished the set with a 5-2 triumph on Thursday as Steve Pearce wrapped up a superb series by recording four hits and two RBIs.
Pearce went 7-for-15 with three home runs, eight RBIs and six runs scored as Baltimore bounced back after losing three of four to Tampa Bay last weekend. Boston enters the series licking its wounds as it was swept in a three-game home set by the Chicago Cubs. The Red Sox scored a total of one run over the first two contests before being outslugged 16-9 in Wednesday's finale, which featured a two-hit performance by Mookie Betts that included his first major-league homer.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (4-5, 4.56 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Jon Lester (9-7, 2.92)
Gonzalez lasted only 4 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay on Sunday, when he escaped with a no-decision after yielding three runs on eight hits and four walks. The 30-year-old Mexican has not worked more than five innings in any of his three starts since returning from an oblique injury, going 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in that span. Gonzalez has enjoyed success against Boston in his career, posting a 3-0 record and 3.13 ERA in five meetings (three starts).
Lester recorded his third consecutive victory Saturday, limiting the Yankees to an unearned run and five hits over eight innings in New York. The 30-year-old has allowed fewer than three earned runs in each outing during his four-game unbeaten streak and yielded more than three only once in his last seven turns, going 5-1 in that span. Despite suffering a hard-luck loss to Baltimore in his season debut in which he gave up two runs over seven frames, Lester is 15-4 with a 2.92 in 26 career starts versus the Orioles.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Red Sox have scored more than three runs only four times in their last 18 games.
2. Baltimore failed to go deep Thursday, ending its streak of hitting at least two home runs at six contests.
3. Boston 3B Xander Bogaerts is 2-for-46 over his last 12 contests and was the only member of Wednesday's starting lineup without a hit.