Red Sox at White Sox
It looks like all the Boston Red Sox needed was to get away from it all. The Red Sox will try to complete a 7-0 road trip when they face the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. The Red Sox have outscored Minnesota and Chicago 45-19 during their six-game winning streak and are 10-10 after a tumultuous first 20 games of the season. Boston hasn’t lost since blowing a 9-0 lead against the Yankees and losing 15-9 on April 19, when Red Sox Nation reached for its collective panic button.
The Red Sox received solid pitching from starter to bullpen for the third straight game as Jon Lester pitched seven scoreless innings and three relievers took it from there in Saturday’s 1-0 victory. Boston, though, faces a formidable challenge in the White Sox’ Gavin Floyd, who is 6-0 in eight games (seven starts) against Boston.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), CS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: RH Josh Beckett (2-2, 4.56 ERA) vs. RH Gavin Floyd (1-3, 3.60)
Floyd was a tough-luck loser in his last outing, allowing one run and two hits in Chicago’s 2-0 setback at Oakland on Tuesday. He has alternated effective starts with poor ones as he allowed five runs and six hits in six innings against Baltimore on April 19. The Red Sox are hitting .212 against Floyd. David Ortiz is 7-for-22 with three homers, while Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis are a combined 7-for-35.
Beckett allowed two runs and five hits in six innings in the Red Sox’ 11-2 victory at Minnesota on Tuesday and has alternated wins and losses in his four outings. Beckett is 4-2 in eight career starts against the White Sox, with the current roster hitting .293 against him. A.J. Pierzynski is a tough out (8-for-24, homer, four RBIs). Beckett has recorded 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings in his career, but 5.6 in 2012.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston reliever Franklin Morales registered his 22nd straight scoreless road outing Saturday, the longest streak by a left-hander in Red Sox history.
2. Paul Konerko is tied with Eddy Collins for fourth on the White Sox’ career hits list with 2,007. They trail Luke Appling (2,749), Nellie Fox (2,470) and Frank Thomas (2,136).
3. The White Sox are 3-7 at home and 9-19 in their last 28 games at U.S. Cellular Field.