Red Sox at Phillies
If the Boston Red Sox are hoping to get out of Philadelphia with a split of the two-game interleague series, they are going to need to find a way to slow Domonic Brown. Franklin Morales will take his turn at trying to retire the Phillies’ young slugger when the series concludes Thursday. Brown has four home runs in three games against the Red Sox this week, including two in a 4-3 victory Wednesday.
Brown has long been a top prospect for the Phillies, but is just this season receiving regular playing time and has responded with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs. The 25-year-old has hit six of those homers in the last nine games. Boston has had to face former closer Jonathan Papelbon in each of the last two games and nearly broke through Wednesday, pushing across a run in the ninth before Papelbon got Daniel Nava to ground to first with the go-ahead run on second. That run was the first Papelbon had allowed since his first appearance of the season April 3.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Franklin Morales (2012: 3-4, 3.77 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jonathan Pettibone (3-0, 3.21)
Jon Lester was scheduled to pitch Thursday but was pushed back to Friday as Boston shuffled its rotation because of Clay Buchholz’s collarbone injury. Morales, who started the year on the disabled list with back and pectoral problems, was stretched out as a starter during his rehab assignment and went 3-3 with a 4.14 ERA in nine starts last season. The 27-year-old has made five career appearances (one start) against the Phillies and is 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA.
Pettibone, who made his major-league debut April 22, has yet to allow more than three runs in seven starts. The 22-year-old California native scattered three runs and a career-high nine hits over six innings at Washington on Saturday. Pettibone has only completed seven innings once in his seven turns, but went 6 2/3 frames while allowing two runs and four hits in his lone outing against an American League club, versus the Cleveland Indians on May 14.
WALK-OFFS
1. Brown has 10 home runs in May, becoming the first Philadelphia player with double digits in a month since Ryan Howard hit 11 in August 2009.
2. Red Sox DH David Ortiz appeared as a pinch hitter in the ninth Wednesday and could get the start at first base Thursday.
3. Boston CF Jacoby Ellsbury has five extra-base hits in the last four games.