Rays at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox have a chance to put a happy ending on an otherwise terrible homestand when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday. The Red Sox snapped a four-game slide with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday and improved to 3-5 on the nine-game homestand.
Rookie center fielder Mookie Betts hit a pair of solo home runs in Tuesday’s triumph and has five extra-base hits in the last four games. “From what we saw from spring training on, his timing is pretty consistent,” Boston manager John Farrell told reporters of Betts. “…His hand-eye coordination allows him to get that kind of swing on a first pitch. Just one heck of an athlete.” The Rays broke out in a 5-1 win in Monday’s opener but have dropped three of their last four. Tampa Bay batters managed three or fewer runs in seven of the last eight contests.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Alex Colome (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Justin Masterson (2-0, 4.71)
Colome made his season debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday and scattered three hits over five scoreless innings. The Dominican Republic native, who missed the beginning of the season due to a bout with pneumonia, struck out six and did not walk a batter in that outing. Colome is making his first appearance against Boston and will be kept to a pitch count as he works his way into shape.
Masterson has put together three straight solid outings but was held out of the decision in the last two. The sinkerball specialist went six innings against the New York Yankees on Friday, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks in the no-decision. Masterson has never had much success against Tampa Bay, going 2-7 with a 6.83 ERA in 14 career games – 10 starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox LF Hanley Ramirez (shoulder) sat out Tuesday and is day-to-day.
2. Tampa Bay RHP Alex Cobb has a partially torn elbow ligament and will postpone his rehab until after receiving a platelet-rich plasma treatment.
3. Boston DH David Ortiz has hit safely in eight straight games.