Rays at Red Sox
Right-hander Rick Porcello looks to continue his mastery at Fenway Park this season when the Boston Red Sox host the struggling Tampa Bay Rays in the middle contest of a three-game series on Saturday. Porcello is 7-0 in eight home starts at home after going 5-7 at Fenway last season and Boston hopes to win for the fifth time in six games following a 6-5 victory on Friday.
Mookie Betts extended his hitting streak to nine games Friday and Hanley Ramirez pushed his run to six contests (10-for-20) despite leaving the game with a shin contusion during Friday’s victory that pulled the Red Sox within two games of first-place Baltimore in the American League East. The Rays hold down last place in the division after losing 20 of their last 23 games, including four in a row. Evan Longoria lost out on the vote for a spot in the All-Star Game, but homered Friday and is 7-for-13 over the last three contests for Tampa Bay. Matt Moore, who has won two straight, will oppose Porcello and Corey Dickerson attempts to stay hot after going 6-for-10 in his last three outings for the Rays.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Matt Moore (5-5, 4.54 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (10-2, 3.82)
Moore has been outstanding in four of his last five starts, including seven scoreless innings in a victory over the Red Sox on June 29. The 27-year-old followed up a strong outing against Boston by limiting the Los Angeles Angels to two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings last Monday in a win. David Ortiz is 8-for-23 with three homers and eight RBIs versus Moore, who is 4-4 with a 4.67 ERA in nine games (eight starts) against the Red Sox.
Porcello is unbeaten in his last nine starts, including a win at Tampa Bay on June 28 when he allowed one run on five hits over six innings. The New Jersey native also beat the Rays in April and is 7-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 13 career starts versus Tampa Bay. Porcello, who boasts 92 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 106 innings this season, has kept the ball in the park three straight outings after surrendering 13 homers in his first 14 starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston RHP Craig Kimbrel was sent for an MRI Friday due to soreness in his left knee and will miss the All-Star Game.
2. Tampa Bay UTIL Nick Franklin has recorded 12 RBIs in his last 10 games.
3. Red Sox INF Aaron Hill went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his first game with the team after being acquired from Milwaukee.