Rays at Red Sox
Mookie Betts' return to the leadoff spot in the order has been a spark for him individually and the Boston Red Sox offense as a whole. Betts will try to stay hot and lead the Red Sox to a series win when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday.
Betts spent most of last season as the leadoff hitter for the best offense in baseball before dropping to the middle of the order in the last two months and staying there to begin the 2017 campaign. Betts went 0-for-5 in his first game back in the leadoff spot on May 6 to drop his batting average to .267 but is since 12-for-28 with five doubles, four home runs, nine runs scored and 12 RBIs in six games - including a homer and a double in support of Chris Sale in Saturday's 6-3 win. Betts is 6-for-13 with a double, a homer and three RBIs in his career against Tampa Bay righty Matt Andriese, who is scheduled to start Sunday's finale opposite Boston lefty Drew Pomeranz. The Rays are losers of five of their last seven games but are having no trouble hitting the ball out of Fenway Park with one homer in Friday's 5-4 win and two more on Saturday.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Matt Andriese (2-1, 3.12 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (3-2, 5.23)
Andriese allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last six starts but was held out of the decision against Kansas City on Tuesday when he yielded three runs - two earned - and five hits while striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old posted a season-high eight strikeouts in seven scoreless innings against Miami on May 4. Andriese is 1-1 with a 4.21 ERA in six career games - four starts - against Boston.
Pomeranz had a string of three straight starts allowing two earned runs come to an end when he was roughed up for six runs on seven hits and two walks while notching a season-low two strikeouts in four innings at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The 28-year-old struggles to work deep into games and completed six innings in just two of his six outings. Pomeranz struck out a season-high 10 against Tampa Bay on April 16 but did not factor in the decision while allowing five runs in 4 1/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rays OF Steven Souza Jr. (thumb) returned from a four-game absence on Saturday and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
2. Red Sox 3B Pablo Sandoval (knee) is taking ground balls and is expected to join the team on its upcoming road trip to continue his rehab.
3. Boston LHP David Price is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday.