Mariners at Red Sox
Suddenly, the Boston Red Sox are stringing solid games together and looking a lot like the team that won the American League East last season. The Red Sox will try to push the winning streak to six straight and clinch a second consecutive series win when they host the Seattle Mariners in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.
Boston fell to 21-21 with a loss at Oakland last Saturday and was in danger of falling below .500 for the first time this season before taking the series finale from the Athletics and sweeping the Texas Rangers this week to kick off a six-game homestand. The Red Sox showed off their offense with a total of 38 runs in the first four wins of the streak and leaned on the pitching staff against the Mariners on Friday, when Eduardo Rodriguez delivered six strong frames in a 3-0 triumph. Plenty of pitchers are having their way of late with the Seattle lineup, which managed one or no runs in six of its last seven games - the lone outlier a 4-2 triumph at Washington on Thursday. The Mariners will try to get the offense going on Saturday against rookie left-hander Brian Johnson while the Red Sox take their hacks against righty Rob Whalen, who is making his first start of the season.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Rob Whalen (2016: 1-2, 6.57 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Brian Johnson (1-0, 7.20)
Whalen is making his first start for Seattle after being acquired from the Atlanta Braves over the winter and spending the first eight weeks of the season in Triple-A. The 23-year-old turned in two quality starts in five chances with the Braves last August. Whalen was 0-2 with a 4.09 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 22 innings for Triple-A Tacoma before being recalled.
Johnson is making his second start of the season as the Red Sox continue to patch together the back of the rotation until David Price comes off the disabled list next week. Johnson picked up a win at Toronto while allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings and owns a 2.62 ERA in 92 career minor-league starts. The Florida native went 2-0 with a 2.82 ERA in seven starts for Triple-A Pawtucket this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox UTL Brook Holt (vertigo symptoms) is being held out of rehab games and went to see a concussion specialist in Pittsburgh.
2. Seattle SS Jean Segura recorded three of the team's six hits on Friday for his third multi-hit effort in the last four games.
3. Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia (left knee soreness) was held out of Friday's game and is day-to-day.