Red Sox at Orioles
When Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale faced the Baltimore Orioles on May 2, the fireballer inflamed already-heightened tensions between the clubs by throwing behind Manny Machado. A month has allowed cooler heads to prevail between the American League East rivals, who wrap up their four-game series in Baltimore on Sunday.
Although Sale has not lost since April 27, he has been reached for 10 runs in his last two outings and has not recorded 10 strikeouts in either following a streak of eight consecutive starts with a double-digit whiff total. Hanley Ramirez broke out of a 1-for-16 slump with a two-run blast and RBI double in Saturday's 5-2 win for Boston - his first blast in 12 games. The Red Sox continue to bring out the best in Machado, who has gone deep in back-to-back games and has hit half of his 12 homers in a dozen contests against Boston this season. The Orioles had their three-game winning streak halted Saturday but will look to capture the series behind the struggling Chris Tillman, who is 10-3 lifetime against the Red Sox.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Chris Sale (6-2, 2.77 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (1-2, 5.87)
Sale is coming off his worst - and shortest - outing of the season but still managed to win his fifth consecutive decision despite giving up six runs (five earned) and 10 hits over five innings. He is 5-0 in his last six starts, a stretch that began with an 11-strikeout performance over eight frames against Baltimore last month. Machado is 4-for-12 and Mark Trumbo 5-for-17 versus Sale.
Like Sale, Tillman is coming off a rocky and abbreviated outing, lasting only 2 2/3 innings while yielding five runs and seven hits - three homers - in a loss to the New York Yankees. He also struggled and took the loss in his previous turn against Minnesota - also at home - after surrendering four runs in five frames. Xander Bogaerts is only 2-for-20 versus Tillman.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox RHP Craig Kimbrel allowed his first run since April 20 and first hit to a right-handed batter in 48 at-bats.
2. Orioles SS J.J. Hardy is 1-for-9 in the series and 8-for-42 against Boston this season.
3. Red Sox CF Mookie Betts recorded two hits Saturday after going 7-for-43 in the first 11 meetings with the Orioles this year.