Tigers at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox needed a boost after dropping two of three to the rival New York Yankees this week and got it from Jackie Bradley Jr., whose go-ahead homer in the eighth inning on Friday helped earn a 5-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. The Red Sox will try to spread out the offense a little more and clinch a series win when they host the Tigers in the second of a three-game set on Saturday.
Bradley and Mitch Moreland combined for all five RBIs in Friday's win to provide enough support for the bullpen to close out the game after rookie Brian Johnson threw 105 pitches in 4 1/3 innings. The Red Sox could be short in the bullpen the next few days after key setup men Heath Hembree, Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes combined for 3 2/3 innings before often-used closer Craig Kimbrel took care of the final frame. Boston has just the starter to take the pressure off that bullpen on Saturday in Chris Sale, who entered Friday second in the American League in innings pitched and goes up against Detroit ace Justin Verlander. The Tigers dropped three of their last four games and are searching for more offense after topping out at four runs in those four contests.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (4-4, 4.63 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Chris Sale (7-2, 2.89)
Verlander was forced out of his last start after two innings due to groin tightness but testing came back negative and he will start with an extra day of rest. The former MVP allowed two runs in those two frames and was coming off a start at Kansas City on May 30 in which he surrendered one run in seven innings but came away with a loss. Verlander breezed through seven innings against Boston on April 10, yielding an unearned run on three hits without factoring in the decision.
Sale has not lost since April 27 and recovered from a rough first inning at Baltimore on Sunday to strike out nine in six innings while allowing three runs in the win. The Florida native leads the majors with 119 strikeouts and is limiting opponents to a .201 batting average. Sale struck out 10 in 7 2/3 innings at Detroit on April 10 but surrendered two runs and five hits to suffer the loss.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (wrist) came off the disabled list on Friday and went 0-for-4.
2. Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts on Friday and is 2-for-18 over the last five games.
3. Boston 3B Pablo Sandoval is 0-for-11 with six strikeouts in his last three contests.