Tigers at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are starting to take advantage of their home surroundings and will look to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Detroit Tigers in a nationally televised game on Sunday night. Boston has won seven of its last eight at Fenway Park after outscoring the Tigers 16-6 in the first two games of the series.
Mitch Moreland is 5-for-7 with a homer, two doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored in the series for the Red Sox, who remain three games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East. Xander Bogaerts also has recorded five hits in the series, boosting his batting average at Fenway Park to a lofty .360 for the season. Detroit's bullpen has taken a beating during the team's three-game losing streak, giving up 19 of 27 runs from the seventh inning on during the skid. Ex-Boston shortstop José Iglesias is 5-for-8 in the series and has recorded multiple hits in five of his last 10 games to increase his batting average by 35 points.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Daniel Norris (2-4, 4.48 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (6-3, 4.02)
Norris saw his winless drought reach six starts after allowing four runs - three earned - over six innings in a home loss to the Los Angeles Angels last time out. He made his season debut against Boston on April 9 but did not factor in the decision after giving up three runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 frames. Bogaerts is 3-for-5 and Hanley Ramirez 2-for-4 against Norris.
After failing to get through four innings in three straight starts, Pomeranz has won his last three, winning at Yankee Stadium with five innings of two-run ball on Tuesday. He struck out 19 and gave up a combined three runs over 13 frames in victories over the White Sox and Texas in his previous two turns. He is 2-3 with a 4.24 ERA in seven career appearances versus Detroit.
WALK-OFFS
1. Moreland, who is riding a five-game hitting streak, is 13-for-22 with six RBIs and seven doubles versus Detroit this season.
2. The Tigers are 13-20 on the road this year.
3. Red Sox OF Mookie Betts has recorded only two extra-base hits in his last 10 games.