Red Sox at Angels
Boston Red Sox star Mookie Betts has started a team-high 94 consecutive games and shows no sign of ending the streak anytime soon. The dynamic right fielder also has hit safely in seven straight contests for the first-place Red Sox, who continue their three-game series against the host Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
Betts went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Chris Sale tossed six scoreless innings in Friday’s 6-2 victory as the Red Sox won for the fourth time in six contests and moved 3 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay in the American League East. Dustin Pedroia saw his nine-game hitting streak come to an end, but Andrew Benintendi singled in a run to snap a 2-for-22 skid. The Angels have dropped eight of their last 12 games and continue to struggle offensively, prompting manager Mike Scioscia to move Mike Trout to second in the batting order. The move failed to pay immediate dividends Friday as Trout went 0-for-2 with two walks and the next four batters in the order – Albert Pujols, C.J. Cron, Andrelton Simmons and Kole Calhoun – were a combined 2-for-15 with five strikeouts.
TV: 9:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH David Price (5-2, 3.39 ERA) vs. Angels RH JC Ramirez (8-8, 4.54)
Price tossed eight scoreless innings against the New York Yankees on Sunday and has allowed a total of two runs over his last three starts covering 20 frames. The five-time All-Star took the loss in his last outing against the Angels on June 24, giving up three runs - two earned - on six hits over six frames in Boston. Price is 5-6 with a 3.24 ERA in 14 career starts against the Angels and has limited Trout to three hits in 19 at-bats.
After entering the All-Star break on a high note, Ramirez stumbled in his start against Tampa Bay last Saturday by allowing four runs in six innings. The 28-year-old is 7-3 with a 3.60 ERA on the road but 1-5 with a 5.50 ERA at Angel Stadium. Ramirez will look to repeat the effort from his last outing against Boston on June 24, when he led the Angels to a 6-3 victory by allowing one run and four hits over six innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston has moved RHP Doug Fister to the bullpen after going with a six-man rotation last week.
2. Los Angeles RHP Blake Parker has not allowed a run in 23 consecutive appearances at Angel Stadium.
3. The Red Sox are 39-3 over their last 42 games when scoring at least five runs.