Red Sox at Blue Jays
The Boston Red Sox have yet to drop back-to-back series this season and look to keep that streak intact when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game set. Boston rebounded from a 5-3 loss in 12 innings on Friday night with a 5-2 victory on Saturday to remain tied with the New York Yankees atop the American League East.
The top of the batting order did the heavy lifting for the Red Sox in Saturday's victory as Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi (two RBIs) each collected three hits and Hanley Ramirez clubbed a two-run homer. Betts, who has multiple hits in half of the past 10 games, raised his batting average to .356 as Boston improved to 5-4 entering the finale of a 10-game road trip. Second baseman Yangervis Solarte continues to struggle against Red Sox pitching, falling to 1-for-20 in the season series after going hitless in nine at-bats in the past two games for Toronto, which fell to 4-19 when scoring four runs or fewer. Luke Maile, who homered twice and delivered a walk-off blast in the series opener, is 4-for-8 with a homer against Boston left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who makes his fifth start of the season when he opposes Joe Biagini.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Sportsnet, TVAS (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 5.23 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Joe Biagini (0-1, 8.10)
Although he surrendered a pair of solo home runs to Giancarlo Stanton, Pomeranz is coming off his best start after limiting the Yankees to two runs and four hits over a season high-tying six innings. He beat Kansas City in his previous turn with six innings of three-run ball. Pomeranz is 3-2 with a 3.99 ERA versus Toronto, including 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in four appearances at Rogers Centre.
Biagini was summoned from Triple-A Buffalo to make his third spot start of the season after Marcus Stroman was placed on the 10-day disabled list. He had mixed results in his first two outings, giving up three runs over 5 2/3 innings versus Kansas City on April 17 before he was hammered for six runs and 10 hits at Cleveland on May 3. Biagini is 1-3 with a 6.48 ERA in 15 appearances (two starts) versus Boston.
WALK-OFFS
1. Benintendi has hit safely in five straight games and has three three-hit games this month.
2. Blue Jays 1B Justin Smoak has hit eight homers in 23 games over the last two years against Boston.
3. Red Sox OF Jackie Bradley was 0-for-4 in his return from a three-game absence to fall to 5-for-54 in the last 17 contests.