Red Sox at Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are feeling energized by their latest comeback victory and look to slay Boston for the second straight night when they host the Red Sox on Saturday. Seattle recovered from a three-run deficit to post a 7-6 victory on Friday for its 12 win in 15 games.
Recent acquisition Denard Span delivered the go-ahead, two-run double in the eighth inning as the Mariners improved to 22-10 in one-run games. "No matter what the situation is, I've been here for almost three weeks now, and that is kind of the mood and tone of this team," Span said of the team's latest rally in a postgame television interview. "We pick each other up, and that is what happened (Friday)." The Red Sox fell for just the ninth time in 29 contests as they scored six runs in the third inning, with Xander Bogaerts hitting a three-run homer as he went deep for the second straight game. Boston scheduled starter Steven Wright hasn't allowed a run in 22 2/3 innings, the longest active scoreless streak in the majors and fourth-longest of the season.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Steven Wright (2-0, 1.21 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (2-0, 3.00)
Wright is making his third straight start, and his first two were stellar as he gave up just six hits in 13 2/3 scoreless innings. The 33-year-old blanked Detroit on two hits over seven frames in a victory on June 5 and followed up by scattering four hits over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision against Baltimore six days later. Wright is 2-1 with a 1.32 ERA in three career appearances (one start) against Seattle.
LeBlanc is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in eight starts and has allowed fewer than three runs in seven of them. The 33-year-old has served up four homers over his last three outings but won his last start against the Los Angeles Angels despite serving up two solo shots in five innings. LeBlanc has a 9.00 ERA in two career starts against Boston, including the most recent outing in which he gave up three runs and five hits over six innings on Aug. 2, 2016.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners 1B Ryon Healy is 9-for-18 with four homers and five RBIs during his five-game hitting streak.
2. Boston 3B Rafael Devers has gone 4-for-9 in the series to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
3. Seattle RHP Juan Nicasio (knee) threw a bullpen session and is on track to being activated from the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday.