Phillies at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox worked overtime to register their major league-best 75th victory of the season and picked up veteran second baseman Ian Kinsler for a pair of minor leaguers in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. The Red Sox look to have another productive day when they host the slumping Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday for the finale of their two-game interleague series.
Blake Swihart extended his hitting streak to 10 contests (12-for-28) with a walk-off double in the 13th inning on Monday as Boston extended its winning streak to four contests and increased its lead in the American League East to six games. Drew Pomeranz, who could lose his spot in the rotation if he does not turn things around, gets the start for the Red Sox on Tuesday against Jake Arrieta, who is 1-1 in a pair of interleague starts in 2018. Philadelphia leads the National League East by one-half game over Atlanta after losing four in a row and totaling just seven runs during the slide. Rhys Hoskins recorded a pair of doubles in the series opener for the Phillies and has registered seven homers and 13 RBIs over his last 10 contests.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Philadelphia, NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jake Arrieta (8-6, 3.45 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (1-4, 6.91)
Arrieta is unbeaten in five starts, including a win last time out as he held the Los Angeles Dodgers to three runs - two earned - and five hits with six strikeouts over six innings. The 32-year-old TCU product avoided a loss in his first start following the All-Star break on July 20, when he gave up five runs over 3 1/3 frames against San Diego. Mitch Moreland is 3-for-8 with a homer versus Arrieta, who is 1-4 with a 5.27 ERA in eight career appearances (seven starts) against Boston.
Pomeranz struggled in his first start following a stint of almost two months on the disabled list, allowing four runs and four hits (two homers) in 4 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old Ole Miss product is winless in his last six starts, completing more than five frames just once in that stretch, and owns a 7.85 ERA and .355 opponents’ batting average at home in four outings. Asdrubal Cabrera is 2-for-4 with a double against Pomeranz, who is 0-2 with a 3.60 ERA in four career meetings with the Phillies.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cabrera recorded a double and a single on Monday and is 2-for-14 in three games since being acquired from the New York Mets.
2. Red Sox starting pitchers have allowed just 11 earned runs over 70 1/3 innings (1.41 ERA) in their last 12 contests.
3. Kinsler, who will fill in for All-Star 2B Dustin Pedroia (knee), is batting .239 with 13 homers and 32 RBis in 91 games this season.