Pirates at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox will look to build off a thrilling late-night win when they aim for a three-game sweep of the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in the finale Thursday afternoon. Catcher Sandy Leon ended nearly 12 full innings of scoreless baseball with a walk-off three-run homer Wednesday night, as Red Sox newcomer Chris Sale and five relievers limited the Pirates to five hits.
"It's nice to get the win. All the better to walk it off. It's special," Sale told reporters after spinning seven scoreless frames. "If you told me tonight it was going to be 0-0 in the 12th, I probably would have given you a crazy look." One issue for the Sox is a flu bug that kept star right fielder Mookie Betts out of the lineup Wednesday and has also hit utility man Brock Holt reliever Robbie Ross, leaving their statuses in doubt for the finale. The Pirates simply need to get their bats going, particularly among their star outfielders. Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco are a combined 2-for-29 through the first two games.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Chad Kuhl (2016: 5-4, 4.20 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (2016: 3-7, 4.71)
Kuhl made the Opening Day roster for the first time after a solid rookie campaign in which he lasted at least six innings in six of his first eight starts. He was significantly better on the road, going 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA in eight outings away from home while holding opponents to a .231 average. The 24-year-old, who had a 4.30 mark this spring, yielded two runs in six frames in his only prior interleague start at Oakland last year.
Rodriguez starts the season in the rotation thanks to injuries to David Price and Drew Pomeranz and can lock down a more permanent role if he can duplicate his closing stretch from a year ago. After a dismal start to the season, the 23-year-old posted a 3.24 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings after the All-Star break. Rodriguez, who has a 4.77 ERA in 21 career starts at Fenway Park, has never faced the Pirates.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston has won seven straight interleague games at Fenway Park.
2. Pittsburgh's lineup has struck out 17 times and drawn three walks through the first two games.
3. The forecast in Boston on Thursday calls for heavy rain through much of the afternoon and into the evening.