Red Sox at White Sox
The Boston Red Sox won a start by Chris Sale for the first time this season on Friday and slowly are starting to look like the team that won the World Series last year. The Red Sox will try to register their fifth win in six games and take the lead in the four-game series when they visit the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
Boston, which dropped Thursday's series opener on a walk-off homer, got six scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts out of Sale in Friday's 6-1 victory and received a big offensive boost from youngsters Rafael Devers and Michael Chavis, who each launched a towering home run. The Red Sox, who swept a three-game set against Oakland before embarking on a seven-game trip, are averaging 6.2 runs over their last five games. The White Sox were winners of five of six before falling on Friday but finished that contest with infielder Jose Rondon on the mound while playing their fourth game in three days. Chicago will try to get some length out of Manny Banuelos on Saturday while Boston counters with Eduardo Rodriguez.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (2-2, 6.16 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Manny Banuelos (2-0, 2.70)
Rodriguez was knocked around by Oakland for four runs on seven hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings on Monday but got enough support from Boston's offense to escape without a loss. The 26-year-old Venezuelan was coming off a six-inning stint against Detroit in which he yielded one run and two hits while earning a win. Rodriguez made one start against Chicago last season and struck out 12 batters over 5 2/3 frames while allowing one run en route to victory.
Banuelos is trying to secure a spot in the rotation after beginning the season in a long-relief role and posted his first win as a starter after holding Baltimore to two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings on Monday. The 28-year-old is 1-0 with a 1.86 ERA in two turns, registering 10 strikeouts over 9 2/3 frames. Banuelos is making his first career appearance against Boston but is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in four games - one start - at home.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox UTIL Tzu-Wei Lin left Friday's game with left knee soreness after injuring himself on a slide and will be placed on the 10-day injured list.
2. Chicago C James McCann is 4-for-7 with three RBIs in the series and has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight contests.
3. Boston DH J.D. Martinez is 6-for-9 in the series.