Red Sox at White Sox
The Boston Red Sox knew it was just a matter of time before the offense started clicking and the team started racking up wins, and they are being proven correct. The Red Sox will be looking for their second straight series victory and a sixth win in seven games when they visit the Chicago White Sox for the finale of a four-game set on Sunday.
Boston averaged 6.2 runs in sweeping the Oakland Athletics earlier in the week and splitting the first two games of the series with the White Sox but really broke out on Saturday, pushing across nine runs with two outs in the third inning and adding five more in the fourth en route to a 15-2 triumph. Eduardo Nunez, Michael Chavis and Xander Bogaerts each homered in the third as the Red Sox came up one shy of the major league record with 10 consecutive two-out hits. The White Sox, who finished off Friday's 6-1 loss with second baseman Jose Rondon on the mound in order to save arms in anticipation of a bullpen game in Sunday's finale, were forced to go to the relief corps early on Saturday and needed six pitchers to get through the game. Chicago is expected to recall Dylan Covey to take the start on Sunday while Boston tries to earn the series win behind fellow right-hander Rick Porcello.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (2-3, 5.52 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Dylan Covey (0-1, 6.75)
Porcello is coming off his best outing of the young season after scattering two hits and striking out eight over eight scoreless innings Tuesday to earn a win over Oakland. The former Cy Young Award winner lowered his ERA by nearly two runs with that effort and surrendered three or fewer earned runs in each of his last four starts. Porcello made two starts against the White Sox last season and could not earn a win, allowing four runs and eight hits over five innings in his lone start at Chicago.
Covey will be the first up in what is expected to be a bullpen game for the White Sox after placing left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow) on the injured list earlier in the week. The San Diego native made a pair of appearances out of the bullpen in the first week of the season before heading to Triple-A Charlotte and posting a 2.51 ERA in five games - three starts. Covey was sharp in two appearances - one start - against Boston last season, allowing a total of six hits while striking out 10 in nine scoreless innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (knee) went 3-for-4 in a rehab game with Double-A Portland on Saturday and is expected to play for the Sea Dogs again on Sunday.
2. Chicago SS Tim Anderson is 0-for-9 in the series, dropping his batting average to .336.
3. Chavis homered twice on Saturday and is up to six blasts, tying Sam Horn in 1987 for the most by a Red Sox player over the last 100 years through 14 career games.