Astros at Red Sox
Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale will try to build off a record-setting performance and continue his remarkable turnaround this month when he takes the mound in the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Houston Astros on Sunday. Sale became the first player in major league history to strike out 17 batters in a start of seven innings or fewer when he notched the career-high mark against Colorado on Tuesday.
He will take aim at a red-hot Houston squad that has won 10 straight after Saturday's 7-3 triumph, which put it on the verge of a three-game sweep. Every Astros batter recorded at least one hit in the victory, the club's 13th in the last 14 overall. Boston had won nine of 12 before dropping the first two games of the series and was held to five hits in Saturday's loss. Catcher Christian Vazquez homered for the Red Sox on Saturday to raise his average to .309, while center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. went 0-for-4 and is hitting .148.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet - Southwest (Houston), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Wade Miley (4-2, 3.51 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Chris Sale (1-5, 4.24)
Miley's streak of 24 consecutive starts allowing three earned runs or fewer came to an end in Tuesday's win at Detroit after he permitted four runs on seven hits and two walks across six innings. The Louisiana native has struggled has been significantly worse on the road (2-2, 4.50 ERA) than at home (2-0, 2.31) but has won all three of his turns this month. Steve Pearce is 7-for-19 with two homers and five RBIs versus Miley, who is 2-2 with a 7.13 ERA over four career starts against the Red Sox.
Sale went 0-5 with a 6.30 ERA in six starts prior to May, but is 1-0 with a 1.29 mark in three outings this month while recording an eye-popping 41 strikeouts in 21 innings. The seven-time All-Star has surrendered 14 runs in 17 2/3 innings against the Astros over the past two postseasons but is 5-2 with a 1.83 ERA in seven regular-season matchups. George Springer is 5-for-14 with a home run and a double against Sale.
WALK-OFFS
1. Houston has 36 home runs over its last 14 games.
2. Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers is 0-for-12 over a three-game stretch.
3. The Astros have won seven of their last nine at Fenway Park.