Red Sox at Orioles
Ace left-hander Chris Sale has managed to win only two games this season for the Boston Red Sox, who have failed to produce more than four runs in 11 of his 14 starts. That dearth of offensive production could change when Sale takes the mound for the second of a three-game series at the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon as Boston goes for its fourth straight victory.
The Red Sox pounded out five homers to win Thursday's series finale versus Texas and continued to deliver the thunder by going deep a season-high six times in Friday's 13-2 mauling of Baltimore. J.D. Martinez drove in three runs with a pair of homers to give him 21 career blasts versus the Orioles - his most against any opponent. Michael Chavis and Jackie Bradley Jr. each left the yard for the second straight game as Boston feasted on a Baltimore pitching staff that has surrendered a major league-high 138 home runs and been tattooed for 33 runs during a three-game slide. Trey Mancini homered among two hits for the Orioles, which tumbled to 9-26 at home and has not won a series since taking two of three from the Chicago White Sox on April 22-24.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Chris Sale (2-7, 3.52 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Dylan Bundy (3-7, 4.50)
Sale turned in his second straight overpowering performance last time out versus Texas but settled for a no-decision despite striking out 10 and allowing one unearned run and three hits over seven innings. He picked up the victory in his previous turn at Kansas City with a three-hit shutout that included 12 strikeouts, the seventh time in eight starts he has fanned at least 10. Sale is 7-2 with a 2.54 ERA against Baltimore after striking out 14 in eight innings of one-run ball at Camden Yards on May 8.
Bundy also has pitched better than his record indicates, especially over the past six weeks, but he took the loss at Houston on Sunday after permitting three runs on four hits over six innings. Although he surrendered one home run for the fourth straight outing, it also marked the seventh consecutive start in which the 26-year-old has allowed three runs or fewer. Andrew Benintendi is 9-for-27 against Bundy, who was 0-3 with a 5.20 ERA while giving up six homers in five starts to Boston in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers (7-for-17) and Chavis (5-for-16) each have hit safely in four straight games.
2. Mancini is 6-for-15 with two homers during a four-game hitting streak.
3. Boston has hit at least five homers in back-to-back games for the first time since July 2002.