Angels at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are trying to dig out of a tailspin and climb back into contention for a wild-card spot. Whether they can accomplish the latter remains to be see, but the defending World Series champions are taking advantage of a team in more dire straits as they continue a four-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Saturday afternoon.
After posting a 3-0 victory in the series opener, Boston got back to .500 at Fenway Park with a 16-4 mauling of the reeling Angels on Friday as J.D. Martinez went 4-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Reigning MVP Mookie Betts reached 20 homers for the fourth consecutive season while Rafael Devers and Mitch Moreland each went deep and collected three RBIs for the Red Sox, who had lost nine of 10 entering this series. The wheels have come off for Los Angeles, which wasted an early three-run lead in tumbling to its season-high eighth loss in a row and falling to 0-7 on the nine-game road trip. Albert Pujols clubbed a three-run shot for his 18th homer of the year and 651st career to move within nine of Willie Mays for fifth place on the all-time list.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Andrew Heaney (1-3, 5.09 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (10-8, 5.54)
Sidelined for more than 3 1/2 weeks due to inflammation in his left shoulder, Heaney will be activated off the injured list to make his 10th start of the season after throwing a 64-pitch simulated game on Monday. The 28-year-old did not factor in the decision before going on the IL, allowing two runs and nine hits over 4 1/3 innings versus Houston on July 16. Martinez is 2-for-2 with a homer off Heaney, who was pounded for six runs over 3 1/3 innings in Boston last year.
Porcello reached double digits in wins for the 10th time in 11 seasons last time out versus Kansas City, rebounding from a shellacking by Tampa Bay to permit one run and four hits over six innings. He improved to 5-1 over his last six starts with the victory, but continued to have issues keeping the ball in the park with 10 homers surrendered in that span. Kole Calhoun is 9-for-25 with a pair of homers off Porcello, who was 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two starts versus the Angels in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Martinez has multiple hits in five straight games, going 12-for-20 with three homers and six RBIs in that span.
2. Los Angeles has been outscored 63-20 during the eight-game slide.
3. Devers pushed his RBI total to 90, one more than Angels CF Mike Trout for the AL lead.