Red Sox at Angels
The Boston Red Sox are trying to bash their way back into wild card contention as they continue their road trip Friday with the first of three games against the Los Angeles Angels. Boston has never had three players hit .300 with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in a season but Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez are threatening to do so after combining to go 8-for-14 with four home runs in Wednesday's 7-4 victory at Colorado.
The Red Sox, who have won four of five on their eight game-road trip and nine of their last 12, are 5 1/2 games behind Oakland for the final American League wild card spot. "September 1, we'll talk about it," Boston manager Alex Cora told reporters Wednesday after Boston homered for the 18th straight game. "I've been saying that since April, I'm not going to deviate from that. I know where we are, how talented we are. We just have to do it on the field, and we're playing good baseball." Los Angeles' Mike Trout (right foot) didn't play in Wednesday's 3-0 loss to Texas - the Angels' sixth setback in seven games, telling reporters: "Just been sore, but I'll be good to go on Friday." The Red Sox's Nathan Eovaldi on Friday makes his third start since rejoining the rotation and opposes rookie Jose Suarez, who hasn't won since June 15.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 6.64 ERA) vs. Angels LH Jose Suarez (2-5, 6.67)
Eovaldi's past two starts didn't last too long as he allowed a combined seven runs over five innings and a home run in each game, but Boston won both - 5-4 at San Diego on Saturday and 13-7 over Baltimore on Aug. 18. The 29-year-old Texan posted no record with a 6.00 ERA in four starts to open the season before missing more than three months because of an elbow injury. Trout is 6-for-14 with two doubles, two RBIs and two walks versus Eovaldi, who is 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA in seven games (five starts) against the Angels, yielding one run over three innings in two relief appearances earlier this month.
Suarez stretched his winless streak to 10 games (nine starts) after permitting three runs, seven hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings of a 5-4 loss at Houston on Aug. 23. The 21-year-old undrafted Venezuelan is 0-4 with a 7.50 ERA during his slide, completing five innings only twice during that span. Suarez has never faced Boston or any of its players.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox LF Andrew Benintendi could return to the lineup Friday after missing the last three games with left side tightness.
2. Bogaerts became the first Boston shortstop since Nomar Garciaparra in 1998 to record at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in a season when he went deep twice Wednesday.
3. The clubs split a four-game series in Boston earlier this month with Martinez going 8-for-17 with two home runs and four RBIs.