/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59303889/usa_today_10737011.0.jpg)
The Red Sox look to win their seventh straight game when they face the Rays behind Rick Porcello (1-0, 1.69 ERA) today at Fenway Park (1:05 p.m., NESN).
About today’s game: After a rare Friday off day, the Sox are back in action and ready to pick up where they left off against Tampa Bay. Porcello gets his second start of the year at home and looks to continue the dizzying trend of rotation masterpieces to begin the season. The Rays counter with Jake Faria (0-0, 2.25 ERA), who pitched four innings of two-run ball against the Sox on April Fool’s Day.
Alex Cora returns most of yesterday’s de facto ‘A’ lineup and batting order, with only Sandy Leon subbing in for Christian Vazquez.
About Thursday’s game: Stop me if you’ve heard this one (and read the recap if you haven’t): The Sox won yet another extra-innings game on a big hit by Hanley Ramirez. The bullpen was masterful, especially Bobby Poyner, who got the win, but David Price wasn’t so shabby, either. The bats were sleepy, but they’ll wake up, maybe even today.
Forecast: Low 40s. Some sun. Not great! Not snow, either, so not terrible.
A good tweet and read about Poyner:
There's a lot that doesn't seem to make sense about Bobby Poyner: How he's doing this, and given that he is doing it, how he was undrafted as a college junior and available for $10K as a 14th-rd senior. On his unusual stuff and story: https://t.co/GeZe1mctkb pic.twitter.com/rYwUjh2il5
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) April 6, 2018
LINEUPS
Game 8 vs. Rays
Lineup Spot | Rays | Red Sox |
---|---|---|
Lineup Spot | Rays | Red Sox |
1 | Denard Span, LF | Mookie Betts, RF |
2 | Mallex Smith, RF | Andrew Benintendi, LF |
3 | Carlos Gomez, CF | Hanley Ramirez, 1B |
4 | Brad Miller, 1B | J.D. Martinez, DH |
5 | Matt Duffy, 3B | Xander Bogaerts, SS |
6 | C.J. Cron, DH | Rafael Devers, 3B |
7 | Wilson Ramos, C | Eduardo Nunez, 2B |
8 | Joey Wendle, 2B | Jackie Bradley Jr., CF |
9 | Adeiny Hechavarria, SS | Sandy Leon, C |
SP | Jake Faria, RHP | Rick Porcello, RHP |