Game 56: Reds at Red Sox

The Cincinnati Reds beat the Red Sox in a series for the fist time since 1975. The Sox now sit just one game above .500 and should they get swept will be back to even with the Tampa Bay Rays coming into town for a four-game series. Not ideal. Back-to-back losses against a tanking Reds team was likely not in the plan. But there is hope…

Chris Sale takes the mound tonight. Over his last five games he’s held opposing batters to a slash line of .172/.220/.319. He’s struck out 65 against 15 walks over his last 55 innings. Boston has won 4 of these starts. If Stopper Sale is back he’s found the right time. Falling back to .500 before 4 games against the Rays, 3 games against the Yankees next week, and 3 more against New York the week after that and the team could be looking up from far back in the standings. They’re hot and then cold. Pitch and then belly itch. Hit and then forget they have bats.

(I still think they end up closer to 90 wins than 80 but it’s sure rough progress to watch)

Sale is opposed by Hunter Greene, an up-and-coming 23-year-old righty. He’s rolling into Fenway Park with a 4.18 ERA and a 3.62 FIP with a few bad-ish outings sprinkled over the season’s first two months. He’s also stuck out 80 in 56 innings. Over his career he actually has a bit of a reverse split, better against lefty batter than righthanders.

Masataka Yoshida stays hot with 9 hits, including a home run, over this last four games.

Rafael Devers hasn’t hit a home run since collecting a pair on May 19th, so he’s due!

First pitch is at 7:10 PM ET on WEEI and NESN.