GAME #86, BOSTON RED SOX AT TAMPA BAY RAYS

[Bear]

RED SOX V RAYS

THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2017, 7 PM AT TROPICANA FIELD

TV:  NESN, MLBN, (OUT-OF-MARKET ONLY) FOX SPORTS SUN

BOSTON, (49-36)....................................................................................TAMPA BAY (44-42)

BOSTON:

CHRIS SALE, LHP, 11-3, 2.61 ERA, 16 K

Sale is coming off what might be his sharpest outing of the season.  He held Toronto
scoreless and allowed four hits in seven innings; striking out 11.  He's reached double-
digit strikeouts 11 times this year.

TAMPA BAY:

JACOB FARIA, RHP, 3-0, 2.23 ERA, 35K

Faria has 35 strikeouts, 5 walks and 5 quality starts in the first 5 outings of his career.
Since the start of 2013, just two other pitchers have begun their careers with five consecutive
quality starts.

Rays to host first-place Sox to wrap up first half

Scott Chasen

Rays manager Kevin Cash knew things would be tight in the American League -- maybe just not at the level it's been so far.

"In our division alone, it seems like every week somebody's jumping somebody or going back," Cash said. "In the [AL] East, I think you anticipated it from the get-go. Some of these other teams are playing really well, and that's kind of jumbled everything up as far as the Wild Cards go."

So as the Rays enter their final series before the All-Star break, a four-game set against the division-leading Red Sox at Tropicana Field, they'll be looking to further close the gap.

Jacob Faria (3-0, 2.23 ERA) will get the ball for the Rays in Thursday's opener. The righty has gotten off to a strong start in his Major League career, going 3-0 with a 2.23 ERA while becoming only the third pitcher since 2013 to begin his career with five consecutive quality starts. In those outings, the right-hander has 35 strikeouts to five walks.

Opposing Faria will be Red Sox lefty Chris Sale, who is coming off one of his sharpest outings of the season.

Against Toronto on Saturday, Sale (11-3, 2.61 ERA) threw seven scoreless innings, striking out 11 while walking only one. The outing marked Sale's third this year without allowing a run, as well as the 11th time he's tallied double-digit strikeouts.
He became the sixth pitcher in history to have as many as 11 starts with double-digit strikeouts prior to the All-Star Game.

Sale has won each of his last three starts and 10 of his last 11. He's allowed just five earned runs in his past 29 2/3 innings, and Boston is 13-4 during his starts this year, having won seven of Sale's last eight starts.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• The Red Sox and Rays have already clashed for two series this year, and the results have been mixed. The Red Sox took three of four from the Rays from April 14-17, but lost two of three from May 12-14.

• Left-handed batters are 7-for-30 (.233) with a .491 OPS against Faria, and his approach against them clearly has focused on going away. Just 5.8 percent of Faria's pitches to lefties have hit the inner third of the strike zone or been off the plate inside, the lowest rate for any right-handed starter (minimum 100 pitches).

• Sale leads the Majors with 166 strikeouts. The only Red Sox pitcher to lead MLB in whiffs at the All-Star break is Roger Clemens, who did it in 1988 (186 K's) and 1991 (123 K's).

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170705240583364/rays-to-host-first-place-sox-to-wrap-up-first-half/?game_pk=491381

[Bear]

First of 4 at TB:

Betts RF,
Pedroia 2B,
Bogaerts SS,
Moreland 1B,
Ramirez DH,
Benintendi LF,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Leon C,
Lin 3B,

Sale LHP

[ipot]

I take the Rays VERY seriously. 

This Faria looks darn good, esp. against lefties.  Expect to see Chris Young in the lineup, who's been pretty reliable.

[Bear]

I believe you are correct Ipot, a difficult game to win, imho.

[Rob from Mass]

I take the Rays VERY seriously. 

This Faria looks darn good, esp. against lefties.  Expect to see Chris Young in the lineup, who's been pretty reliable.

I looked up his splits and this could be a  real tough matchup.
.191 BA  VS rhb
.233  BA  vs lhb

[markj]

Hope Xander is ok. Looked very painful. 2 left on already.

[Schloicka]

Hope Xander is ok. Looked very painful. 2 left on already.

Plus now Marrero is hitting 3rd in place of Xman. Hope he does something positive.

[Schloicka]

Dumb throw by JBJ to 1st trying to double up the runner. Sale picked him up though.

[markj]

Dumb throw by JBJ to 1st trying to double up the runner. Sale picked him up though.

Wasn't a bad throw. Just tried to occupy the same space as the runner. Would have been sweet if it had worked.

[Schloicka]

Marrero came through with the sac fly. 1-0 Sox.

[MongoLikeSox]

I just turned it on. We fighting with Tampa again, or is the XB HBP a misc happening?

[Schloicka]

Dumb throw by JBJ to 1st trying to double up the runner. Sale picked him up though.

Wasn't a bad throw. Just tried to occupy the same space as the runner. Would have been sweet if it had worked.

Was a good throw. Just was no reason to make it. Not very likely to get the guy out. Gave the runner 2 bases for no reason.

[Schloicka]

I just turned it on. We fighting with Tampa again, or is the XB HBP a misc happening?

Just a fastball in on the hands. Nothing malicious.

[Schloicka]

Where's our 20 hr guy? Seems everyone we play has one.

[Rob from Mass]

What happened  to X?