GAME #61, DETROIT TIGERS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

TIGERS V RED SOX

SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 2017, 7:15 AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  FOX

DETROIT, (29-31)..................................................................................BOSTON, (33-27)

DETROIT:

JUSTIN VERLANDER, RHP, 4-4, 4.63 ERA, 66K

Verlander will start on turn but with an extra day's rest after groin tightness
forced an early exit from his last start Sunday against the White Sox.  He
struggled through a 39-pitch opening inning with several foul ball.

BOSTON:

CHRIS SALE, LHP, 7-2, 2.89 ERA 119K

The ace labored through a 39-pitch first inning, thanks to some misplays
behind him in his last start at Baltimore, and was dominant for the rest of the
game, striking out nine.  In thirty career outing against the Tigers, Sale is 8-8
with a 3.01 ERA.

Longtime foes Verlander, Sale duel at Fenway

Evan Chronis

All eyes will be on the mound Saturday when the Tigers and Red Sox meet at Fenway Park, as 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander will face off against Chris Sale, who has finished in the top six of AL Cy Young Award voting the past five seasons.

This will be Verlander's first game since exiting against the White Sox on Sunday in the third inning due to a right groin injury. The Tigers' ace (4-4, 4.63 ERA) was given an extra day of rest and threw in a bullpen session Thursday.

"Throwing today felt good, and the bullpen [Thursday] -- a day later than normal just to give me a little more recovery time -- didn't feel anything," Verlander said Friday. "Obviously you can't quite replicate in-game, but we've done all the precautionary stuff. Nothing else I can do besides go pitch, and my body's telling me that I'm good to go."

Sale (7-2, 2.89 ERA) is looking to win his seventh straight decision, which would be third-longest streak in his career. The lefty didn't have his best stuff in his last two starts against the White Sox and the Orioles, but still came out with two wins. Luckily for Sale, the Red Sox's bats were there to pick him up -- Boston has scored 20 runs over his past two starts.

"Just having the confidence in my team behind me to go out there and just kind of keep pitching, knowing that at some point in the game, we're going to score again," Sale said of his offense's recent production.

This will be the second meeting between Verlander and Sale this season, and the sixth overall for the former AL Central rivals. Verlander got the upper hand in the Tigers' 2-1 win April 10, allowing three hits in seven innings. Sale, who allowed two runs and struck out 10, was tagged with the loss.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• No current Red Sox player has hit a home run against Verlander in a combined 139 at-bats. The only player with any consistent success against the righty is Mitch Moreland, who has hit six doubles off Verlander in 24 at-bats.

• Verlander will continue to chase history as he's struck out at least one batter in 327 consecutive games. The streak, which started in 2007, is the longest among active pitchers and the eighth-longest since 1913.

• Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez may be one of the few players to have figured out Sale. In 44 career at-bats against the lefty, the switch-hitting Martinez has a .455 average, including four homers.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170609235401658/longtime-foes-verlander-sale-duel-at-fenway/?game_pk=491024

[Bear]

RED SOX LINEUP:

Sale vs Verlander.

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

[Bill-806]

  Put this one in the "W" column with Chris Sale on the mound.....  Memo to OFFENSE, please show up !! thumb_u rofl slap

[Bear]

Don't get ahead of yourself Bill, Verlander is on the mound...who knows.

[Rob from Mass]

Haven`t heard from Fred in a while.Is he OK ?

[Bear]

I haven't heard a word from Fred since his last post stating he left.
I miss him.

[markj]

Fred said he was going to take some time away from the board and I guess he wasn't kidding. He'll be back.

[markj]

Sale gets out of a 1st and 3rd, no-outs jam. Very nice.

[markj]

Bases loaded, no outs. Time to make hay against Verlander. Don't get these chances often.

[markj]

One run from a sac fly. Now comes the GIDP to end it.

[markj]

Xman K's on a pitch that people in Houston were ducking. Better than a GIDP for now, though.

[Schloicka]

Xman swung at total crap.

[markj]

At least they squeezed another run out of it.

[Schloicka]

Moreland drives in a run. 2-0 Sox after 3 innings.

[Schloicka]

Maybe 1 more inning for Verlander. Over 90 pitches through 4 innings.