The Boston Red Sox will celebrate the Patriots’ Day holiday in Massachusetts with their traditional Monday morning game, welcoming in the Cleveland Guardians for the start of a four-game series.
The atypical 11:10 a.m. start time creates a tight turnaround for both sides following Sunday victories.
Boston hit three home runs and hung on for a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels, while Cleveland headed east after avoiding a series sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees with an 8-7, 10-inning win.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora expects his lineup to get a boost from third baseman Rafael Devers, who has missed the last four games due to a shoulder injury.
“I think he’ll be ready for (Monday),” Cora said. “Just playing it smart. He’s too important for us, not only now but in the future, so we’ll take care of him so he can take care of us.”
The Red Sox hand the ball off to Kutter Crawford (0-0, 0.57 ERA), who has allowed just seven hits and two runs (one earned) over his first 15 2/3 innings this season.
Crawford struck out six across five scoreless, two-hit innings last Wednesday against Baltimore, but did not factor into the decision in his team’s eventual 7-5 loss. It was his eighth straight start with at least five strikeouts dating back to last September.
“Got out there for the fourth and fifth inning and kind of got out of sync command-wise. Had to lean on the sweeper there,” Crawford said of his last outing. “Kind of leaning on one pitch. It was the pitch I felt I could command at the time.”
The 28-year-old has gone 0-2 with a 5.52 ERA in 14 2/3 career innings against Cleveland, which includes at least one start in each of the past three seasons.
Red Sox starting pitchers have allowed just 19 earned runs in 83 1/3 innings this season after Brayan Bello worked a solid 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball in Sunday’s game, which was their ninth game scoring at least five runs.
The Guardians lead the American League Central and look to build upon a memorable win against New York, as Andres Gimenez’s walk-off sacrifice fly capped a three-run 10th and a comeback from an early 3-0 deficit.
Estevan Florial had hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth — his second in as many days against his former team — but the Yankees responded with one run in the ninth and two to start the extra frame.
“We have a full roster that can win a ballgame and it showed (on Sunday),” first baseman David Fry said. “The last four or five days, we’ve been behind in the first inning in almost every game and we fight back. It’s just who this locker room is.”
First-year manager Stephen Vogt has seen team chemistry come together quickly.
“This is a core that’s been together for a number of years. Nothing’s changed and that’s been the message,” Vogt said. “I know there’s been a lot of change around here, but you guys don’t change who you are. Keep going and they love each other.”
Cleveland’s Xzavion Curry (0-0, 0.00) is expected to make his first start of the season and his first career start against Boston after beginning the season on the inactive list due to illness.
The 25-year-old righty made his second rehab start for Triple-A Columbus last Wednesday, allowing one run (a solo homer) and five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media