The Boston Red Sox look to claim their second series win over the Los Angeles Angels in as many weekends when the teams play the rubber match of a three-game set in Boston on Sunday afternoon.
The Red Sox scored four runs in the first inning Saturday in their 7-2 win, which snapped their season-high four-game losing streak.
“You’ve gotta get one before you get two,” Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas said. “We’re just gonna … come in with a game plan for (Sunday) and try to execute it, because we have a good team still, no matter who’s down or who’s out. We still believe in this group.”
The absence of shortstop Trevor Story (left shoulder dislocation) has opened up some opportunities for Boston’s position players, and Saturday could have marked Wilyer Abreu’s breakthrough.
Abreu went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to help lead the offense.
“We have to play (Abreu),” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We’ll find him at-bats. He’s a good hitter, and he’s a good defender. It just so happened early on it was hard to do it. But where are we at right now, roster-wise it makes a lot of sense for him to be out there against, at least every righty.”
Boston’s Brayan Bello (1-1, 4.11 ERA) looks to bounce back after losing his last outing. He allowed three runs — one earned — on four hits in 5 1/3 innings Tuesday as the Red Sox lost 7-1 to the visiting Baltimore Orioles.
Despite the recent loss, Bello has pitched at least five innings and issued two or fewer walks in each of his past four starts dating back to last September.
The 24-year-old right-hander is 0-2 with a 6.52 ERA in two career starts (9 2/3 innings) in his career against the Angels.
Los Angeles saw its five-game road win streak come to an end on Saturday, as Taylor Ward’s two-run home run in the third inning provided all the offense.
Ward has homered in back-to-back games at Fenway Park and has 16 RBIs through his first 14 games this season.
“I was always impressed with him,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “He always gives you a good at-bat. The thing I like most about him now is his work ethic. You guys don’t get a chance to see it behind the scenes, but he’s an animal with his workouts. HIs preparation is impeccable. It really is.”
The Angels will turn to 34-year-old southpaw Tyler Anderson (2-0, 0.00), who has started the season with two consecutive outings of seven scoreless innings. An Angels pitcher hadn’t achieved that feat since 2016.
Anderson allowed four hits and one walk while striking out three on Monday at home against Tampa Bay.
“That was great,” Anderson said. “We have a lot of great fans. I feel like last year I didn’t pitch well for them. So to start off the year this way when people are here (at home) always feels good.”
The nine-year veteran and second-year Angel is 1-0 with a 5.02 ERA in three career starts against Boston.
–Field Level Media