The Tampa Bay Rays look to continue their recent dominance of the Boston Red Sox when the American League East rivals play the second of a four-game series on Tuesday in Boston.
Twelve of the 14 games between the teams since the start of 2023 went the Rays’ way, including a season-series-opening, 5-3 win on Monday that got Tampa Bay back to .500 on the year.
Yandy Diaz (3-for-5) and Amed Rosario (2-for-4) were the offensive catalysts on Monday for Tampa Bay, which won for the second time in three games after breaking a 3-3 tie with single runs in the fourth and eighth innings.
Rosario recorded a season-high three RBIs on a pair of extra-base hits.
“Good for us that we got guys on in front of him, but he came through in a big way at the beginning of the game and certainly at the end of the game,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
Rays right-hander Aaron Civale (2-3, 5.88 ERA) is scheduled to start at Fenway Park for the first time in his career on Tuesday. The Connecticut native spent his collegiate career at Northeastern University, less than a mile from Fenway.
Civale, looking for his first win since April 9 against the Los Angeles Angels, has gone four straight starts without completing five innings.
“My goal is to throw as many things as possible for both myself and for the bullpen, and that’s what a starter is supposed to do. Obviously, that side of things is frustrating,” Civale said. “I want to pitch deeper into games, but (my last start) was definitely a step in the right direction.”
The 28-year-old took a loss on Wednesday against the White Sox, allowing two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. However, he held Chicago scoreless over the first three frames.
The Red Sox were unable to find offense after each team scored three runs in the first inning on Monday, but Kutter Crawford recovered from the shaky start to complete six innings.
“Those were the outings last year that would go 4 2/3, six (or) seven runs and put us in a bad spot for the rest of a series,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “After the (first), (Crawford) found it.”
Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run home run during the big inning, while Wilyer Abreu struck for a pair of hits in the loss.
Boston is scheduled to send Nick Pivetta (1-2, 3.60 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday. The right-hander has allowed three or fewer runs in the past four of his 10 career starts against Tampa Bay, and he will look to continue that streak.
Pivetta gave up five runs — all on three home runs — and seven hits across four innings in a Wednesday loss at Atlanta. It marked his first start since April 3 following a stint on the 15-day injured list caused by a right elbow flexor strain.
“I expect myself to be the same and go out there and produce the way that I want to,” he said. “But things happen and I would like to have done better, but it is what it is.”
The 31-year-old is 1-6 despite a 4.56 lifetime ERA in 11 appearances against the Rays.
–Field Level Media