Red Sox vs. Pirates Preview
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A nine-game interleague road trip poses some issues for the Boston Red Sox and their top two hitters.
The Red Sox will open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday as Jon Lester tries for the second time to become the major league’s first 10-game winner.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog have made the Red Sox -161 money line favorites for Friday’s game against the Pirates. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 87% of more than 999 bets for this game have been placed on the Red Sox -161.
Adrian Gonzalez has paced Boston during a 14-4 run over the last three weeks. He’s hitting .452 with 23 RBIs during that stretch and went 4 for 4 in a rain-shortened 5-1 loss to San Diego on Wednesday.
Boston (44-30) dropped the final two games of that three-game set, scoring five runs while stranding 20 runners. The Red Sox were averaging 8.0 runs in the previous 16 games while scoring at least 10 in six of those contests.
While Gonzalez continued his hot hitting in interleague play, raising his average to .548 in nine games against the NL and to a major league-leading .359 overall, David Ortiz went 0 for 8 in the final two games versus the Padres.
He’s still second on the Red Sox with a .313 batting average, and now manager Terry Francona must find a way to get the designated hitter in the lineup during this trip.
“I don’t want David to go 11 days without hitting,” he said.
Sitting Gonzalez doesn’t seem like an option.
Not only is he hitting well in interleague play, but he batted .409 against the Pirates last year while with San Diego. Francona said one option is moving Gonzalez into right field while starting Ortiz at first base. Gonzalez has played only one career game in the outfield, making an error in right for Texas in 2005.
As Francona tries to manage a tricky lineup situation, one concern he probably isn’t having is sending Lester (9-3, 3.70 ERA) to the mound.
Lester failed to become the majors’ first 10-game winner Saturday, allowing four runs while striking out eight in eight innings of a 4-2 loss to Milwaukee.
“Sometimes it’s tough throwing against teams you don’t really know, especially early on,” Lester told the Red Sox’s official website. “You’re trying to feel them out, figure out what their game plan is against you – and, obviously, they were very aggressive.”
This will be his first start against the Pirates (37-37).
Pittsburgh won the final two games of a three-game set against Baltimore, including a 5-4 victory Wednesday. The Pirates are 4-5 in interleague play after going 2-13 last season.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge,” manager Clint Hurdle told the Pirates’ official website. “There is no better way to at least take a look at where you are and who you are than when you go play one of the best teams in baseball.”
Andrew McCutchen is Pittsburgh’s hottest hitter. He had two hits, a run and an RBI on Wednesday, finishing the series 6 for 9 with two doubles and three runs scored.
Pittsburgh will turn to Paul Maholm (3-8, 3.29) to open the series as he tries to snap a four-game interleague losing streak.
Maholm suffered his first loss in five starts after allowing four runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-1 defeat to Cleveland on Saturday. The left-hander had pitched 13 scoreless innings in his previous two starts.
Maholm, making his first start against the Red Sox, has a 6.98 ERA during his interleague skid.
This is the first meeting between these teams since 2005 and first in Pittsburgh since 2003. The Red Sox took two of three in both series.
Want More From TheSpread.com? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!