Red Sox-Orioles Preview By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor
The Boston Red Sox recently surpassed the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. The way they're playing, it doesn't appear that spot will be relinquished any time soon. Boston's prodigious offense takes aim at Mike Wright as it seeks a third straight win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. Since losing nine of their first 17 games, the Red Sox (32-20) are an AL-best 24-11 and most of that success can be attributed to a deep and powerful offense. Boston leads the majors in batting average (.294), runs (308), doubles (134) and slugging percentage (.489). The lineup features a slew of hot hitters, and now Mookie Betts can be added to that group after he homered three times and drove in five in Tuesday's 6-2 win. Betts opened the game with a home run, added a three-run shot in the second and a seventh-inning blast made him the first Red Sox player with a three-homer game since Will Middlebrooks in 2013. ''This is probably the best night,'' Betts said. ''It's the first time I've ever done that (at any level).'' Xander Bogaerts went 1 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to 24 games. He's batting .393 with five homers and 17 RBIs during the run. It's the second-longest in the majors this season behind teammate Jackie Bradley Jr., whose 29-game streak ended Thursday. Bradley was placed on the paternity list Tuesday. ''Jackie leaves us today for the birth of his child,'' manager John Farrell said. ''If he has a boy, I think he ought to name him Mookie after tonight's outing.'' David Ortiz is batting .469 with 13 RBIs during an eight-game streak but failed to homer for the first time in four games, and was held without an RBI after recording at least one in six straight. ''They're the best team in baseball right now, so you have to be on your game,'' said Baltimore's Kevin Gausman, who gave up two of Betts' homers. ''If you're not, it's tough against this team, against this lineup, against their bullpen." The Orioles (28-22), who held the division's top spot most of May, have lost 10 of 15 to drop a season-high three games behind Boston. The rotation has compiled a 6.10 ERA during the team's 2-7 stretch, with 14 home runs allowed in 48 2/3 innings. Wright (2-3, 5.50 ERA) seems an unlikely candidate to slow Boston. The right-hander has an 11.25 ERA in two starts against the Red Sox with three homers surrendered in eight innings. He was a 9-5 winner at Fenway Park on April 12, yielding four runs in five innings while throwing 96 pitches. Wright wasn't sharp Friday at Cleveland, giving up three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 6-4 win. Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia are a combined 5 for 10 with three homers in this matchup. The Red Sox look to continue their surge behind Joe Kelly (2-0, 6.30), who seeks his 11th consecutive win. The right-hander is 10-0 with a 3.93 ERA in 14 starts dating to last season, though he's completed six innings just once in his past seven outings. He was tagged for five runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 innings in a 7-5 loss at Toronto on Friday. Kelly is 2-2 with a 5.10 ERA in six starts against the Orioles, but he overcame five walks to allow two runs through five innings in a 4-2 home victory April 13. Chris Davis (5 for 10) and Pedro Alvarez (5 for 16) have both homered off Kelly. |