After an ugly 9-4 loss to the Red Sox Monday night, the Tampa Bay Rays look to even the series tonight at Fenway Park.
While Tampa Bay has received good pitching since the All-Star Break, Rays starters have posted five innings or fewer in four of the last eight games, including last night. Matt Andriese, the Rays best starter early on, has been the most inconsistent the second time in the rotation.
The New What Next
Jake Odorizzi (9-5, 3.53 ERA) starts for Tampa Bay, opposite of Drew Pomeranz (10-10, 2.95 ERA).
Odorizzi hurled seven innings of one run ball on Thursday, scattering five hits and three walks while striking out four Red Sox. Jake got the better end of a pitcher’s duel with Drew Pomeranz, allowing him to snare his sixth straight win. The right-hander also collected his seventh quality start in his last eight outings, a stretch in which he’s put up a 1.40 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 45 innings. Odorizzi now has a 1.59 ERA since the All-Star Break, lowest in the American League, and second in the majors.
Pomeranz allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings against Tampa Bay on Thursday, striking out a career-high 11 in the 2-1 loss. The lefty was out dueled by Jake Odorizzi and pegged with his first loss in five starts. Pomeranz induced 23 swinging strikes and lowered his Boston ERA to 4.06 — its best mark since being acquired from the Padres.
You can read about tonight’s pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 8/30/16 Starting Lineup
Forsythe 2B
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller 1B
Duffy DH
Beckham SS
Souza Jr RF
Dickerson LF
Maile C
Odorizzi RHP
Noteworthiness
— “Evan Longoria drove in two runs yesterday, giving him 24 in the month of August, and 82 for the season,” writes Neil Solondz (Rays Radio). Longoria, who has 30 homers, is three shy of tying his career high.
— After being released on Saturday, former OF Desmond Jennings has cleared waivers and now is a free agent. Per Mike Fiore of the the Boras Corp. (who has been in correspondence with Marc Topkin), which represents Jennings, he is “unable to play due to his knee injury.” Fiore added, “So we shall see what the future holds.”