(Getty Images)
Final: Red Sox 4, Athletics 3 - Yoshida homers late leading the Sox in sweep of Athletics
WHO: Athletics (25-65) at Red Sox (46-43)
WHEN: 1:35 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park, Boston.
SERIES TO DATE: Red Sox lead series, 2-0.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP JP Sears (1-6, 4.09 ERA) vs. RHP Tayler Scott (0-0, 7.71 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUP
RED SOX
1. Rob Refsnyder LF
2. Justin Turner 1B
3. Rafael Devers 3B
4. Adam Duvall RF
5. Masataka Yoshida DH
6. Jorge Alfaro C
7. Kiké Hernández CF
8. Christian Arroyo 2B
9. Yu Chang SS
SP Tayler Scott
ATHLETICS
1. Tony Kemp 2B
2. Ryan Noda 1B
3. Seth Brown RF
4. Brent Rooker DH
5. JJ Bleday CF
6. Cody Thomas RF
7. Manny Piña C
8. Jace Peterson 3B
9. Tyler Wade SS
SP JP Sears
WHAT’S UP
The Red Sox will go for the sweep of the Athletics and extend their winning streak to five games on Sunday afternoon from Fenway Park.
Jarren Duran and Triston Casas are not in the lineup for the series finale. Duran went 3-for-5 with a homer and a double with three RBI and three runs scored. Over the last five games, Duran is 8-for-16 (.500) with two doubles, two triples, one homer and four RBI with a 1.063 slugging percentage. Casas had two hits (2-for-5), both doubles on Saturday afternoon.
Jorge Alfaro will make his first start as a member of the Red Sox. Alfaro rejoined the Sox organization on Thursday after he was released by the Rockies.
“It’s been a crazy month,” Alfaro to reporters, including BostonSportsJournal.com. “Opted out with Boston and flying around the country. I got a little frustrated with the situation and all that because that was the first time that happened to me and I had to deal with it. But I’m happy to be back and I want to give 100% to the team and help them do what I can.”
Tayler Scott, who the Sox acquired from the Dodgers on June 22, will be the opener, his third career start. Scott allowed six earned runs on six hits over six innings in six relief appearances with the Dodgers this season. While the Red Sox, Scott has tossed two scoreless outings, walking two and striking out one.
Over the last 9 games, Red Sox pitchers have posted a 3.22 ERA (29 ER/81.0 IP). During that span, Sox starters (including openers) are 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA and .213 opponent AVG (12 ER/41.2 IP, 32-for-150).
Boston has scored 27 runs in the last three games, following a season-long streak of six consecutive home games with fewer than five runs scored (13 total runs). The Red Sox are 38-6 (.864) this season when they score five-plus runs, the 2nd-best record in the AL (4th in MLB).
PRE-GAME NOTES
The Red Sox will pick 14th overall in the first round of the MLB Draft on Sunday night. Boston will have 21 picks in total and $10 million-plus in bonus pool money. They can exceed the pool by about $500,000 without incurring any overage penalties. The 14th pick alone carries a recommended bonus slot value of $4,663,100.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will have four days off during the All-Star break and will return to play on the road against the Chicago Cubs from Wrigley Field. The Sox will open the second half with Brayan Bello (6-5, 3.04 ERA), James Paxton (5-1, 2.73 ERA) and Kutter Crawford (3-4, 4.11 ERA) for the series in the Windy City.