(Getty Images)
Final: Red Sox 3, Giants 2 - Triston Casas remains hot, Crawford strikes out 7 batters
WHO: Red Sox (55-47) at Giants (56-47)
WHEN: 10:15 p.m.
WHERE: Oracle Park, San Francisco.
SERIES TO DATE: Series opener.
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Kutter Crawford (4-5, 4.04 ERA) vs. RHP Lucas Webb (8-8, 3.48 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUP
RED SOX
1. Jarren Duran CF
2. Masataka Yoshida DH
3. Justin Turner 2B
4. Rafael Devers 3B
5. Adam Duvall CF
6. Triston Casas 1B
7. Alex Verdugo RF
8. Connor Wong C
9. Yu Chang SS
SP Kutter Crawford
GIANTS
1. Joc Pederson DH
2. Michael Conforto LF
3. Wilmer Flores 1B
4. Mike Yastrzemski
5. JD Davis 3B
6. Patrick Bailey C
7. Luis Matos CF
8. Brett Wisley 2B
9. Marco Luciano SS
SP Logan Webb
WHAT’S UP
The Red Sox are back in action following a day off on Thursday, and will begin a three-game series in San Francisco on Friday night.
Boston has won four in a row and are a season-high eight games above .500 following the sweep of the Braves from Fenway Park.
Alex Verdugo returns to the Red Sox lineup amidst a slump where he is hitless over the last 20 at-bats. The right fielder will slide down the lineup and hit seventh behind red hot Triston Casas.
The 23-year-old first baseman has been tearing the cover off the ball since the All-Star break, hitting .469 with six homers, 11 RBI and a 1.669 OPS in 11 games.
Justin Turner is back at second base for the second straight game. The veteran has a four-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 19 of his last 20 games, dating back to June 30.
Kutter Crawford is on the bump facing the Giants for the first time in his career. In his last outing on Friday night against the Mets, Crawford took the loss allowing four runs in four innings. He allowed four hits, two strikeouts and two homers in the rain shortened contest.
The Sox enter play in fourth place in the AL East and seven games behind the division leading Orioles. They are 1 1/2 games behind the Blue Jays for the final wild-card spot.
PRE-GAME NOTES
Chris Sale is on track to make his first rehab start on Tuesday, Aug. 1 in the minors. Sale recently threw live batting practice on Thursday at Polar Park.
“Overall, today was a good day,” Sale told reporters following his session. “I’m ready for the next step, whatever it may be. Felt great. Felt normal, which is a good thing. So, it’s just about building up.”
Corey Kluber didn’t feel great following his rehab appearance with the WooSox. The Red Sox will put Kluber on hold for a few days an re-evaluate his status.
Reese McGuire is expected to join the Red Sox week following his rehab stint in Worcester.
Newly acquired right-hander Maurico Llovera will be activated prior to Saturday’s game in San Francisco. The club is expected to send a left-handed reliever back to Triple-A. Joe Jacques is the most likely candidate to return to the WooSox.