The Boston Red Sox haven’t been more desperate for a win this season than they are Friday night.
Boston blew a lead in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday night, handing a 2-1 victory to the Los Angeles Angels to kick off the Red Sox’s 11-game road trip and wasting a brilliant eight-inning shutout from David Price in the process. It was the team’s fourth loss in a row — marking the first time it has done that this season — and sixth loss in its last seven games.
The Red Sox made two changes to the lineup for Friday, inserting Aaron Hill at third base and Ryan Hanigan at catcher in place of Travis Shaw and Sandy Leon, respectively. Hill will hit seventh and Hanigan eighth.
Rick Porcello looks to continue his winning ways when he hits the mound for Boston, and he’ll oppose former Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, who has been nothing short of terrible for the Angels and has never defeated the Red Sox in limited action against the team. Porcello hasn’t taken a loss since mid-May, while Lincecum’s career ERA vs. the Red Sox is over 10.
Here are Friday’s lineups for both teams:
RED SOX (55-45)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Hanley Ramirez, 1B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Aaron Hill, 3B
Ryan Hanigan, C
Brock Holt, LF
Rick Porcello, RHP (13-2, 3.57 ERA)
ANGELS (46-56)
Yunel Escobar, 3B
Kole Calhoun, RF
Mike Trout, CF
Albert Pujols, DH
Daniel Nava, LF
Andrelton Simmons, SS
Ji-Man Choi, 1B
Carlos Perez, C
Gregorio Petit, 2B
Tim Lincecum (2-4, 8.70)
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
