David Ortiz’s pursuit of 500 career home runs continues Saturday when the Boston Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
Ortiz is two homers shy of 500, and he’ll face Rays lefty Matt Moore. Big Papi, who will bat in the clean-up spot, has one home run in 19 career at-bats against Moore.
Red Sox utility man Brock Holt will start the game on the bench. He left Friday’s series opener with back spasms.
Rick Porcello will take the mound for Boston. He’s won two of his last three starts with four earned runs allowed in that span. He gave up three earned runs, eight hits and struck out four over 7 1/3 innings in his last start Sept. 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays, an 11-4 Red Sox win.
Here are the lineups for both teams.
RED SOX (66-74)
Mookie Betts, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Travis Shaw, 1B
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Rusney Castillo, LF
Blake Swihart, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., RF
Rick Porcello, RHP (7-12, 5.12 ERA)
RAYS (69-71)
John Jaso, DH
Grady Sizemore, LF
Evan Longoria, 3B
Logan Forsythe, 2B
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
James Loney, 1B
Steven Souza Jr., RF
Kevin Kiermaier, CF
J.P. Arencibia, C
Matt Moore, LHP (1-3, 8.04 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
