After an uncharacteristically shaky performance in his return to Chicago, Chris Sale will take the mound again Sunday for the Boston Red Sox as they close out their series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Sale allowed six runs on 10 hits in just five innings Tuesday against his former team, the White Sox — easily his worst outing in a Red Sox uniform. Boston provided him with plenty of run support in that game, however, allowing the left-hander to pick up his sixth win of the season in a 13-7 Red Sox victory.
Sale has not lost since April 27, earning wins in five of his last six starts.
Red Sox manager John Farrell made just one tweak to his lineup for Sunday’s series finale, swapping out catcher Christian Vazquez for Sandy Leon. Leon, who is batting .233 with a .282 on-base percentage this season, will bat eighth against Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman.
Boston dropped the first two games of the four-game set but scored a 5-2 victory Saturday thanks to a dominant effort by starting pitcher David Price.
Here are the full starting lineups for Red Sox vs. Orioles:
RED SOX (30-25)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Sandy Leon, C
Deven Marrero, 2B
Chris Sale, LHP (6-2, 2.77 ERA)
ORIOLES (29-25)
Joey Rickard, RF
Adam Jones, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Mark Trumbo, DH
Chris Davis, 1B
Trey Mancini, LF
Jonathan Schoop, 2B
Francisco Pena, C
J.J. Hardy, SS
Chris Tillman, RHP (1-2, 5.87 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Bruce Kluckhohn/USA TODAY Sports Images