The Boston Red Sox won their series opener against the New York Yankees in exciting fashion, and they’ll be looking to keep up the streak Saturday with their “regular” lineup.
The Red Sox’s win Friday was anything but conventional, as they came back to win 5-4 on a bases-loaded walk-off walk (say that five times fast) against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. Boston pulled it off with a lineup heavy on right-handed bats, but the team returns to its usual nine with right-hander Luis Severino on the mound for New York.
Andrew Benintendi will be back in left field and bat sixth, while Mitch Moreland returns to first base and bats cleanup. Tzu-Wei Lin also will start after making a great catch in foul territory Friday night, playing third base and batting last.
Chris Sale will be looking to overcome perhaps his worst start of the season, which is saying something because the left-hander still struck out 12 batters in the loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on July 6. Sale gave up four runs on seven hits, including two home runs in that outing. The 28-year-old has faced the Yankees only once this season on April 27 and lost despite giving up just three runs (two earned) on eight hits with 10 strikeouts over eight-plus innings. The last time Severino pitched against the Red Sox coincidentally was during the same series, and the 23-year-old tossed seven scoreless innings, giving up just three hits to go with two walks and six strikeouts.
Here are both teams’ lineups for Saturdays’ contest.
RED SOX (51-39)
Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Sandy Leon, C
Tzu-Wei Lin, 3B
Chris Sale, LHP (11-4, 2.75 ERA)
YANKEES (45-42)
Brett Gardner, CF
Gary Sanchez, C
Aaron Judge, RF
Matt Holliday, DH
Starlin Castro, 2B
Chase Headley, 3B
Clint Frazier, LF
Garrett Cooper, 1B
Ronald Torreyes, SS
Luis Severino, RHP (5-4, 3.54 ERA)
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
