The Boston Red Sox are in the midst of their worst losing streak in a month, having dropped their past two games.
Boston fell 2-1 to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night at Fenway Park, but they’ll have the perfect man on the hill Friday to get them back on track.
All-Star left-hander Chris Sale will take the ball for Boston, looking to grab win No. 12 on the season. Sale was dominant in his last start, striking out nine in six shutout innings during the Sox’s 9-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. The powerful lefty has allowed just one run in his past 33 innings pitched.
Manager Alex Cora will trot out a similar lineup to Thursday’s with a few exceptions. Sandy Leon will man the catching duties and hit eighth, while Eduardo Nunez takes over for Brock Holt at second and will bat seventh.
First baseman Mitch Moreland remains out of the lineup for the second straight game and he admitted prior to Friday’s game that he is battling a sore left knee.
The Twins will send right-hander Lance Lynn to the hill. Lynn has struggled this season, going 7-8 with a 5.23 ERA, but he beat the Red Sox the last time he faced them, tossing five shutout innings in a win on June 20.
Here are the full lineups for Friday’s Red Sox vs. Twins game:
RED SOX (71-33)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Steve Pearce, 1B
Rafael Devers, 3B
Eduardo Nunez, 2B
Sandy Leon, C
Jackie Bradely Jr., CF
Chris Sale, LHP (11-4, 2.13 ERA)
TWINS (48-53)
Jorge Polanco, SS
Eddie Rosario, LF
Brian Dozier, 2B
Eduardo Escobar, DH
Mitch Garver, C
Logan Morrison, 1B
Ehire Adrianza, 3B
Max Kepler, CF
Robbie Grossman, RF
Lance Lynn, RHP (7-8, 5.23 ERA)
