Boston @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( May 15, 2010 ) Boston 6, Detroit 7
The way Detroit’s Max Scherzer has been pitching lately, today’s start by Armando Galarraga could be more than just a cameo appearance. The way that Brennan Boesch keeps hitting, Galarraga probably get some run support.
The Tigers look for their second straight win against the Red Sox in the finale of a three-game series today at Comerica Park. Detroit has won five of its last seven games.
Galarraga is making an emergency start for the Tigers, who are suddenly desperate for starting pitching. Dontrelle Willis didn’t last four innings in Saturday’s loss and Scherzer has been hit hard for much of the year.
Detroit improved to 13-5 at home on the season with a 7-6 win over the Red Sox in 12 innings on Saturday night.
This will be Galarraga’s first appearance in a major league game this year. In his rookie season (2008), Galarraga went 13-7 with a 3.73 ERA.
Things, however, went south last year and the 28-year-old right-hander went 6-10 with a 5.64 ERA. He didn’t make the parent club this year and was 4-2 in seven starts in Triple-A Toledo.
Boesch continues to sizzle at the plate for the Tigers. The rookie, who was called up to fill in after Carlos Guillen went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury, had four more hits Saturday night to raise his average to .388. Boesch has three homers and 19 RBIs and has 12 hits in his last six games.
The Red Sox will start John Lackey, who is 4-1 with a 4.60 ERA. Lackey has won his last two starts.
David Ortiz continued his resurgence at the plate with three more hits Saturday after homering twice and driving in four runs in Friday’s series opener. J.D. Drew is also heating up. Drew has raised his average to .282 and is riding an eight-game hitting streak.
Things don’t get any easier for the Red Sox, who are 3-10 on the season against teams playing above .600 on the season. Starting next week, Boston plays two games against the Yankees at New York followed by series against Minnesota, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. That marks another stretch of 10 games against teams above the .600 mark.
The Red Sox got some good news on the injury front Saturday. Josh Beckett threw 55 pitches in a side session and is on track to pitch Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.
Outfielder Mike Cameron is slated to join the team Monday and leadoff hitter Jacoby Ellsbury will start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket on Monday.
With Boston’s difficult upcoming schedule they’ll need all the help they can get.
The Red Sox stretched their bullpen thin in Saturday night’s extra-inning affair. Closer Jonathan Papelbon pitched 2 1/3 innings and will most likely not be available today.