Fire up your AppleTV+ as the O’s and Sox begin a long, five-game series tonight.
I sure hope you like Orioles-Red Sox games, because we’re going to be seeing a lot of them these next few days.
The two clubs tonight begin a rare five-game series, having tacked on an extra game to help make up for the originally scheduled April 4-6 set that was canceled because of the lockout. This is the Birds’ first time playing five straight games against the same opponent since Sept. 17-20 against the Rays. In that instance, the Orioles lost the first four games of the series before salvaging the finale. They scored two or fewer runs in four of the five games. Let’s hope for a better result this time around.
I’d be feeling more optimistic about this series if it were happening about three weeks ago, when the Red Sox were a team in freefall (and sat in last place, behind the Orioles). But since bottoming out at 11-20 in mid-May, the Sox have ripped off a 10-3 run, including a six-game win streak that was snapped on Wednesday. Their offense has been absolutely on fire, putting up a pair of 16-run performances in their last three games.
Tonight they’ll get a second look at Kyle Bradish, whose MLB debut came against the Red Sox on April 29. This marks the first time Bradish is facing an opponent he’s faced before, so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of adjustments he — and Sox hitters — make. Bradish pitched well in that previous outing, working six strong innings, but the Sox jumped on him for a three-run second inning, including a Christian Arroyo homer. Arroyo, at least, is not in tonight’s starting lineup.
Tonight’s game airs exclusively on Apple TV+, but you should be able to watch without a subscription.
Orioles lineup:
CF Cedric Mullins
DH Trey Mancini
LF Anthony Santander
RF Austin Hays
C Adley Rutschman
1B Ryan Mountcastle
2B Rougned Odor
3B Ramon Urias
SS Jorge Mateo
RHP Kyle Bradish
Red Sox lineup:
CF Enrique Hernandez
3B Rafael Devers
DH J.D. Martinez
SS Xander Bogaerts
LF Alex Verdugo
2B Trevor Story
1B Franchy Cordero
C Christian Vazquez
RF Jackie Bradley Jr.
RHP Garrett Whitlock