Red Sox Star Struggles With Long-Term Illness And Faces Uncertain Future On Wednesday night in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Boston Red Sox will try to sweep their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays after winning their first series at Tropicana Field since July 2019.
The Red Sox won 5-2 on Tuesday, capping the series with three runs in the last two innings. It was an exhilarating triumph.
One of Boston’s talents, Jarren Duran, smashed a solo home run in the sixth inning that tied the score, and then stole home in the eighth to provide a vital insurance run. It is now seven games in a row that he has hit safely.
“He is able to run. He has a tremendous hitting ability. He plays strong defense. And I’m happy he’s our leadoff hitter,” Alex Cora, manager of the Red Sox, stated.
Rafael Devers, the third baseman, has made history in this series as well. Prior to going 1-for-3 on Tuesday, he set a Red Sox record by homering in six straight games.
Brayan Bello, a right-hander (4-2, 3.96 ERA), will start for Boston on Wednesday. He was on the verge of missing the Fenway Park series against Tampa Bay last week due to a Friday outing that ended his three-game winning run. Three of the seven hits the Cardinals gave him were home runs, as they tagged him for five runs.
Prior to his most recent performance, Bello had pitched at least five innings and given up two walks or fewer in six straight games going back to the previous season.
Regarding his most recent start, a 10-6 loss against the Cardinals, Bello stated, “The team did everything possible to score runs.” “They gave me some run support, but I wasn’t able to make the adjustment tonight, and it was a bad outing for me.”
Despite Isaac Paredes’ impressive 3-for-4 performance with a double and two RBI on Tuesday, the Rays will try to prevent a sweep and a season-high fourth straight loss on Wednesday.
Paredes has reached base in 19 of his past 20 games overall and has a team-high 18 multi-hit outings.
Rays manager Kevin Cash stated last week, “I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s just part of his continued development as a really good major league hitter.” “I think (the recent run is) a credit to just him being selective at the plate, getting pitches that he can handle and not swinging at pitches that he can’t.”
With just four runs scored in its past three games, Cash’s team will need more from the third baseman.
Ryan Pepiot (3-2, 3.68 ERA), a right-hander for Tampa Bay, will start his first career game on Wednesday against Boston after being recalled from the 15-day injured list.
After being hit by a line drive, the 26-year-old had to leave his start against the New York Mets on May 5 due to a contusion in his lower left thigh. Before the injury, he had given up three runs in two innings.
Last Friday in Toronto, Pepiot pitched three simulated innings, reaching a fastball of 95 mph.
“What was it, fifteen days? Thus, really, there weren’t many things involved in (starting a recovery program), just like missing two starts kind of,” Pepiot remarked. “It was a lot of just based on when I did touch the mound and how it felt and how it responded.”
On April 29 in Milwaukee, Pepiot won his most recent victory by pitching six scoreless innings with two hits and seven strikeouts.
