Previewing the first home series of the season at Fenway Park between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles.
It’s the home opener at Fenway Park, as the Boston Red Sox (3-2) host the Baltimore Orioles (5-0) for the start of a three game series.
Boston took two out of three in Toronto over the weekend to wrap up their season opening road trip. The Red Sox had scored at least six runs in each of their first four games before getting shut out on Sunday.
Baltimore comes to town as the only undefeated team left in the majors after sweeping the Minnesota Twins and taking both games of a rain-shortened series against the Tampa Bay Rays, but now they have to take their show on the road. Can the Red Sox be the team to hand the O’s their first loss? We’ll find out over these next few days.
Pitching Matchups
Monday, April 11: David Price (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs Yovani Gallardo (1-0, 1.80 ERA)
Tuesday, April 12: Clay Buchholz (0-0, 11.25 ERA) vs Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
Wednesday, April 13: Joe Kelly (0-0, 21.00 ERA) vs Chris Tillman (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
Series Notes
- Boston scored 6+ runs in each of their first four games before getting shut out on Sunday. The streak was the best the franchise has had to begin a season since 1995.
- David Price will take the mound in the home opener in a setting he has shown to be quite comfortable in. Over 11 career starts at Fenway Park, Price owns a 6-1 record and 1.90 ERA.
- Brock Holt was out of the lineup Sunday after fouling a ball off his foot the previous day. X-Rays came back negative and he is expected to return on Monday.
- Baltimore has started the season 5-0 for the third time in franchise history and first since 1970.
- The Red Sox have won 10 of their last 11 home openers at Fenway Park. Last season they defeated the Washington Nationals 9-4 in their home opener.
- Early season stats are always fun. Holt leads the Red Sox in home runs and RBI, No. 5 starter Steven Wright has the best ERA in the rotation and reliver Matt Barnes is tied for the team lead in wins.
Key Hitters
Red Sox: Hanley Ramirez
2016 (5 games): .455/.478/.727, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Career vs Baltimore (21 games): .338/.414/.623, 6 HR, 24 RBI
Next: Three aces for the Red Sox
Orioles: Manny Machado
2016 (5 games): .429/.455/.905, 3 HR, 4 RBI
Career vs Red Sox (49 games): .282/.333/.451, 6 HR, 24 RBI