 had six strikeouts and gave up five hits in seven innings to tie for the major league lead in wins. Porcello has pitched at least six innings in each of his last 13 starts since coming off the disabled list last August. That is the longest such streak of his career and the longest active streak in the majors. The Yankees managed five hits. Michael Pineda (1-3) took the loss, allowing two runs and five hits in five innings. New York has lost four straight and 12 of 16. In their last four losses the Yankees have been outscored 25-5. Boston entered the night leading the American League with 5.13 runs per game. The Red Sox bats didn't show any signs of slowing down. Pineda had won his previous three starts at Fenway Park, giving up just one earned run in each victory. That changed in the second inning when Betts dropped in a little flare down the right-field line, scoring Christian Vasquez and Bradley. They were the only runs Pineda gave up before getting pulled. Chasen Shreve, who entered in the sixth, was responsible for Boston's two runs in that inning. Ortiz added the fifth home run of his farewell season - and second in two nights against the Yankees - in the seventh, taking Johnny Barbato's 2-1 fastball over the right-field fence. The loss marked the Yankees' second four-game losing streak this season. CITIZEN CHAPMANYankees closer Aroldis Chapman was back on the mound in Florida one day after announcing on Instagram that he had become a U. S. citizen. The left-hander completed his third week of extended spring training games by striking out two and allowing one hit over a scoreless inning against Pittsburgh minor leaguers. Chapman, serving a 30-game suspension stemming from baseball's new domestic violence policy, can join the Yankees on May 9. TRAINER'S ROOMYankees: Manager Joe Girardi said OF Aaron Hicks, who pinch-hit in the eighth inning after missing the last six games with left shoulder bursitis, should be ready to return the starting lineup in the series finale Sunday. Red Sox: RHP Carson Smith (right flexor muscle strain) made his first rehab appearance Friday night with Double-A Portland against Reading, retiring the only two batters he faced. Smith pitched another clean, nine-pitch inning on Saturday. Manager John Farrell said Smith will be evaluated Sunday and remains on track to be activated from the disabled list in time for Boston's series in Chicago next week. UP NEXTYankees: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 4.38 ERA) will make his fifth start of the season Sunday night. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his previous start last Monday at Texas. Red Sox: Price (3-0, 5.76) is 13-7 in his career against the Yankees, with a 4.04 ERA in 31 games. He is 3-0 in his last four starts against them.
)
Time: 07:10 P.M. EST Venue: Fenway Park
Rick Porcello's fifth win last year came after the Fourth of July. This year, he has a chance to do it before May. The right-hander will try to tie the major league lead in victories Saturday night when the Boston Red Sox face the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Porcello (4-0, 3.51 ERA) could become the first pitcher to win all five of his starts in April with an ERA above 3.00 since Chien-Ming Wang did it with the Yankees in 2008. He needed 17 starts to get his fifth win in 2015. Porcello got No. 4 on Monday, yielding four hits with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of a 1-0 win at Atlanta after entering with a 4.66 ERA." It feels good that I'm not out there searching for something and trying to make an adjustment during a game," said Porcello, alluding to finding the right arm slot during spring training and maintaining it. Porcello is 4-2 with a 2.75 ERA over his last eight starts against the Yankees. He had a career-high 13 strikeouts while allowing three runs - one earned - in eight innings of a 3-1 loss in his only start against them at Fenway on Sept. 1. New York (8-13) hasn't been much of a threat offensively of late, batting .207 while being outscored 17-5 during a three-game slide. The Yankees were held to six hits and David Ortiz belted a tiebreaking two-run shot in the eighth inning of Friday's 4-2 win in the opener of this three-game series. Ortiz, who was 2 for 4, reveled in the clutch performance against AL East rival New York, which has lost 11 of 15." When you're playing at home and the adrenaline's flying all over the place when you're playing against the Yankees, when something like this happens you enjoy it," he said. Ortiz is batting .343 with seven extra-base hits and eight RBIs over his past nine games. However, he's 3 for 15 with five strikeouts against scheduled starter Michael Pineda (1-2, 6.95). Pineda has the third-highest qualifying ERA in the AL, and he's looking to bounce back from one of the worst performances of his career. The right-hander retired the first two batters before being tagged for five runs and six hits - two homers - in the opening inning Sunday. He gave up two more runs and as many homers over the next four while finishing with nine strikeouts in an 8-1 loss to Tampa Bay." He didn't have the movement on (the fastball), he didn't have the cut on it," manager Joe Girardi told MLB's official website. "For whatever reason, he didn't have it. Obviously, his slider was pretty good, he had nine strikeouts. The four homers, too? It doesn't make a lot of sense, but the lack of movement on his fastball and lack of location is what killed him." Pineda had all sorts of trouble in his last start against the Red Sox (13-10) on Sept. 29, surrendering seven runs and two homers in six innings of a 10-4 home loss. Perhaps a change of venue can help. He's got a 1.42 ERA while winning his last three starts at Fenway after yielding one run and fanning seven in six innings opposite Porcello on Sept. 1. Alex Rodriguez has hit solo homers in consecutive games and is 5 for 9 with two doubles and three RBIs in his past three.'' If you told me 10 years ago that Big Papi and I would be hitting home runs at 40, I probably would've laughed,'' Rodriguez said. ''But winning the game is the most important thing.''
Looking for More Picks?
You can browse all the individual handicapper picks below.
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox
Pick Center
MLB
FINAL (4/30/2016)
TheCashmanWins
