Long rain delays have dragged out the Boston-Detroit weekend series. Both sides are hopeful the final game before the All-Star break will remain dry.
The teams had to wait more than two hours between the fifth and sixth innings on Friday to complete the series opener. The middle game of the series was held up more than four hours by inclement weather.
The Red Sox won both games by scores of 9-6 and 10-6. They’ll finish off the series at Comerica Park on Sunday afternoon.
“Just sitting around and waiting and watching the rain is never easy,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “It’s a long day for both teams. … Just one of those long nights and now we’ve got to get up and do it again in the morning. Fortunately, we’ve got the break after that.”
The Tigers will go with a “full bullpen day” on Sunday. Left-hander Gregory Soto (0-2, 8.06 ERA), who tossed a scoreless inning on Friday, will likely open the game. He’s made six spot starts this season, with none of them lasting more than four innings.
Jeimer Candelario hit two homers in the loss on Saturday. He has hit four homers and batted .378 in 10 games since being recalled from Triple-A Toledo. Candelario is looking to reestablish himself as the team’s everyday third baseman.
“He’s concentrating,” Gardenhire said. “He’s saying he’s feeling really good and he’s seeing the ball. He can hit homers. We saw him do it last year.”
Left-hander David Price (6-2, 3.33 ERA) will start on Sunday for the Red Sox. He hasn’t been charged with a loss since April 27. In each of his last two starts, he’s given up two earned runs in six innings. He allowed a season-high four walks at Toronto in his last outing on Tuesday but still recorded the victory.
He’s been extremely effective against the Tigers, one of his former teams. In nine career games (seven starts), he’s 6-1 with a 2.10 ERA.
He’s 10-4 with a 2.99 ERA in 22 career appearances at Comerica Park.
Left fielder Andrew Benintendi enters Sunday’s game with a confidence-building performance on Saturday night. After Benintendi went hitless in 12 at-bats, manager Alex Cora gave him two days off.
Benintendi responded with a four-hit night to raise his average to .275. He also scored two runs, drove in another and stole a base.
“Sometimes, if you watch a game from a different perspective, it helps,” Cora told MLB.com. “You still got to be ready, but you see the game different.”
Benintendi has received tips from hitting coach Tim Hyers to correct a couple of mechanical flaws, Cora told the same website.
“He keeps working, and he keeps searching,” Cora said. “They’ve found a few things the last few days that I think are going to put him in a good spot.”
Rafael Devers carries a 10-game hitting streak into the contest. Devers homered in the series opener and added a hit on Saturday. He has 16 home runs and 62 RBIs.
“I think he’s pretty much the centerpiece of our team. Everything goes around him,” right fielder Mookie Betts said to MLB.com. “He’s been huge all year. He’s been the main one.”