Pitching Matchups: Porcello, Miley Set To Toe Rubber For Red Sox Against Braves
BOSTON (CBS) -- Just when you think things can't get any worse for the Boston Red Sox, they go ahead and get swept for the second series in a row.
Those hanging on to any hope of a Boston turnaround must have very tired hands. It's getting to the point where it'll be much more relaxing to just let go and laugh at the train wreck that is the 2015 Boston Red Sox.
They can't hit. They can't field. They can't run the bases. And the most obvious can't among the Red Sox is the fact they flat-out can't pitch.
In their current six-game skid, three-game sweeps to the Orioles and Blue Jays, Boston has given up 43 runs -- good for a 6.96 ERA -- to their 26 runs scored. As for the Boston starting five, they now own a major league-worst 4.94 ERA.
That ERA will likely go up over the next two days, with the Atlanta Braves coming to town for a quick two-game series before the two teams head to Atalanta for another two-gamer. The Braves come to Boston with a pair of hot bats near the top of their lineup, with No. 2 hitter Cameron Maybin batting .323 with 10 hits over the last week and No. 3 hitter Freddie Freeman batting .365 with five homers and 14 RBI for the month of June.
They'll face two of Boston's most inconsistent pitchers in 2015. Here's a look at the pitching matchups for the quick two-game set at Fenway:
Monday, June 15 -- 7:00pm
Williams Perez (2-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. Rick Porcello (4-6, 5.26 ERA)
Porcello has lost his last four decisions and owns a 7.30 ERA over that span. That's really all that needs to be said about Boston's $20-million man at this point.
He'll be opposed by rookie Williams Perez, who began the year in the bullpen but has found his place in Atlanta's rotation. In his five starts this season, Perez has allowed just six earned runs over 30 innings pitched, including a pair of seven-inning efforts in which he allowed no earned runs.
His last start came on June 10 (seven innings of four-hit ball against San Diego), but he came out of the bullpen in an extra innings win over the Mets two days ago to earn his first career save.
Key Matchup: Nick Markakis vs. Porcello
The Braves outfielder is 9-for-24 in his career against the Boston righty with a homer, a double and two RBI.
Tuesday, June 16 -- 4:05pm
Julio Teheran (4-2, 4.78 ERA) vs. Wade Miley (5-6, 5.07 ERA)
We'll see if Miley has really cooled off from his confrontation with John Farrell, which occurred after he gave up a hat trick of homers in four innings against Baltimore. He's been on a good-outing, bad-outing stretch in his last four starts, so maybe he'll continue that trend as he faces off against the Braves in an early evening tilt.
Miley is 1-2 with a 5.92 ERA in five games (four starts) in his career against Atlanta, surrendering 16 runs off 29 hits (including four homers) over 24.1 innings.
He'll be opposed by 24-year-old Julio Teheran, who has won 14 games in each of the last two seasons for Atlanta. He's made it through seven innings in each of his last two outings, allowing seven runs in 14.1 innings pitched, but has not factored into a decision in nearly three weeks. Teheran is 2-2 with a 4.30 ERA in six career starts against AL teams.
Key Matchup: Hanley Ramirez vs. Teheran
Hanley is 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts against Teheran, so he's due. Likely for a few more strikeouts.
