Game 30: Red Sox at Yankees - Sox look to even series in afternoon matinee

Ben Whitehead
Contributing writer

After dropping the first game in controversial fashion against the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox have a quick turnaround for Game 2 of the series in the Bronx.

David Price toes the rubber for the Red Sox, who are 17-12 and tied for first in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles. Price is 4-0 despite a 6.14 ERA. His last start came against these same Yankees. Price allowed six runs on eight hits in seven innings with three strikeouts to pick up the win thanks to a Christian Vazquez two-run homer.

For the Yankees (10-17), it will be Nathan Eovaldi on the hill. Eovaldi sports a 1-2 record with a 5.46 ERA. He was opposite Price in his last start, giving up six runs on 10 hits in five innings, including a long home run by Travis Shaw. According to ESPN, Eovaldi has a 5.73 career ERA and 1.68 WHIP in four career starts against Boston, which has a .337 batting average in the matchup. Hanley Ramirez (6 for 16) and Dustin Pedroia (5 for 9) have also homered off him. 

Here is the Red Sox lineup (first pitch 1:05 pm EDT):

1. Mookie Betts, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Xander Bogaerts, SS
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. Hanley Ramirez, 1B
6. Travis Shaw, 3B
7. Brock Holt, LF
8. Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
9. Christian Vazquez, C

P David Price (4-0, 6.14 ERA)

RSL Notes

Ortiz keeps climbing
In the first inning of Friday's game, David Ortiz launched his 510th home run, a two-run shot into the bleachers in right-center field. The home run gave him sole possession of 25th place on the all-time list and put him one shy of tying Mel Ott with 511 and two back of Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews with 512. Ortiz's homer was also his 452nd with the Red Sox, tying him with Carl Yastrzemski for second place. Ted Williams (521) has the most in Sox history. Lastly, the Ortiz home run was his 50th against the Yankees.

By the numbers
Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the fourth inning Friday. Ramirez extended his streak to 10 games and Vazquez extended his to eight games ... Boston has won nine of its last 12 games and has won four straight series since losing two-of-three against Tampa Bay April 19-21.