Game 74 Preview: Orioles at Red Sox

When you win a crucial division game but lose two of your best hitters, maybe the writing is on the wall that this season isn't meant to be a successful one. While Sox fans are still holding out hope that the home town team can climb out of the AL East basement over the next couple of weeks, that task has just got tremendously harder after injuries to Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez. Clay Buchholz threw another gem and got his 5th win of the season by striking out 7 in seven innings and David Ortiz launched his 11th homer but the talk after the game was just how severe the injuries were to the two hitters.

The Sox play in the rubber match of a get-away game this afternoon against the Orioles, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:35pm. Eduardo Rodriguez (3-1 3.13) goes for the Red Sox and for the Orioles Miguel Gonzalez (5-4 3.33 ERA) as both teams try to win the series.

Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr, Infielder Deven Marrero and Reliever Jonathan Aro have all been called up from Pawtucket. JBJ will be starting in Right Field today and batting 9th, while both Marrero and Aro are getting called up to the bigs for the first time. The corresponding moves are Erik Kratz was DFA'd, Dustin Pedroia sent to the DL because of the hamstring injury from last night and Joe Kelly was optioned down to AAA; Justin Masterson will take his spot in the rotation going forward.

Here is today's Red Sox lineup:

Betts (CF)
Holt (2B)
Bogaerts (SS)
Ortiz (DH)
Sandoval (3B)
Napoli (1B)
De Aza (LF)
Swihart (C)
Bradley Jr (RF)

Quick Hits:

- Dustin Pedroia currently has a 17 game hitting streak at home, batting .406 with 11 RBI's
- In 9 games against the Sox this season, Jimmy Paredes is hitting .439
- David Ortiz is 3/6 against Miguel Gonzalez this season and one of the hits was a home run

Have a question for Mike during the game or whenever a baseball discussion is going on, reach out via Twitter: @86flynn