Game: Atlanta Braves @ Boston Red Sox
Time: 7:10 p.m.
Odds: Braves -157, Red Sox +142
Total: 10
Wednesday night’s conclusion of a two-game series between the visiting Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox will feature two of Major League Baseball’s top young pitchers. Atlanta is set to start right-hander Spencer Strider (11-3, 3.78 ERA), and Boston is set to start fellow right-hander Brayan Bello (7-6, 3.60 ERA).
Strider, 24, is tied for first place in the major leagues in wins and also tops the league in strikeouts (189) and strikeouts per nine innings (14.58). In his most recent start, Strider made history by striking out 13 batters over the course of six innings in a 7-5 victory over Arizona on Thursday. Strider became the first player in MLB history to strike out at least 350 batters in his first 40 starts. He has 354 strikeouts in 40 MLB starts.
Strider has played in eight games with ten or more strikeouts this year and in 14 games overall. This will be his first career start against the Red Sox.
This will be the second start for Bello, also 24, against the Braves. On May 10, Boston defeated Atlanta 5-2. Bello pitched six innings and allowed just two earned runs to pick up the win. He struck out five and walked just one batter.
Bello has thus far demonstrated that he is a much more difficult pitcher to face at night than he is during day games. In nine day starts, he is 1-5 with a 6.57 ERA. In 20 night starts, he is 8-9 with a 3.18 ERA. In his most recent outing on July 19, Bello allowed three home runs in just four innings. It just so happened it was an afternoon game against the Oakland A’s. Boston lost the game 6-5. It broke a streak of seven consecutive starts in which Bello had pitched at least six innings.
After winning Game 1 of the two-game set 7-1 on Tuesday, the Red Sox will aim for the sweep. Tuesday saw at least one hit for every member of Boston’s batting order. Masataka Yoshida had three hits, including a two-run home run. Boston has now defeated Atlanta in two out of the last three head-to-head meetings.
Enrique Hernandez, an outfielder, was traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to Tuesday’s game in exchange for right-handed pitchers Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman. Hernandez, who is 31 years old, is hitting .222 this year with six home runs and 31 RBIs.
Atlanta has been slumping, going 3-6 in its last nine games. They are, however, 4-2 in their last six against the Red Sox and 7-2 in the last nine against Boston played at Fenway Park. Boston is 14-5 in its last 19 games and they have won eight of their last nine home games.
Tonight’s total is set at 10. In the previous ten games played between these two teams, they have averaged 12.6 runs per game.
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