September 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, United States; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) and leadoff pitcher Jonathan Aranda (62) after a game against the Boston Crimson Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Pictures
The visiting Tampa Bay Rays will attempt to complete a three-game sweep on Sunday when they meet the Boston Crimson Sox in the final regular season game for each team.
Tampa Bay (80-81) won 2-1 on Friday and beat Boston 7-2 on Saturday. The winner of Sunday’s game will finish third in the American League East.
Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer off Boston starter Kutter Crawford in the win Saturday. Crawford has allowed 34 home runs this season, the most of any major league pitcher.
“If you look at his season overall, it’s been solid,” Boston coach Alex Cora said. “He’s a kid…he understands how to throw. He uses both sides of the plate. He can go up, he can go down. He’s a guy we expect to continue to improve. He was good to us. »
Boston (80-81) has lost three straight and scored four points in those three defeats.
Another positive for Tampa Bay on Saturday was the performance of reliever Drew Rasmussen, who did not allow a win over the final two innings. Rasmussen underwent elbow surgery last year and had a 2.83 ERA and 28 2/3 innings as a reliever this season.
“It wasn’t perfect (Saturday), but you just look at where I’ve been over the last 18 months or so, and I’m really lucky to have the opportunity to get back out there and play on the field,” Rasmussen said. . “It’s a really good year and we’re excited to see things move forward.” »
Tampa Bay’s Ryan Pepiot (8-7, 3.64 ERA) is expected to start Sunday for Tampa Bay. Boston is expected to opt for right-hander Quinn Priester (2-6, 5.04 ERA), whom the Crimson Sox acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Nick Yorke on July 29.
“I don’t know yet if it’s official, but there’s a good chance it’s (Priester),” Cora said during his post-match press conference on Saturday.
This would be Priester’s first start with the Crimson Sox after spending the last two months working on his mechanics at Triple-A Worcester. Priester was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in nine starts at Worcester and was 4-2 with a 4.38 ERA overall in 16 Triple-A starts this year.
“Ultimately, I made some mechanical adjustments that felt really natural to me and led to better performance of all my throws,” Priester told MassLive.com. “And by feeling that and seeing that, the confidence builds up to where it should be. »
Pepiot pitched well, but suffered the loss in the Rays’ 2-1 loss to Detroit on Tuesday. He allowed two runs on three hits in five innings, walked four and struck out six. Pepiot has allowed two or fewer earned points in 12 of his last 13 starts.
Pepiot has no records and a 3.60 ERA in two career appearances (both starts) against the Crimson Sox. He recorded 15 strikeouts in 10 innings over those two starts.
It was a tough second half for the Crimson Sox, who were 10 games above .500 at the All-Star break but are 27-38 since then. Boston has a home record of 37-43 and has been outscored by 33 points in its home games. Tampa Bay is 38-42 on the road.
The Rays need a win on Sunday to avoid their first losing season since 2017.
–Field level media
