Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Red Sox took game one of a three-game weekend series against the Kansas City Royals on a three-run home run by Daniel Nava in the eighth inning. John Farrell called Nava’s home run a “fantastic finish to a great day.” The Red Sox started the game on Saturday afternoon with a ceremony honoring the victims of this week’s tragedies in Boston.
The Red Sox will participate in a doubleheader on Sunday following the postponement of Friday night’s game due to a citywide lockdown while they searched for and caught the suspect in Monday’s Boston Marathon bombing.
Game one will feature Ryan Dempster as he looks for his first victory in a Red Sox uniform. This season, the right-hander has posted a 0-1 record with a 2.65 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 17 innings of work. The 35-year-old has had a number of outstanding outings, but hasn’t had the offensive support to give him a victory on his record. Dempster is 2-0 with a 4.00 ERA and 13 strikeouts against the Royals in his career.
The Royals will send Ervin Santana to the mound for game one. The Royals’ starting pitcher has tossed back-to-back eight inning games and earning a victory in one. Santana has posted a 1-1 record with a 2.45 ERA and 19 strikeouts this season. The 30-year-old is 3-3 with a 4.13 ERA against the Red Sox in his career.
The Red Sox will call upon minor league prospect Allen Webster for game two. Webster will be making his MLB debut on Sunday evening after tossing 10 innings for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox this season, striking out 12 and posting a 0.90 ERA.
The first pitch of the first game of the doubleheader is set for 1:35 p.m. at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.
Justin Soderberg is a Boston Red Sox writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, ”Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.
