BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will turn to veteran right-hander Sonny Gray while the visiting Milwaukee Brewers will counter with left-hander Shane Drohan in the rubber match of a three-game series on Wednesday afternoon.
Drohan will make his major league debut against his former organization after being acquired in an offseason trade with Boston.
Gray (1-0, 4.50 ERA), who totaled 27 wins over the previous two seasons with St. Louis, notched his first victory with the Red Sox in his most recent start.
Boston snapped a three-game skid on Tuesday night and evened the series with a 3-2 victory despite managing just three hits. The Red Sox, who are only 3-8 this season, converted three consecutive walks for three runs in the sixth inning off hard-throwing Jacob Misiorowski for a 3-0 lead, keyed by Trevor Story’s two-run, bases-loaded double.
Milwaukee answered with two runs in the seventh off starter Garrett Crochet but stranded runners on second and third.
“A night like tonight, you know who’s on the other side and you kind of know that you’ve got to be on your A -game,” Crochet said afterward about Misiorowski, who struck out 10 in 5 1/3 innings.
Gray picked up the victory his last time out, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings in a 5-2 win over San Diego on Friday.
“It’s a team effort, for sure,” Gray said afterward. “But I do think it’s the starting pitcher’s job to come out and attack, put zeros on the board and give your team a chance. That’s just kind of what my mindset was today — to just attack early, get back to being you. And we had a good game plan going in.”
Gray is 5-6 with a 4.55 ERA in 20 career starts vs. Milwaukee.
Drohan was called up Monday from Triple-A Nashville after reliever Jared Koenig was placed on the 15-day injured list. Drohan was acquired in February from Boston with pitcher Kyle Harrison and infielder David Hamilton for infielders Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler.
Drohan made one start this season at Triple-A Nashville, allowing two runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings without a decision. He was 5-1 with a 2.27 ERA last season in 12 games, including 11 starts, for Worcester, Boston’s Triple-A affiliate.
Drohan was 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA in four spring training outings with Milwaukee, allowing seven runs (six earned) in 12 2/3 innings. He struck out 15 and walked four.
The Brewers, already without injured starters Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn, were without second baseman Brice Turang on Tuesday night. Turang, hitting .270 with seven RBIs, has been dealing with a foot or ankle injury, although he probably is not slated for the injured list, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Tuesday.
“Turang’s playing on one leg, and he hasn’t got great numbers on this road trip, but he’s helped us win,” Murphy told MLB.com. “He’s been on base, he’s played defense. He’s a threat when he’s taking his walks, which is crucial for what he needs to do.”
–Field Level Media