After some time on the disabled list, left-hander Hector Santiago is going to be back on the mound later tonight, as the Twins face Boston in Game 2 of this three-game series at Fenway Park.
Santiago landed on the DL with a shoulder injury with his last appearance happening on June 6, when he pitched for just 2.2 innings yet allowing five earned runs on three hits in a 12-3 road loss to Seattle. Santiago is 4-6 with a 5.26 ERA in 13 appearances so far this season.
Behind Santiago is Minnesota’s offense that features the hot bats of Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier. Escobar entered this series with the Red Sox 26-for-66 (.394) with three homers and nine RBI this month. Dozier, meanwhile, is 24-for-95 (.253) with five home runs and 13 RBI during in the same span.
The over is 3-0-1 in Santiago’s last four starts away from Target Field.
The Red Sox will counter the returning Hector Santiago with a lefty of their own in the form of Drew Pomeranz.
Pomeranz made his last start on June 21, tossing for 6.1 innings and giving up two earned runs on six hits, striking out six and walking away with a no-decision in a 6-4 loss in Kansas City.
Pomeranz, who is 4-2 with a 4.89 ERA in seven starts at Fenway Park, is getting the most run support among Red Sox starters with at least 40 innings pitched. Boston’s offense is supplying the lefty with 5.30 runs per nine innings per Fangraphs.com.
He might get that much activity from Boston’s hitters anew, as the Red Sox’s active hitters have a collective .319 career batting average against Santiago. That includes Xander Bogaerts, who is 6-for-11 (.545) versus Santiago.
The Red Sox are 6-2 in Pomeranz’s last eight home starts.
