IF THE RED SOX BEAT THE TIGERS IT WILL BE BECAUSE OF DAVID ORTIZ

Last night the Red Sox lost a pitching duel 1-0 to the Detroit Tigers.  Today, they will win one if David Ortiz can get to Rick Porcello.

Like last night, both teams will be sending pitchers to the mound who are having great seasons.  The Red Sox will be sending John Lackey and his 3.57 ERA up against Rick Porcello and his 3.22 ERA. 

After having two mediocre starts against the Yankees and Orioles, Lackey has really turned it on in his last 4 starts.  During this time period he has gone 31 innings and given up 7 earned runs, 4 walks and 29 strikeouts.  If Lackey want to continue this strong run he will need to find a way to get Ian Kinsler out.  In his career, Kinsler has a .429 batting average and 4 home runs against Lackey.  

Although Rick Porcello could be the ace on many other teams, he often goes unnoticed as a member of the Tigers.  In his last three starts the twenty-five year-old righty has only given up 5 runs and 2 walks.  He has a fastball which can hit the mid-nineties, a slider which stays in the mid-eighties and off-speed pitches that can drop all the way to the low seventies.  David Temple has looked at Porcello's marked improvement against lefties.  He credits an improved change-up with inducing more ground-balls to lefties.  With an improved defense behind him, Porcello is turning contact into outs.  If Porcello can manage to neutralize Ortiz, it may be another low or possibly no-scoring night for the Red Sox.  Porcello has not pitched well in Fenway Park and has a 10.13 ERA over the past 3  years.  His success will really depend on whether or not he is getting ground balls or fly balls. 

If you like what you've read here, share with your friends and follow @BOSsportschick on twitter.