The Boston Red Sox aim for their third straight win when they cap a four-game series against the visiting Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon.
After Ceddanne Rafaela recorded his first career two-homer game on Friday, Enmanuel Valdez -- who was just recalled from Triple-A Worcester -- turned the trick in a 3-for-4 day. He also doubled, scored three runs and drove in three ini Saturday's 6-3 win.
The Red Sox overcame a first-inning deficit with a 10-hit attack and moved back above the .500 mark for the season.
Valdez set the tone in a much-needed situation, especially with Vaughn Grissom going down with a hamstring strain Saturday and landing on the injured list.
"He's a good player. He puts up good at-bats," Cora said of Valdez. "Like I said when we sent him down, he didn't do anything wrong. ... When you look at the numbers, he's hitting .180, but it doesn't feel that way. He manages the at-bat just like (Wilyer Abreu). ... Overall, a good (game)."
Brayan Bello (6-2, 4.18 ERA) looks to continue his winning run on the mound for the Red Sox. He earned his second straight win and fifth in six starts on Tuesday in Baltimore, striking out seven across five innings. He allowed three runs in the first inning and none thereafter.
"I like to come out with an aggressive mindset as opposed to being relaxed," Bello said after that start. "I feel like when I come in relaxed, things don't go the way that I want them to."
However, Bello has not pitched at Fenway Park since May 12, when he held the Washington Nationals to two runs on four hits in five innings. His last three starts have been away from home.
The 25-year-old right-hander has made just one previous start against Detroit, and it didn't go well. He took the loss last Aug. 12 after allowing four runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Following Saturday's defeat, the Tigers have lost three of their last four games since a four-game win streak and have dropped six of their last seven on the road.
However, Gio Urshela's two-run home run in the ninth inning extended Detroit's streak of consecutive games with a homer to eight.
"We did get a few good swings. Matt Vierling swung the bat very well," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said, noting Vierling's two doubles. "But not enough in this park when you've got to create offense."
Tigers righty Casey Mize (1-3, 4.71) is winless in six starts since beating the Twins in Minnesota on April 21. On May 26 against Toronto, he gave up three runs in 4 1/3 innings for a no-decision in a 14-11 Detroit win. He allowed eight hits and two walks.
Five days earlier, Mize was whacked for nine hits and six runs in just 1 2/3 innings at Kansas City.
Mize is 0-1 with a 4.09 career ERA in two starts covering 11 innings against Boston. Both starts came in 2021. He missed most of 2022 and all of 2023 following Tommy John and back surgeries.
On Saturday, Hinch also offered an update on outfielder Kerry Carpenter's lumbar spine stress fracture. However, there is no update on his return.
"There's a lot of unknowns still in terms of timetable, which is why we don't put one on it," Hinch said. "We're going to kind of go week-by-week with him and continue to check in on what the best next step is for him."
