dpPrior to that outing, Gray had posted nine consecutive quality starts, including five with at least six innings with one or no runs allowed.
The A’s will counter with Mason Barnett in what is expected to be a bullpen game. The righthander is making his first start of the season.
Here is a preview.
RED SOX (56-51): Siegler 2B, Rafaela CF, Abreu RF, Contreras 1B, Yoshida DH, Durbin 3B, Duran LF, Monasterio SS, Wong C
Pitching: RHP Sonny Gray (12-2, 2.78 ERA)
ATHLETICS (45-63): Kurtz 1B, Wilson DH, Soderstrom LF, Heim C, White 3B, Butler CF, McNeil 2B, Cortes RF, Walton SS
Pitching: RHP Mason Barnett (1-1, 4.74 ERA)
Time: 9:40 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Red Sox vs. Barnett: Jarren Duran 3-5, Yoshida 1-3, Wong 1-2, Gonzalez 0-2, Narvaez 0-2, Rafaela 0-1.
Athletics vs. Gray: Lawrence Butler 1-5, Jonah Heim 1-4, Jeff McNeil 2-8, Tyler Soderstrom 0-3, Colby Thomas 1-3, Donovan Walton 1-3, Jacob Wilson 2-3
Stat of the day: The Red Sox have allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of their 23 July games.
Notes: Gray is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in seven career starts against the Athletics, the team with which he began his career from 2013-17 … He had allowed just four runs in 32⅓ innings for a 1.11 ERA over his previous five starts before the loss to Toronto … With a win tonight, the Red Sox would clinch their seventh consecutive series and ninth of their last 11 … They have come from behind in seven of their last 11 wins … The Sox are an MLB-best 27-8 since June 19, and 19-4 in July … They have won each of their last 22 games when they scored at least four runs … The Sox are 27-13 on the road since April 25 … Barnett started twice against the Red Sox last season and had a 5.87 ERA in two no-decisions … He has 14 relief appearances this season, the longest a four-inning scoreless stint against the Astros on June 5 … After tonight’s contest, the Sox will head to Los Angeles to close out their California trip with a three-game series against the Dodgers, beginning Friday night.
Information from Field Level Media was used in this story.
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.
