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Kutter Crawford, Red Sox Look to Reboundvs. Cardinals
Preface
After years of bouncing between the bullpen and the rotation, Boston Red Sox pitcher Kutter Crawford has finally set up his groove as one of the most reliable starters in the majors this season. With a solid 2- 2 record and a2.24 ERA, Crawford has been a crucial player for the Red Sox. Despite a rough outing in his last launch against the Tampa Bay Rays, he’s looking to bounce back on Saturday when the Red Sox take on theSt. Louis Cardinals in the second game of their three- game series.
Kutter Crawford’s Performance
Consistency and Adaptability
Crawford has been a workhorse for the Red Sox, pitching six or more innings in his last five starts. He’s allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his nine starts overall.” Last time, there were a lot of five- inning outings,” Crawford said.” I want to be a starting pitcher in this league, and starting pitchers need to go six and be reliable every five days. So, that was one of my focuses this season to eat up further innings, stay healthy, and throw every five days.”
In his most recent start, getting through six innings was a bit of a grind. He demanded 35 pitches to get through the first inning against the Rays, falling behind 3- 0.” I struggled with my command a bit,” Crawford said.” The two- out walk was kind of the icing on the cake as far as getting myself in trouble. I felt like they were taking my spin down from me on the outside half of the plate, leaning out there and shooting stuff the other way.” Despite the challenges, Crawford pushed through, throwing a season-high 101 pitches to complete six innings and save the bullpen from extra work.” Those are the outings last year where the MLB game would be 42/3 innings, six runs, seven runs, and put us in a bad spot for the rest of the series,” Red Sox director Alex Cora said.” After that, he set up it and gave us six. He threw the ball OK and gave us a chance to win the game.”
Red Sox’s Recent Performance
Struggles and Challenges
The Cardinals handed the Red Sox a 10- 6 loss in the series opener on Friday night, marking Boston’s third straight loss and fourth in five games. The team is looking to turn things around quickly.
Upcoming Game environment
Cardinals’ Power Surge
On Friday, Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn hit two- run homers, while Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman added solo shots. The Cardinals came into the game tied for the smallest homers in the major leagues with 32.” That is what it’s supposed to look like,” Cardinals director Oliver Marmol said.” Those guys continue to take really competitive at- bats. You look at the last couple of games and they have done that. Today was delightful; up and down that lineup, not a whole lot of breathing room.”
Winn has hit safely in his past nine starts, going 11- for- 34. Paul Goldschmidt is on a hot streak, going 9- for- 27 with five runs and five RBIs during his six- game hitting streak.
Pitching Matchup
Louis will fight Crawford with Miles Mikolas( 3- 5,6.19 ERA), who earned a 4- 3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. He allowed three runs on six hits and three walks over six innings, marking just the fourth time he worked six or more innings this season and met the quality start metric. Mikolas won his only career start against the Red Sox, allowing one run on four hits over six innings on May 14, 2023.
Conclusion
With Kutter Crawford looking to bounce back from his recent outing and the Cardinals aiming to build on their offensive success, Saturday’s game promises to be a competitive and exciting encounter. crucial player performances and strategic adaptations will be key as both teams strive for victory. Fans can look forward to an engaging matchup as the Red Sox take on the Cardinals in the middle game of their series.
