Crazyrebel(l)s ist umgezogen! » www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com

DENVER — In the rubber game of their series Sunday Authentic Nick Nelson Jersey , the Miami Marlins for the third straight game will start a pitcher against the Colorado Rockies who has never taken the mound at Coors Field.

The Marlins’ hope is that left-hander Caleb Smith (5-6, 4.03 ERA) replicates the effort of Trevor Richards and not Wei-Yin Chen.

The latter wasn’t hit hard Friday night but gave up nine hits and seven runs in four innings, and the Rockies romped 11-3. On Saturday, Richards allowed three hits and one run in six innings in Miami’s 6-2 victory.

Smith received a no-decision Monday at San Francisco, allowing four runs and six hits and throwing 88 pitches in four innings in Miami’s 5-4 victory. Smith allowed two hits and one walk in seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in his only start against the Rockies on April 29 in Miami.

Smith has limited opponents to a .221 average and in 76 innings has allowed 62 hits with 87 strikeouts and 32 walks.

“He’s been pretty good,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Smith, who turns 27 next month and was acquired in a November deal with the New York Yankees. “He’s been a nice surprise for us. He’s a guy with a lot of swing-and-miss without having huge velocity. But they don’t see the ball that well.

“He’s got a good little breaking ball. He’s got a good changeup. And everything works off his fastball. He’s not really a young, young guy. He’s a guy that’s been a little bit more polished, a guy that we’re really more willing to just keep putting him in there, not worrying about his innings (limit) or things like that. Early in the year, we were trying to find out is he a reliever, is he a starter, but he’s been pretty solid for us out of the rotation.”

German Marquez (5-7, 5.20) will start for the Rockies. He won for the first time in four starts Tuesday against the New York Mets when he gave up four runs in six innings in Colorado’s 10-8 victory. He’s 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA in two starts against the Marlins, including April 28 when he gave up three runs (one earned) in six innings in Colorado’s 4-1 loss.

The Rockies are 7-8 in starts by Marquez, who is 2-4 with a 7.45 ERA in eight starts at Coors Field this season.

The Marlins broke a three-game losing streak Saturday and are 4-4 on a three-city road trip that ends Sunday. They scored at least six runs for the first time in a 10-game span, which they last accomplished June 11 in a 7-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

The Rockies had their four-game winning streak end Saturday as they dropped to 4-2 on a homestand that ends Sunday. Bryan Shaw gave up a grand slam in the seventh inning to J.T. Realmuto, a line drive that just cleared the wall in right field and put the Marlins ahead 6-1.

It was the career-high-tying eighth home run Shaw has allowed this season and the first grand slam he has yielded.

In a major-league leading 41 appearances, Shaw has a 7.57 ERA. He has been scored upon in 11 of his past 16 appearances Sylvester Williams Jersey , a stretch in which he has a 13.15 ERA in 13 innings while allowing 29 hits, including five homers.

A free agent after last season, Shaw signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Rockies, who envisioned him working in a setup role. That may be changing.

Scott Obert (back strain) and Mike Dunn (rhomboid strain) are scheduled to make rehab appearances Saturday and Monday and if all goes well, they will join the Rockies on Tuesday in San Francisco and be activated the following day. That would pave the way for Shaw to pitch earlier in the game in lower-leveraged situations.

“We might have to take a step back with Bryan going forward, if we get some of our guys back,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.

What Rick Porcello did six days ago carried over into an outstanding performance.

Porcello allowed one hit in seven innings, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi homered, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 9-2 Thursday to avoid a series sweep.

Xander Bogaerts had two RBIs for the Red Sox, who had a season-high 16 hits, and finished 6-4 on a road trip through Baltimore, Seattle and Minnesota.

”We definitely needed a win today, especially to end this long road trip after dropping the first two games to these guys,” Porcello said.

He was dominant in a game that was 2-0 through six innings.

After a first-inning single by Logan Morrison, ending a 0-for-30 stretch against Boston, Porcello (9-3) retired 19 of 20 Twins hitters, including the last 16. Throwing 97 pitches, he struck out five and walked one.

Porcello finished seven innings for the first time in 10 starts since April 29. His best previous start of the season was April 12 against the Yankees Kerry Hyder Jersey , when he allowed two hits and struck out six in seven innings.

Last Friday in Seattle, Porcello allowed four earned runs and seven hits in six innings. But his mood was much different in the final inning.

”I was just pitching a lot more relaxed, the delivery was smooth and I executed, so I tried to carry that with the tempo and everything into today,” he said.

”He was under control,” said manager Alex Cora.

Kyle Gibson (2-5) allowed seven hits and two earned runs in six innings for Minnesota, striking out five for his ninth quality start this season. He had only 10 in 2017 and eight in 2016.

Betts hit the first pitch of the fifth inning into the front row of seats in right-center for a 2-0 lead. He finished with three hits and has reached base eight times in his last three games.

”He likes to take a lot of first pitches and then once in a while ambushes, and he got him that time,” said Twins manager Paul Molitor.

The Red Sox were 5 for 14 with runners in scoring position, finishing the three-game series 7 for 36.

”It was a just couple tough days,” Betts said. ”We came out ready to swing it and we just showed what we can do.”

Bogaerts’ two-run double keyed a three-run seventh against Ryan Pressly. Benintendi hit a two-run shot in the eighth.

PREPARATION PAID OFF

With left-handed hitting Joe Mauer up, Betts, playing right field, shifted to right-center and barely had to move to catch a fly ball. Betts then waved a card telling him where to play toward the dugout.

”It was an extreme one from the analytical department,” Cora said. ”. I’m glad that it happened. They believe in what we’re doing, but sometimes they see something extremely out of the ordinary. I was the happiest guy, like `Thank God they hit it right there.”’

PORCELLO PURPOSE?

Porcello moved into a tie for the American League with his 10th hit batsman in the first, when he knocked Eduardo Escobar down with a fastball that plunked the major league leader in doubles just above his right elbow. Escobar stayed in the game for two more innings, but was removed after striking out in the third Filip Forsberg Jersey , and was diagnosed with a bruise.

In the top of the inning, J.D. Martinez had to hit the dirt to dodge a high-and-inside pitch from Gibson.

”It didn’t look particularly good to me,” said Molitor, pausing to choose his words carefully.

Said Escobar, through an interpreter: ”I respect Porcello a lot. He’s one of the best pitchers in the league. If he did it on purpose, I don’t really know what the purpose is behind it. I’ve never done anything against him. I was trying to protect myself, and we’ll just move on.”

Gibson hit Sandy Leon with a pitch in the sixth. In the game Tuesday, Red Sox starter Chris Sale hit Mauer before Jose Berrios plunked Betts and Mauer was hit again by reliever Robby Scott.

TRAINERS ROOM

Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz, out since June 5 with left biceps tendinitis, is expected to get on a mound this weekend and throw a bullpen session, according to Cora.

Twins: OF Eddie Rosario missed the game with a sore throwing shoulder. He is considered day to day. Since May 1, Rosario is hitting .364 with a league-best 68 hits in that span, including 16 doubles and 13 home runs.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Open a six-game homestand Friday with RHP Steven Wright (2-1, 1.23) scheduled to start against Seattle LHP Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 2.63).

Twins: Welcome Texas on Friday for a three-game weekend series with RHP Fernando Romero (3-2, 4.17) to face the Rangers’ LHP Mike Minor (4-4. 5.35).

—