Red Sox lineup: Vaughn Grissom will serve as DH; speedster at second base
BOSTON — Vaughn Grissom will serve as the DH in the Red Sox starting lineup vs. Washington on Saturday. Speedy David Hamilton is at second base.
The Red Sox and Nationals will play at 4:10 p.m. Righty Cooper Criswell (2-1, 1.74 ERA) will start opposite Washington right-hander Jake Irvin (2-3, 3.72 ERA).
Boston has lost six of its past seven games to drop to .500 (19-19).
Left-handed hitter Dominic Smith will play first base vs. the righty starter. Garrett Cooper will start the game on the bench.
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Red Sox’ Cooper Criswell keeps defense from ‘picking noses’ in 9K effort
BOSTON — Red Sox starter Cooper Criswell threw the game’s first pitch at 4:10 p.m.
By 5:15 p.m., he had a career-high nine strikeouts in five innings.
“Ever since I was little, I feel like coaches tell you the defense doesn’t just want to be standing out there picking their nose or anything,” Criswell said about his quick pace.
Criswell pitched well again and the Red Sox won 4-2 over the Nationals at Fenway Park on Saturday. Rafael Devers ripped a go-ahead two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth.
Boston won this game in just 2 hours, 13 minutes, its second fastest game time this season behind only Tanner Houck’s complete game shutout April 17 (1 hour, 49 minutes)
“Get the ball and go,” Criswell said. “Try to get the pitch call in as fast as possible. I feel like it makes the hitters a little more uncomfortable in there, not as much time to think. So I’ve always been that way for sure.”.
The 27-year-old righty has a 2.10 ERA in six outings (five starts) this season after beginning the year at Triple-A Worcester. Boston has won all five of his starts.
“It’s a cool stat but I feel like you don’t want to look too far into that,” Criswell said about his team winning all his starts so far. “Any time you get the ball, you want to give your team the best chance to win. And luckily in those five games, we’ve been able to do it.”
