BOSTON -- Daniel Norris and Drew Pomeranz are each in search of more efficient outings as the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox meet in the finale of their three-game series Sunday night at Fenway Park.
Norris (2-4, 4.48 ERA) needed 110 pitches to get through six innings for Detroit (29-32) in Tuesday's home loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The left-hander still managed to log a quality start, allowing three earned runs (four total) on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
"The stuff was good. The command was what caused him issues," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of Norris, who walked three in the third inning. " ... If he can control the ball, and keep the ball down, he probably pitches seven innings."
It was a similar situation for Pomeranz (6-3, 4.02 ERA) as he needed a career-high 123 pitches in gutting out a five-inning victory for Boston (34-27) against the Yankees in New York on Tuesday.
The former All-Star southpaw limited the hot-handed Yankees to two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks while also fanning seven.
"I haven't (thrown over 120 pitches) in pro ball ... but I felt good," Pomeranz said after the start. "In that situation, you don't really think about that. You're just thinking about making pitches. I still felt strong to the end."
The Red Sox took the first two games of the series with a 5-3 victory Friday and an 11-3 rout Saturday as Boston ace Chris Sale outdueled Detroit's Justin Verlander.
Norris is winless in four career appearances (three starts) against the Red Sox in his career, going 0-2 with a 6.60 ERA.
His first start of 2017 came against Boston, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts in a 6 1/3-inning no-decision April 9.
While facing the Red Sox isn't a new experience, Norris has never started at Fenway and has only one appearance at the ballpark -- striking out the only batter he faced, recently retired Boston slugger David Ortiz, on Sept. 5, 2014.
Xander Bogaerts (3-for-5), Hanley Ramirez (2-for-4, two RBIs) and Dustin Pedroia (2-for-6) are the only active Red Sox hitters with multi-hit games versus Norris.
Pomeranz is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Tigers in his career. Last season, Pomeranz went 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts against Detroit.
Overall, Pomeranz is riding a three-start winning streak, the longest of his career, while posting a 2.00 ERA with 26 strikeouts during that stretch.
At Fenway this season, he is 4-1 with a 4.11 ERA through six starts.
Mike Mahtook (3-for-5, two RBIs), Jose Iglesias (1-for-4, two RBIs) and James McCann (1-for-4, RBI) have all homered off of Pomeranz. J.D. Martinez is 3-for-4 with an RBI against him.
