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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 26, 2022 21:38:44 GMT -5
Red Sox
Boston Red Sox’s Rich Hill on giving up game-winning homer: ‘It keeps you up at night’Published: May. 26, 2022, 12:55 a.m. He's a competitor, so of course giving up that homerun is going to weigh on him. But he has nothing to hang his head about. It was a very solid outing.One of my life philosophies is that you have to be annoyed when you lose, at any age. The 60 year old lion doesn't shrug his shoulders when he fails to catch the wildebeest.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2022 1:40:14 GMT -5
Alex Verdugo, J.D. Martinez lead Boston Red Sox to 16-7 rout of White Sox in rubber match of series Updated: May. 27, 2022, 12:54 a.m. | Published: May. 27, 2022, 12:13 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
CHICAGO -- It was déjà vu all over again for the Red Sox on Thursday night as they bludgeoned the White Sox in a big win at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Kiké Hernández led the game off with a solo homer and Trevor Story hit a three-run blast, just like they did in Tuesday’s blowout win. This one was a little bit closer than that 13-run rout, as Boston took the rubber match of a three-game series, 16-7, from the South Siders.
Two nights after setting a season-high with 19 hits, the Red Sox tied that mark Thursday. Alex Verdugo had four while J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez had three apiece. Every Red Sox starter had at least one hit, just like on Tuesday. In total, the Red Sox scored 33 runs over three games in Chicago.
The Red Sox hit former AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel early and often in the finale, tagging him for five hits (including a Story RBI single and Alex Verdugo RBI double) en route to a 3-0 lead in the first. In the second, after Rafael Devers doubled and Martinez walked, Story barely cleared the left-field fence for his ninth homer in his last 14 games.
Red Sox starter Michael Wacha had his worst start of the season, largely due to ChiSox right fielder Andrew Vaughn. In the third, Vaughn hit a three-run double to cut Boston’s lead in half, then after another Verdugo RBI double in the fifth, made it a two-run game with a two-run homer that ended Wacha’s night. In total, Wacha allowed five runs and seven hits in just 4 ⅓ innings. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
Leading 7-5, the Red Sox tacked on two insurance runs against reliever Tanner Banks in the seventh as two Christians (Vázquez and Arroyo) had RBI singles. Verdugo’s fourth hit of the night made it 10-5 in the eighth; Vázquez followed that up with another RBI single to make it 11-5. And after Bobby Dalbec contributed with an RBI single of his own, the Sox plated two more runs on a Bennett Sousa throwing error to make it a true laugher at 14-5.
Chicago scored twice in the bottom of the inning, then Kevin Plawecki launched a two-run homer off position player Josh Harrison to make it 16-7 in the ninth. With the win, the Red Sox -- who have won 11 of 15 -- are 21-23.
Verdugo has big night
Verdugo entered amid a brutal stretch but had his best offensive game of the season, going 4-for-6 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs. It was his first four-hit game since Aug. 14 of last season.
Verdugo’s average rose from .215 to .232.
Martinez stays red hot
Martinez continued his torrid May, going 3-for-5 with three runs and a walk. He’s now hitting .380, which leads all of baseball.
Barnes can’t find zone
If there was an alarming sign for the Red Sox, it came in the bottom of the eighth when Matt Barnes issued four straight walks -- and threw just nine of his 27 pitches -- before being pulled for Hirokazu Sawamura. Barnes’ command was so poor, he even airmailed one pitch to the backstop.
Five-game series against Orioles next
The Red Sox will arrive back in Boston early Friday morning before beginning their longest series of the season -- a four-day, five-game set against the Orioles that includes a doubleheader on Saturday. Here are the pitching probables:
Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Kyle Bradish (1-3, 5.74 ERA) vs. RHP Garrett Whitlock (1-1, 3.58 ERA)
Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET (Game 1) -- TBA vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 4.10 ERA)
Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET (Game 2) -- TBA vs. RHP Josh Winckowski (MLB debut)
Sunday, 1:35 p.m. ET -- LHP Bruce Zimmerman (2-2, 3.78 ERA) vs. RH Nick Pivetta (3-4, 4.25 ERA)
Monday, 7:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Tyler Wells (1-4, 4.30 ERA) vs. LHP Rich Hill (1-2, 3.86 ERA)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2022 1:42:04 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 2h That’s four straight walks for Matt Barnes in a 14-6 game. Here comes Sawamura.
Barnes: 27 pitches. 9 strikes.
Cora says Barnes is fine. Just didn't have command.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2022 2:31:48 GMT -5
Never-ending Story: Sox 2B's hot streak becomes historic 3:12 AM ADT Joey Pollizze
Joey Pollizze @joeypollizze
CHICAGO -- Trevor Story is baseball’s hottest hitter and there seems to be no stopping him.
His all-around performance was on display once again in the Red Sox’s 16-7 win against the White Sox on Thursday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“Times like this are rare,” Story said. “[It’s] a great feeling. I’m trying to just live in the moment and have good at-bats when I can.”
Story started his night by driving in a run in the first inning on an RBI single. One inning later, he belted a three-run shot off Dallas Keuchel to give Boston a 6-0 lead. The blast was Story’s seventh homer in the past seven games and eighth over his last 10.
“Story’s just locked in,” said Alex Verdugo, who went 4-for-6 with three RBIs. “He really looks good. He’s just seeing the ball and not missing it.”
Those four RBIs by Story gave him 21 over his last seven games. It's the most by any Red Sox player over a seven-game span within a single season since 1920 -- the year RBIs first began being tracked -- and the most in MLB history since Edwin Encarnación plated 21 from Aug. 23-30 in 2015, per Elias Sports Bureau.
Story also extended his month’s total to 32 RBIs, which is tied for seventh-most all-time in May. He needs 10 RBIs over the next five days -- six games -- to break Ted Williams’ record for most RBIs in the month of May (41).
Story finished Thursday’s game going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBIs, one walk and one stolen base. The 29-year-old continues to see the ball well, batting .333 (13-for-39) over his last 10 games, with eight home runs, 22 RBIs, six walks and three stolen bases.
This was the star that the Red Sox acquired over the offseason.
“It’s cool to see,” manager Alex Cora said. “A few weeks ago, everybody was getting on him because he was struggling. This was the player that we envisioned and it’s fun to watch.”
After the slow start, the right-handed slugger has completely turned his season around. He went from getting booed for striking out four times on May 5 against the Angels to putting himself into some elite company in just three weeks.
“Controlling my zone has been huge and not missing my pitch when I get it,” Story said of his adjustment. “That’s been the key. When I get my pitch and take my swing at it, I want the at-bat to end there. I’ve done a better job at that lately.”
On May 8, Story was batting .194 with 35 strikeouts -- which was more than three times his RBI output (10) -- and zero home runs. Since then, the slugger has nine home runs, 27 RBIs and 18 strikeouts.
And it just feels like every time Story steps to the plate with runners on, he does damage.
“I’m not putting anything past that guy right now,” said Michael Wacha, who gave up seven hits and five runs over 4 1/3 innings. “It’s just fun to watch him go up there.”
The improvement of Story’s discipline at the plate has helped push Boston in the right direction. Following Thursday’s win, the Red Sox have won four straight series and 11 of their past 15 games.
“He’s doing his part right now,” Cora said. “And it seems like his feet are on the ground now and he’s able to relax.”
But he’s not the only Red Sox player seeing the ball well at the plate. J.D. Martinez has also been key in Boston’s recent winning surge and has been one of the most consistent hitters in 2022.
After going 3-for-5 on Thursday with three runs scored and one walk, the right-handed slugger upped his batting average to an MLB-best .380 and his OPS to 1.029, third highest in the Majors.
“I’ve never seen him this way,” Cora said. “Honestly, this is the best I’ve seen him.”
Those three hits, however, are nothing new for him. Martinez has notched at least one hit in 33 of the 36 games he’s played this season. He’s also been on base -- via walk or hit -- in all but one contest, on May 18 against the Astros when he went 0-for-3 with one RBI.
With that lone RBI, Martinez has contributed in every single Red Sox game he has started this season.
“He’s still working, regardless of the result,” Cora said. “Very pleased with the approach and pleased with the results.”
Both Story and Martinez continue to produce in the middle of the lineup for the Red Sox. They are hitting a combined .438 (35-for-80), over their last 10 games. That timely hitting has sparked seven of eight wins.
“When you’re hot, you’re hot,” Verdugo said.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2022 2:36:58 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 3h Matt Barnes has walked the bases loaded with a nine-run lead in the 8th.
I'm not sure what Dave Bush can say here. No question Barnes would be frustrated and continues searching for something.
Make that four walks and an eight-run game.
Matt Barnes is out. Hirokazu Sawamura is coming on.
Up to 12 walks in 15 innings this season. North of a 6.50 ERA and could still climb tonight. Difficult to watch.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2022 3:00:51 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 4h Sox coaches have been working hard with Matt Barnes, trying to get him back in form. This inning -- three walks and a wild pitch to the backstop with a 9-run lead -- is disconcerting.
A strikeout and 4 walks and Barnes is done.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2022 3:13:54 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 3h Road to 26 rolls on
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