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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 2:43:46 GMT -5
Cora after latest Fenway loss: ‘Disappointing’ 2:05 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- The Red Sox on Tuesday night were one out away from being shut out in consecutive games at home for the first time since Aug. 27-28, 2002.
While an RBI single by Alex Verdugo that ticked off the glove of Joey Votto spared them that indignity, it didn’t change the momentum of what has been a frustrating homestand and a disappointing start to the season at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox fell, 2-1, to the 17-31 Reds just a day after they were stymied, 10-0, by the 21-30 Orioles.
Through the first two calendar months of the season, Boston is 12-14 at home and 11-13 on the road.
Considering that Boston had come home with some momentum after reeling off its fourth consecutive series victory in Chicago against the White Sox, these last few days have been tough to stomach for a 23-27 club that has high aspirations this season.
With this being a seven-game homestand against two last-place teams, the Red Sox hoped to inch closer to .500, not to mention the clubs they are chasing for the American League Wild Card spots.
The best that manager Alex Cora’s team can do is a 3-4 homestand with a win in the finale against the Reds on Wednesday night.
“Disappointing,” said Cora. “We still have one more game, but we have to be better at home. For us to make it to where we want to go, we have to be better here. That’s the bottom line. Teams that make it to October, they dominate at home and quote-unquote survive on the road. But at home, you have to be better. We haven’t done a good job.”
If you’re looking for a sign that this can turn around, look no further than 2021, when the Sox started 13-13 at home.
The difference, of course, was that Fenway was at 25 percent capacity through that time period last season due to COVID restrictions and once the place got packed again, the team started to take off at home, ultimately finishing 49-32.
“You can control the way you play and dominate,” said Cora. “It’s a mindset. You have to get these people going, because when it’s loud, the [opposition feels] the pressure. But if we don’t do our jobs here, we don’t get leads or we’re not doing what we usually do here, it’s very quiet. It’s a very uncomfortable place to play here at Fenway as an opponent when this place is loud.”
On the previous homestand, the Sox brought the noise with their bats and it carried over to the crowd, as the club went 6-1.
That has made this step back the last few days more frustrating for the Sox.
Boston had mustered just one hit going into the ninth inning on Tuesday and finished with four hits for the second straight game.
“It’s not many games you’re going to win if you have one hit going into the ninth. It’s just the way it is,” said Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Despite that futility, the Red Sox were in the game all night, and both runs they gave up were unearned. This, due to costly throwing miscues by Rafael Devers in the sixth and Bogaerts in the ninth.
“That was bad. That was a bad one,” said Bogaerts. “That was probably one of my worst games I’ve had. Especially that ninth inning, I’ve got to make a better throw than that. It was bad timing for me to make a mistake like that.”
Devers nearly avenged his error with a rocket double off the Monster in the bottom of the ninth that set up runners at second and third with nobody out.
After J.D. Martinez struck out for the first out, Bogaerts had a chance to redeem himself like Devers, but he hit a harmless flyout to center field against Reds reliever Tony Santillan.
“When you miss your pitches in this league, it’s not right,” said Bogaerts. “That last at-bat, you could say they were all good pitches to hit. It’s just a bad night to be off.”
Unfortunately, off-nights have been too frequent for the Red Sox at home. They know that it must change in short order. Otherwise, Fenway Park could be silent in October.
“We need to play better baseball here,” said Devers. “We need to improve that. That’s a must.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 2:46:04 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h CIN 2 BOS 1 Final
Red Sox are 23-27.
Boston will finish this homestand against the Orioles and Reds no better than 3-4.
That's poor.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 2:56:05 GMT -5
Slumping, sloppy Red Sox can’t complete ninth-inning comeback in loss to lowly Reds By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 31, 2022, 10:17 p.m.
The Cincinnati Reds had not won a game at Fenway Park since Game 7 of the 1975 World Series.
On that October night, it took the efforts of Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez to defeat the valiant Red Sox and finish what is still regarded one of the greatest Fall Classics, if not the very best.
No odes will be written to Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory by the Reds before a crowd of 28,577 at Fenway.
The Red Sox continued to slide, losing for the third time in four games and managing only four hits.
They also struck out a season-high 15 times and committed throwing errors that led to both of Cincinnati’s runs.
This against a rebuilding Reds team that started the night tied for the worst record in the game at 16-31.
In a homestand that looked every bit an opportunity to finally get over .500, the Sox are instead 2-4 against the Orioles and Reds and have fallen to 23-27. They play the Reds again Wednesday then start a 10-game West Coast trip on Friday.
“This is a bad time for playing like this,” shortstop Xander Bogaerts said.
It bothers Alex Cora that his team is 10-12 at home.
“For us to make it where we want to go, we have to be better here. That’s the bottom line,” he said. “Teams that make it to October, they dominate at home.”
From the dugout, Cora notices how quiet Fenway has been much of the season.
“It’s a mindset. We’ve got to get these people going,” he said.
The crowd didn’t come to life until the ninth inning. The Sox had one hit to that point and had gone 17 consecutive innings without scoring.
Facing Reds closer Tony Santillan, Kiké Hernández grounded a leadoff single into center field. Rafael Devers followed with a double to left.
J.D. Martinez struck out looking for the first out. Bogaerts popped to shallow center field. Alex Verdugo’s infield single scored Hernández and moved Devers to third.
Trevor Story, who drove in 32 runs in May, could not produce another one as he struck out on three pitches, the last one swinging through a fastball.
It was Santillan’s fourth save.
The first five innings took a tidy 73 minutes as the starting pitchers dominated.
Luis Castillo, facing the Sox for the first time in his career, used a fastball/changeup combination to retire 15 of the first 17 he faced, nine by strikeout.
The exceptions were a single by Devers in the first inning and the walk Martinez drew in fourth. Martinez moved up on a passed ball but was stranded as Bogaerts and Verdugo grounded out.
Castillo induced 19 swing and misses in five innings. Then he lost the plate in the sixth, walking Jackie Bradley Jr. and Hernández on eight pitches.
Devers got ahead 3 and 1 then grounded into a double play. Martinez struck out swinging at a slider to end what initially was a promising inning.
Castillo was done after six innings and 100 pitches. He allowed one hit, struck out 10, and walked three. The 29-year-old righthander topped out at six strikeouts in his four previous starts this season.
Michael Wacha retired the first 12 Reds in order on 46 pitches with only one ball clearing the infield. His dalliance with perfection ended when Joey Votto lined a curveball to the gap in right to open the fifth inning.
The ball struck the top of the short fence in front of the Red Sox bullpen, just missing a home run. Votto settled for a double, his first career extra-base hit at Fenway.
Wacha retired the next three hitters on six pitches to quickly end the threat.
Albert Almora Jr. led off the sixth with a single to left field. He advanced to third when Matt Reynolds singled down the right-field line.
Wacha nearly worked out of this jam, too. Aristides Aquino grounded to third and Devers fired to the plate to catch Almora in a rundown.
With two outs, Nick Senzel grounded to third for what should have been the final out. But Devers threw wide and Reynolds scored.
The Reds scored their second run on a similar play in the ninth inning as Bogaerts nearly had the third out but his throw got past Franchy Cordero.
Both Devers and Bogaerts acknowledged their mistakes.
“Probably one of the worst games I’ve had,” Bogaerts said.
But Cordero, who has started 24 games at first base in the majors, doesn’t yet have the footwork down to get off the bag to block bad throws and save runs.
He’s in the lineup for offensive purposes, a mismatched part on a team that still hasn’t fit together yet.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 2:59:11 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK As Matt Barnes’s performance craters, can the Red Sox do anything with their former closer? By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 31, 2022, 8:08 p.m.
Matt Barnes has an ugly 7.94 earned run average and a 1.71 WHIP over 20 appearances and 17 innings this season. He also is averaging 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings, a dramatic plunge from the 13.3 he averaged from 2017-21.⅔
Among pitchers with at least 17 innings, Barnes has the fourth-highest ERA in the majors.
What can be done?
The short answer is not much. Demoting Barnes to the minor leagues would require the righthander’s consent, something that’s unlikely.
Releasing him with $15.86 million remaining on his contract is equally unlikely, as is a trade unless the Sox find a team with a bad contract in the same range it wants to swap.
For now the Sox have tried using Barnes in low-leverage situations to rebuild both his fastball and confidence. He entered Monday night’s game against the Orioles in the top of the ninth inning with the Sox trailing 7-0.
Barnes got an out on a deep fly ball. Two singles and a three-run homer by Ryan Mountcastle followed.
Barnes faced six hitters. Five put the ball in play and all at an exit velocity of at least 95.9 miles per hour.
“I’ve got to give him credit. He’s still competing,” manager Alex Cora said Tuesday before a 2-1 loss against the Cincinnati Reds. Related: Slumping, sloppy Red Sox can’t complete ninth-inning comeback in loss to lowly Reds
“Stuff-wise, velocity is there. The breaking ball wasn’t great [Monday]. It’s kind of like one step forward, one step back.
“It’s hard [to keep using him] at this level, but we have to. We have to keep pitching him and hopefully at one point the work he’s put in before games and after games and watching video and talking to [the pitching coaches] and everybody that’s involved it clicks.
“It’s a guy we’re not going to give up. We have to keep working with him. Obviously he’s been punched in the stomach a few times.”
Cora was being charitable about the velocity. Barnes topped out at 95.8 m.p.h on Monday but has averaged 94.5 this season.
“I’m doing everything I can,” Barnes said. “I’m confident I can get it back. It’s frustrating, of course.” Sale making progress
Chris Sale is not close to pitching for the Sox. But he’s at least a speck on the horizon, which is an improvement.
Sale threw a bullpen session in Fort Myers, Fla., on Monday and felt “really good” according to Cora.
He’s scheduled to throw again on Thursday and again next Monday.
The plan would be for Sale to then face hitters in batting practice, then pitch in a simulated game or two before starting a minor league rehabilitation assignment.
“Excited. A lot different than a month ago with his situation and being able to get on the mound,” Cora said.
Rehab coordinator Walter Miranda told Cora that Sale looked comfortable on the mound.
“A lot better. He’s in a better spot heath-wise and obviously as a baseball player,” Cora said. “Hopefully from now on there’s no obstacles and we can get him here sooner rather than later.”
Sale fractured a rib during a throwing session during the lockout. His return was then slowed by a non-baseball medical issue the Sox have provided little detail on other than to say it was not related to COVID-19.
Sale has missed approximately 45 starts over the last three seasons, most while recovering from Tommy John surgery in March of 2020.
Rare meeting
There were dozens of Reds fans lined up to take the Fenway Park tour on Tuesday afternoon. This series is only the third time Cincinnati has visited Fenway since interleague play started in 1997.
The Reds were 0-3 in 2005 and 0-2 in 2014.
Because the teams play so infrequently, pre-series preparation was a bit different.
“A lot of video and making phone calls,” Cora said. “There’s a few pitchers that you know and a few hitters but at the end you dig in a little bit more. You rely on what you see on the video, you don’t rely on experience.”
The Sox play two games at Cincinnati Sept. 20-21. It will be their first trip there since 2017. Strahm still out
Lefthanded reliever Matt Strahm, who went on the COVID-19 injured list on Monday, will be back on the roster Wednesday, Cora said. He was cleared during the game. Strahm was in the clubhouse beforehand wearing white Celtics game shorts and a white Jayson Tatum jersey … The Reds had Tommy Pham in left field in their original lineup. He was scratched roughly two hours before first pitch with tightness in his left calf. The Reds slapped together a new lineup that had Albert Almora in left. Right fielder Tyler Naquin left the game after the fourth inning with a left quad strain. Aristides Aquino replaced him … The Sox will get their first look at Hunter Greene on Wednesday. The 22-year-old righthander was the second pick of the 2017 draft. Greene has averaged 98.5 m.p.h with his fastball but is 2-6 with a 5.89 ERA in nine starts, having allowed 15 home runs.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 3:06:59 GMT -5
Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts hurt Boston Red Sox with costly throwing errors: ‘It’s just a bad time to make a mistake like that’ Updated: Jun. 01, 2022, 3:08 a.m. | Published: Jun. 01, 2022, 3:05 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- All season, Red Sox manager Alex Cora has praised his two star infielders, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, for their defense. Quietly, they have worked hard -- and shown improvement. But on Tuesday night, errors by both left-siders were the story in a 2-1 loss to the Reds.
Devers’ miscue came first. In a scoreless game in the sixth inning, the Reds had two men on with two outs when Nick Senzel hit a grounder to third base. Devers charged it, then threw the ball wide of first baseman Franchy Cordero. The throw skipped into the camera well on the first-base line and Matt Reynolds scored Cincinnati’s first run of the game. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
“He threw off balance and he threw it away,” said manager Alex Cora. “He probably had more time than he thought he had.
“He rushed himself and he knows it... He had plenty of time to set his feet and throw it,” Cora added.
Three innings later, with Boston’s offense sputtering in a one-run game, it was Bogaerts’ turn to make a mistake. Cincinnati had a man on second when Reynolds hit a deep grounder to Bogaerts, who made an excellent diving stop then threw to first. Reynolds would have been safe anyway, but the throw bounded past Cordero and allowed Alejo Lopez to score from second base. Cincinnati would go on to win, 2-1, after Boston’s ninth-inning rally fell short.
Bogaerts’ sixth error of the season ended up being the difference in the game. Cora called it an “outstanding play” and didn’t fault Cordero, who is still learning the position, but the hop was a long one and probably should have been corralled by the big first baseman.
“That’s a bad one. It’s probably one of my worst games I’ve had...,” Bogaerts said. “I’ve got to make a better throw than that. Franchy is learning the position, he has been incredible over there and I’ve just been bouncing balls to him lately. I can’t expect him to pick everyone. He has been doing a great job. It’s just a bad time for me to make a mistake like that.”
The defensive numbers of both Bogaerts and Devers came under scrutiny this winter, when the Red Sox considered adding a top infielder (and eventually signed Trevor Story to play second base). Both infielders have worked hard to improve their glove work and have participated in hours of drills to improve their first steps, footwork and positioning since the beginning of spring training. Cora has been pleased with both players and the numbers show that Devers has made improvements. After ranking last among qualified third basemen in defensive runs saved a year ago with -13 (according to Fangraphs), he has posted a -1 DRS through about a third of the season. Bogaerts was at -5 last year and is at -3 so far in 2022.
Devers led all big league third baseman with 22 errors last year but started the season with just two miscues in his first 41 games. But as has often happened in the past, they have come in bunches lately, as Devers has four errors in his last eight games. None have proved costlier than Tuesday’s.
“He’s just playing a really good third base this year, man,” Bogaerts said. I” know lately he might have made a couple errors here and there. But if you look at the whole thing, he’s been really solid over there. A lot of improvements.”
Devers, now in his sixth big league season, is notorious for, at times, letting defensive struggles get to his head. He has improved in that aspect and has clearly not any defensive issues impact him at the plate. In 28 May games, he hit .381 with eight homers, 17 RBIs and 1.133 OPS. He doesn’t plan to change his aggressive strategy on the other side of the ball.
“Those are moments that happen to anyone in the game,” Devers said through interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez. “We just have to stay positive and focus on the game tomorrow. Anyone can go through moments like this.
“Nothing’s going to change. I’m still going to play baseball aggressively,” he added. “Errors are going to happen. The only way they don’t happen is if you don’t play.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 3:30:41 GMT -5
Reds @ Red Sox Wednesday, 1rst June 2022 7pm @ Fenway
Greene 2-6/5.89
Whitlock 1-1/3.49
Cincinnati Reds vs. Boston Red Sox Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Eric P.
The Boston Red Sox play host to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night from Fenway Park in the second game of their mid-week series. With the Reds in the National League and the Red Sox in the American League, these two teams don't see much of each other and this series marks their first set of games against each other since 2017 and the first games in Fenway Park between the two since 2014. Over the course of the last few decades of baseball, Boston has dominated the series but considering their places at the bottom of their respective divisional standings, this one could be closer than expected. The Red Sox will be favored but with the Reds having nothing to lose, they won't back down in this one.
Reds Aim To Spring Upset It doesn't come as a shock to many to see how far Cincinnati has stumbled in recent years and what was once a contender in the NL Central, now finds itself sitting in the basement of baseball. Beyond being last in the division, they have the fewest wins in not only the Nationally League but tied for the fewest in all of baseball as well. They've been better of late though, having gone 5-5 in their last ten games heading into Tuesday but their poor form away from home continues to be a massive concern. They have a 7-19 record away from home and considering how hard Fenway Park can be for even the most talented opponents, the Reds could see the bats continue to struggle in this one. With a series looming against the Nationals over the weekend and then against Arizona next week, building any confidence and momentum out of this series against Boston could go a long way to potentially turning things around.
When looking at the most recent injury report, it doesn't necessarily come as a surprise to see the Reds limping along. From a position player standpoint, their middle infield has been destroyed, with Jonathan India (hamstring) being the most notable absence. Adding that to the continued suspension of Tommy Pham means two major bats won't be in the lineup on Wednesday night. The Reds are also without four starters and three relievers, adding to questions about their depth.
The Reds will look to Hunter Greene to set the tone early on Wednesday night as the righty is slated to get the ball. The hard-throwing youngster started the season looking strong but has fallen off of late, especially after allowing five runs in his last start. The strikeouts are always going to come for him but navigating this Boston lineup could be a challenge. One positive he has working his way of late though is his ability to eat up innings could be beneficial to keep the bullpen off the field.
The Reds have struggled for much of the season on both ends but the offensive side of things has at least shown some signs of life. They rank 15th in the league in runs scored per nine innings, despite, ranking in the bottom five of baseball in average, OPS, and strikeouts. Kyle Farmer (.261 average) leads the way to pace the lineup, while Brandon Drury (8 HRs, 26 RBI) will be relied upon in the middle of the lineup to drive home some runs. Over the last week, Tyler Stephenson (.368 average) and Albert Almora Jr. (.438) have led the way and if they can stay hot, the Reds will have a chance to do some damage.
Red Sox Looking Up In AL East The Red Sox have been a mainstay in the playoffs over the last decade, for the most part, but this season has started in an uncommon way. At one point, Boston found itself in last place in the AL East. While the wins have come more of late, they still only remain a few games ahead of the surging Orioles at the bottom of the division and continue to look up at their rival sitting atop the divisional throne. They've gone 6-4 over their last ten games but slow starts have continued to cause them to make life difficult for themselves and that has been the case regardless of the opponent. The most surprising thing has been their form at Fenway Park. Typically a place where they dominate opponents, they have a losing record in 2022 and will need to turn that around if they want to see the season turn around as well.
The Red Sox have also seen their injury report grow of late unfortunately as well. While the position players remain healthy, the continued injuries to pitchers is becoming a growing concern. Boston continues to be without two starters but with an additional three relievers out as well, the depth is being tested.
The Red Sox will be leaning heavily on Garrett Whitlock to help them snap out of their losing skid on Wednesday night, as the righty aims to keep the Reds at bay. Whitelock comes into this one with a 1-1 record and 3.49 ERA, struggling to grab results typically. Whitlock was nearly unhittable out of the bullpen to open the season but since getting moved to the rotation, it has been a slightly different story. He's only two starts removed from allowed five runs in three innings to the Mariners, while also allowing two runs in his last start against the Orioles. While the Reds are liekly to be the easiest lineup he faces this season, he will need to finish the deal.
It helps that Boston continues to have one of the deepest lineups in baseball, even if it didn't appear that way on Tuesday. They rank in the top ten of baseball in runs scored per nine innings and fewest strikeouts, while ranking in the top five of batting average and OPS. The power numbers have dropped off but the depth has seemed to only improve. JD Martinez (.363 average, .425 OBP) continues to be elite at the plate, while the balance has been key. Rafael Devers (11 HRs) and Trevor Story (37 RBI) have been key in the middle of the lineup. Adding in that the team has been hitting .328 over the last week, they should certainly improve on their single run scored on Tuesday night.
Reds at Red Sox Wednesday, at 7:10 PM EST Rainy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 57° F with a 36% chance of rain and 7 MPH wind blowing out in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 6:17:37 GMT -5
Red Sox (12-14 at Fenway) need to be better at home, Alex Cora says: ‘It’s a very comfortable place to come and play’ if Boston is losing Published: Jun. 01, 2022, 6:20 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Presented with a golden opportunity to stay rolling and gain ground in the playoff race in the last five days, the Red Sox have done nothing of the sort. Facing two of the worst teams in baseball in the Orioles and Reds would seem to be just what the doctor ordered for a surging group, but Boston is just 2-4 to start its homestand with one game remaining against Cincinnati on Wednesday night.
In the mind of manager Alex Cora, the last week has represented the latest example of an issue that has plagued the Red Sox all season: a failure to play well at home at Fenway Park. Through 26 of their 81 home games, the Red Sox are 12-14; they have won just two of their first eight series there. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
“We’ve got to be better at home,” Cora said after Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Reds. “For us to make it to where we want to go, we have to be better here. That’s the bottom line. Teams that make it to October, they dominate at home and quote-unquote ‘survive’ on the road. At home, you’ve got to be better and we haven’t done a good job. We have to be better in the division. We know that. We haven’t done that. We’re not playing bad, but we have to pick it up. We gained some ground on the road there for a little bit and we lost some ground this weekend, this homestand.”
The Red Sox are now 23-27 and -- to use Cora’s term -- they have survived on the road to the tune of a fine, but not great, 11-3 road mark. The home struggles are nothing new for a Cora-led bunch, either. In 2019, the Red Sox went 38-43 at Fenway. Last year, they hovered around .500 at home for 2+ months (they were 20-17 in their first 37 games) before dominating there in the second half and finishing with a 49-32 Fenway record.
Cora hopes a similar turnaround is possible and believes getting the Fenway Park crowd into games is essential to the team’s success.
“You can control the way you play and dominate. It’s a mindset,” he said. “You’ve got to get these people going. When it’s loud, they feel the pressure, but if we don’t do our job here, we don’t get leads or do what we usually should do here, it’s very quiet. It’s a very comfortable place to come and play at Fenway as the opposition. When this place is loud and it’s Fenway, it’s tough to play here.”
Fenway has not been full much this season. The Red Sox had sizable crowds during their first homestand and at times in May but have averaged 28,959 fans through six games on this homestand. A night game on Memorial Day drew just 24,809 (a season-low) and only 28,577 were on hand despite the nice weather for Tuesday’s opener against the Reds.
Baltimore entered the series against the Red Sox with an 18-27 record and the Reds were 16-31, so the fact Boston won’t even be able to break .500 on the homestand is a disappointment.
“We don’t underestimate anyone. Everyone is a major league team,” said shortstop Xander Bogaerts. “They both have been playing better lately, also. But listen, man, you’re at home and obviously, you want to play good in front of the crowd.
“Other teams get excited to come here also,” he continued. “The Green Monster’s right there and they get excited.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 10:06:15 GMT -5
Things are not trending well for the Red Sox Current Time 0:02 / Duration 0:53
By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 2 hours ago
They were supposed to have figured this out by the time June arrived. Oh, well.
On the night the month of May was put in the rearview mirror, the Red Sox lost to the worst team in Major League Baseball, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Reds Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
Alex Cora's club has now lost four of its last six, a stretch against Cincinnati and the Orioles that was supposed to catapult this team into a different sort of conversation. Well, instead the Sox are sitting four games under .500, four games out of a Wild Card spot.
A week ago, it sure seemed like the Red Sox were on the verge of figuring things out. They still haven't.
“You can control the way you play and dominate. It’s a mindset," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora after the latest loss at Fenway. "You have to get these people going because when it’s loud, they feel the pressure. But if we don’t do our jobs here, we don’t get leads or we’re not doing what we usually do here, it’s very quiet. It’s a very comfortable place to play here at Fenway as an opponent ... but when this place is loud, it’s Fenway, it’s tough to play here."
Evidently, even for the likes of the Reds and Orioles, not tough enough.
The offense the Red Sox thought they had unleashed has disappeared once again, scoring one run over the past two games. The ultimate reminder of that reality was in the ninth inning Tuesday night after they put runners on second and third with nobody out.
J.D. Martinez strikeout. Xander Bogaerts pop-up. Trevor Story strikeout. Game over.
"We had a chance at the end, second and third, no outs and we only scored one. I don’t think we’re chasing pitches or whatever. I think today (the pitching) was outstanding and yesterday the guy just pounded the zone," Cora reflected, referencing Cincy starter Luis Castillo. "We didn’t do too much with him. I still feel like we’re taking good swings, we’re still staying in the zone. We had 3-2 counts a lot today and all that, but obviously that’s not how you square the game. You have to score runs to win. The last few days, we haven’t been doing that."
"I’m not cashing in on RBI opportunities so that doesn’t help, either," Bogaerts said. "Listen, man, I don’t feel like I’m doing too much. I don’t think the other guys are trying to be the hero or anything like that. Sometimes when you’re not swinging the bat well, that’s when those opportunities come at you the most and it sucks. Whenever you have an opportunity like that, everyone goes into the at-bat trying to look for a good pitch and get the job done and get a ball you can drive to the outfield. When you miss your pitches in this league, it’s not right. It’s definitely not the best thing to do and the best approach to have is missing your pitch. That last at-bat, I got … you can call of them good pitches to hit. It’s just a bad night to be off." Xander Bogaerts is clearly frustrated
There is also the defense which has taken a turn for the worse, particularly in the case of Rafael Devers. The Sox' third baseman made his fourth error in his last eight games, tossing an errant throw to first baseman Franchy Cordero in the sixth inning, leading to the Reds' first run.
Cordero - who is clearly a work in progress at his new position over at first - also had a hard time coming up with Bogaerts' one-hopper in the ninth. It was a play that led to the eventual game-winning run, and one the shortstop took full responsibility for.
"That was bad. That was a bad one. That was probably one of my worst games I’ve had," Bogaerts said. "Especially that ninth inning. Got to make a better throw than that. Got to make a better throw than that. Franchy is learning the position. He’s been incredible over there. I’ve just been bouncing balls to him lately. I can’t expect him to pick every one. He’s been doing a great job. It was bad timing for me to make a mistake like that."
Then there is the bullpen.
By the time the Red Sox got to this point in the season, the hope was that there would be some definition when it came to high-leverage roles. Once again, nope. There are pieces of the puzzle, but the reality is that Cora has been left to lean on the unproven - albeit intriguing - arms of Tyler Danish, John Schreiber and Matt Strahm.
Chaim Bloom decided to not pay for certainty when it came to building this bullpen, and two months in it has clearly been a misread.
We can talk about it being a long season, but now June has arrived some very real crossroads are looming. The Red Sox know they have holes, but will Bloom deem the team's potential worthy enough to invest in the here and now. And if he doesn't, then what does that mean for the big-ticket items whose contracts are expiring?
This we know: Summer certainly isn't starting like the Red Sox planned.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 13:14:49 GMT -5
Tony Massarotti @tonymassarotti · 25m Red Sox now 8-15 in games decided by 1 or 2 runs, a .348 winning percentage that ranks 28th among the 30 teams in baseball. Only Florida and Cincinnati (who beat the Red Sox last night) have been worse.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 13:20:27 GMT -5
Game 51: Reds at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated June 1, 2022, 2 hours ago The Red Sox bats again were quiet in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Reds. That came after the Sox were shut out, 10-0, on Monday night against the Orioles. After winning six in a row, the Sox have gone 3-5, including 2-4 at Fenway against two of the worst teams in MLB. The Sox will conclude their two-game series with the Reds, who are 14 games below .500 and in last place in the NL Central, Wednesday night. Garrett Whitlock will be on the mound. Here’s a preview Lineups REDS (17-31): 1. Nick Senzel (R) CF 2. Brandon Drury (R) 3B 3. Tommy Pham (R) LF 4. Joey Votto (L) 1B 5. Tyler Stephenson (R) C 6. Kyle Farmer (R) SS 7. Mike Moustakas (L) DH 8. Albert Almora Jr. (R) RF 9. Matt Reynolds (R) 2B Pitching: RHP Hunter Greene (2-6, 5.89 ERA) RED SOX (23-27): 1. Franchy Cordero (L) RF 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 6. Trevor Story (R) 2B 7. Christian Vazquez (R) C 8. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF 9. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B Pitching: RHP Garrett Whitlock (1-1, 3.49 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Reds vs. Whitlock: Aramis Garcia 1-1 Red Sox vs. Greene: Has not faced any Boston batters Stat of the day: Rafael Devers leads MLB in hits (72), hard hit balls (95-plus m.p.h., 91), extra-base hits (32), and total bases (127). Notes: The Red Sox have lost each of their last two series-opening games after winning five consecutive series openers. … Kiké Hernández has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games and reached base safely in 18 of his last 19. … After starting the season as a reliever, Whitlock is making his eighth consecutive start. He has allowed more than three runs just once in a start. … Greene is looking for consecutive wins after striking out six and allowing five runs on seven hits over five innings in his last outing, a 20-5 win over Song of the Day: Big Sugar- Digging a Holewww.youtube.com/watch?v=_U6aNnMqmgc
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Post by Kimmi on Jun 1, 2022 14:53:36 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h CIN 2 BOS 1 Final
Red Sox are 23-27.
Boston will finish this homestand against the Orioles and Reds no better than 3-4.
That's poor. This team. {Sigh}
That said, our Pythagorean W-L says we should be 27-23. We have the 2nd best run differential in the division. Not by much, but still. We should be right there with Toronto and TB.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2022 18:21:16 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1h #RedSox activate Matt Strahm and in a stunning turn of events, place Matt Barnes on the IL with "right shoulder inflammation."
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 1, 2022 20:15:57 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h CIN 2 BOS 1 Final
Red Sox are 23-27.
Boston will finish this homestand against the Orioles and Reds no better than 3-4.
That's poor. This team. {Sigh}
That said, our Pythagorean W-L says we should be 27-23. We have the 2nd best run differential in the division. Not by much, but still. We should be right there with Toronto and TB.If the RS scored exactly 4.5 RPG, we would be 30-20. This isn't very scientific, but my experience is that the teams that should be better, generally get better.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 1, 2022 20:57:27 GMT -5
Very interesting game. Whitlock, with a 0/0 K/W, allows -0- runs. Greene, with an 8/0, surrenders 4. Greene looks unhittable at times. Off-topic, but he reminds me of Rocker.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 2, 2022 1:44:14 GMT -5
Red Sox 7, Reds 1: Back in the win column
The arms, bats, and defense can head out west on a positive note. By Bob Osgood Jun 1, 2022, 10:37pm EDT 9 Comments
Garrett Whitlock made his eighth start of the season for the Red Sox, entering the game at 1-1 with a 3.49 ERA. The Sox got their first look at right-handed rookie flamethrower Hunter Greene, who entered the night with a 2-6 record, 5.89 ERA, and a National League-leading 15 home runs allowed.
The first three innings saw both young pitchers at their best, each throwing up efficient zeroes. Whitlock faced the minimum through three innings, allowing a one-out single in both the first and second innings and then erasing them both with an inning-ending double play. He threw seven, nine, and nine pitches, respectively, in the three innings. On the other side, Greene was dominant with the whiffs the first time through the order. He struck out the side in the first and set down six of the first nine outs via the strikeout. The only baserunner through three was from a Trevor Story double in the second inning.
In the top of the fourth, Whitlock allowed a one-out single to Brandon Drury. After improbably missing out on two home runs Tuesday night, each by an inch, Joey Votto’s bad luck continued by ending the inning on a line out that had a .690 expected batting average.
The second time through the order had been the downfall of Hunter Greene all season long, and tonight was no different. Greene’s slash line allowed the first time had been .188/.309/.391, followed by .282/.358/.592. In the bottom of the fourth, Rafael Devers led off the inning with a double off the Monster, followed by a J.D. Martinez single into center field. Bogaerts laid off a tough 1-2 slider, and then singled the next pitch into left field, driving in Devers for a 1-0 lead. Alex Verdugo followed with the biggest hit of the night, which happened to be the only changeup that Greene threw on the night, a 106.8 mph exit velocity two-run double that one-hopped the right-field wall. Martinez and Bogaerts both scored to open up a 3-0 lead, with still nobody out in the inning. After a Trevor Story K, and a Vazquez ground out, Jackie Bradley rifled a single into center field to score Verdugo and open up a 4-0 lead.
Greene’s night finished allowing six hits and four runs on 3 2⁄3 innings while striking out eight, a microcosm of his season thus far. Despite averaging 99.5 mph with his fastball (topping out at 101.4), Greene only gained four whiffs on 19 swings with his fastball (21%) compared to 11 whiffs out of 20 swings on the slider (55%).
In the fifth inning, Whitlock allowed a one-out single, followed by a double play for the third time in the game. On this occasion, Mike Moustakas grounded into a 5-6-3 twin killing. Luis Cessa, who had retired the final out of the fourth, retired the Sox in order in the bottom of the inning.
The Reds scrapped together their only run of the night in the sixth. Aristides Aquino led off with a single and soon found himself at third after an errant throw by Christian Vázquez on Aquino’s stolen base attempt. Nick Senzel knocked in the run on a ground out, an unearned run against Whitlock. Incredibly, all three runs that the Reds scored in the entire series were unearned, occurring on each of the three errors that the Red Sox made in the series. Whitlock’s night ended after six innings, throwing 50 of his 70 pitches for strikes. He allowed five hits, one run, none earned, and did not record a walk nor a strikeout. His ERA now stands at 3.02 and WHIP at 1.10. One thing to monitor is that Whitlock’s velocity was down a bit, averaging 93.6 mph on the fastball/sinker, after averaging 95.4 mph both in his last start and on the season.
Boston had a chance to extend the lead in the sixth off new reliever Vladimir Gutierrez, getting two on with nobody out, from a Bogaerts walk and another Verdugo double inside the left-field foul line. However, after Story and Vazquez grounded out, the latter cutting down Bogaerts at the plate on a “contact play”, the Reds summoned Ross Detwiler from the bullpen who retired Bradley on one pitch to ground out and end the inning.
Tanner Houck entered in the seventh and was dominant over two innings. He only allowed one hit, struck out a batter, and forced Moustakas to swing at a sweeping slider that hit the batter in the leg. Only throwing 25 pitches, the Sox were able to remove Houck thanks to their efforts in the bottom of the eighth inning. Relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman walked the bases loaded, one intentionally, before Jackie Bradley iced the game with a three-run triple to left-center field. Nick Senzel laid out but could not make the play and Bradley dove head-first into third, much to the excitement of Dennis Eckersley, and the score was 7-1.
John Schreiber threw a shutout inning in the ninth, despite allowing a lead-off single, and the game ended with an outstanding sliding stop in short right field by Story, who threw from his knees to retire Votto at first. The Red Sox will now head out to the west coast for ten games in ten days against AL West foes, starting with three in Oakland, followed by four in Los Angeles, and finishing up with three in Seattle.
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