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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 2:30:12 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox’s Alex Verdugo calls himself ‘first-to-home guy’ after scoring lone run again Updated: Jun. 09, 2022, 3:24 a.m. | Published: Jun. 09, 2022, 3:13 a.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Alex Verdugo sprinted from first base to home on Bobby Dalbec’s double in the sixth inning for the Red Sox’s lone run in a 1-0 victory over the Angels on Wednesday here at Angel Stadium.
It marked the second time this series Verdugo has scored from first base on a hit. Both times he did in 1-0 victories.
“I think at this point it’s becoming a little bit of a joke in the clubhouse,” Verdugo said. “I’m the first-to-home guy, you know. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. Big speed guy.”
Verdugo also scored from first on Christian Vázquez’s RBI single here Monday. Verdugo was off on a 3-2 pitch to Vázquez with two outs.
Verdugo said he’s focused on getting a strong secondary lead as the pitcher throws to home.
“Just being in a good position to run,” Verdugo said. “And as I’m running, it’s just taking nothing for granted. Trying to be as direct and cut my routes as best I can. Making it just as short of a run as I possibly can. Obviously just run hard and see (third base coach) Carlos (Febles) down there at third and just give him the best opportunity to send me.”
Verdugo walked with two outs before Dalbec delivered his clutch RBI double.
“That (scoring from first) was good but the at-bat was better,” manager Alex Cora said. “To walk in that situation was huge. He fouled off a breaking ball. He was out in front and fouled it off. A fastball in, he put a good swing on it. Took the walk. And then Bobby stayed with a pitch, goes the other way and he (Verdugo) scored from first. We’ve been doing that a lot. We’ve been doing a good job with our primary leads, secondary leads. And running until Carlos tells you. And that was great base running.”
Verdugo laughed when he was told Cora liked his walk more than his first-to-home sprint.
“Yeah, that was my only good at-bat of the day,” Verdugo said. “Outside of that, I was just swinging too long, trying to do too much. Finally that at-bat I was like, ‘Let’s see the ball. Let’s be short. Let’s fight this guy.’ I saw him I think the night before. So I had a good understanding of what his stuff does. So it was finally buckle down and just have a good at-bat. See good pitches, give myself a chance.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 3:05:20 GMT -5
Eovaldi's toughness on display as Red Sox stay hot 3:57 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
ANAHEIM -- Nathan Eovaldi, the ultimate flamethrower, didn’t bring the heat with him to Angel Stadium on Wednesday night.
Yet he pitched five scoreless innings anyway, and the Red Sox stifled the reeling Angels (14 straight losses) by a score of 1-0 for the second time in three nights.
Unlike the Angels, nearly everything is going right for a Boston team that has won seven in a row, 16 out of 21 and 20 out of 28.
If you thought it was concerning that Eovaldi’s fastball averaged 94 mph, well below his season average of 96.7 mph and the lowest of any start the righty has had since 2012, there was some good news following the game.
Though Cora and a member of the training staff went out to the mound to check on Eovaldi in the fifth inning, the dip in velocity was not arm related. Instead, it was a right hip injury that flared up. It isn’t believed to be serious.
“Yesterday, I woke up and it was a little tight, but I did some treatment and it felt better,” said Eovaldi. “I came in and played catch, went about my normal business and today, during the game, it just got a little tighter as the game went on. But we were able to make big pitches when we needed to and the defense was great tonight, and we were able to come out on top.”
The ultimate competitor, Eovaldi had no plans to come out when Cora came out to talk to him. In fact, he was hoping to pitch the sixth inning.
Given Eovaldi’s importance as the staff ace, Cora wisely didn’t take him up on his offer.
While Eovaldi only got one whiff on his fastball, he got seven on splitters, three on curveballs and three on sliders.
“He was battling the whole game,” said Cora. “He kept pushing to be out there so that’s why I went out and was like, ‘Hey man, this is bigger than one game, with what we’re trying to accomplish 162-plus. Are you OK?' He was like, ‘I’m fine, I’m good.’ He finished the inning and we took him out.”
Boston's bullpen, which struggled through the first several weeks of the season but has been much better of late, took it from there.
How rare is it to win 1-0 twice in one series? It is the first time the Red Sox accomplished the feat since July 18-19, 2006, when Jon Lester and Josh Beckett pitched gems at Fenway against the Royals and Cora was a Red Sox player.
There were a couple of other key moments that led to Wednesday’s nail-biting win.
Deja Verdugo -- first to home
When the Red Sox got their 1-0 victory on Monday, the lone run was scored by Alex Verdugo, who roared all the way home from first on a single by Christian Vázquez in the second inning on a great send by third-base coach Carlos Febles.
The only run in Wednesday’s win? Verdugo high-tailing from first to home on a two-out double down the line in right by Bobby Dalbec in the sixth.
Verdugo, who hasn’t been contributing as much as he’d like to offensively (.246/.290/.355), is finding other ways to help his team win.
“I think at this point it’s becoming a little bit of a joke in the clubhouse. I’m the first-to-home guy. I’ve got to do what I got to do. I’m a big speed guy,” quipped Verdugo.
Verdugo’s walk with two outs and nobody on to set up Dalbec was just as important.
“Yeah, that was my only good at-bat of the day,” said Verdugo. “Outside of that, I was just swinging too long, trying to do too much. Finally, that at-bat, I was like, 'Just see the ball, let’s be short and let’s fight this guy.' I saw him [Angels reliever Jimmy Herget] the night before. I had a big understanding of what his stuff does, so it was just finally buckle down and have a good at-bat. See some pitches, give myself a chance.”
Who’s on first? The catcher
On a day Kiké Hernandez went on the injured list and Rafael Devers had a rest, Cora came up with a lineup that had primary catcher Vázquez starting at first base for the first time since 2019.
When the Red Sox needed a big double play in the bottom of the seventh, lefty reliever Jake Diekman got a grounder off the bat of Max Stassi. Xander Bogaerts fielded it, flipped to Trevor Story, and then Vázquez dug out the throw to complete the 6-4-3.
Dalbec, who moved across the diamond to fill in for Devers, could only marvel at Vázquez’s handiwork, which likely won’t go on the list of artistic scoops of the season.
“He’s great over there. The bear-trap pick was good,” said Dalbec. “He’s got great hands.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 3:07:06 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 3h
Red Sox are 30-27. They've won seven straight games.
Longest winning streak of 2022. Most over .500 they've been in 2022.
Oakland isn't trying and the Angels are in freefall. Boston has to punish teams like this -- and they are.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 3:09:39 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox place Kiké Hernández on 10-day injured list with right hip flexor strain By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 9, 2022, 1 hour ago
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Red Sox placed Kiké Hernández on the 10-day injured list with a right hip flexor strain, manager Alex Cora announced Wednesday prior to the Sox’ 1-0 win against the Angels.
“He’s been battling it throughout the season,” Cora said. “He’s been able to take care of it throughout but [Tuesday], he felt it grab. Hopefully it’s short.”
There wasn’t a specific play or at-bat during the season where Hernández initially felt the hip tweak. It was more so just the wear and tear of the season. Cora said that Hernández can play through injuries, but ultimately, Hernández intimated to the coaching staff and trainers that he could no longer battle through this injury.
“Obviously this is a different role the last two years compared to [Hernández’s bench role] with the Dodgers,” Cora said. “But yesterday, I saw him walking around the clubhouse with his head down.”
Hernández has yet to get hot at the plate. He came into Wednesday hitting .209/.273/.340 with four homers and a .613 OPS.
Despite that though, Hernández has played well in center field.
Additionally, he’s proven himself to still be an impressive infielder. In Tuesday night’s game, for instance, when Hernández was playing shortstop in place of Xander Bogaerts, he made a stellar play up the middle for the final out of the game, sealing a 6-5 Red Sox win in 10 innings. Still, Cora noticed something was bothering Hernández.
“The first step wasn’t as explosive as it usually is,” Cora said. “It’s still a great play.” Aráuz called up over Duran
To take Hernández’s spot on the roster, the Sox recalled infielder Jonathan Aráuz over outfielder Jarren Duran. The Sox feel like they are currently short in the infield, and Aráuz could help to fill some holes while the team rests some players. Bogaerts has nursed a sore left shoulder but played Wednesday. However, Bogaerts won’t play in Thursday’s series finale. Story will get a breather during the team’s Seattle series this coming weekend. Aráuz will fill their spots.
Progress report
Hansel Robles (back spasms) threw a bullpen Tuesday and is with the team despite not throwing in an actual rehab assignment game. The team is confident he will be fine and will be ready to be activated once eligible Thursday. “He’s a workaholic,” Cora said. “He knows what he’s doing.” . . . Chris Sale threw a bullpen Wednesday. He’ll throw another one Friday and should throw to hitters next week . . . Josh Taylor (back) threw a bullpen Wednesday and is scheduled to throw another bullpen Friday . . . James Paxton (Tommy John) might throw off a mound during the Seattle series. So far, he’s just been tossing on the field stretching out to as far as 150 feet, Cora said. 2022 All-Star Game
Phase 1 of fan voting for the 2022 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in July is now open. Fans can submit their ballot on MLB dot com by selecting one player at each position and three outfielders.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 3:12:01 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 3h For you night owls still awake, Eovaldi had hip discomfort which probably led to the velocity dip. He grinded it out for five.
Eovaldi wanted to go back out for the sixth, even with the bad hip. Cora wisely didn't let him.
The Red Sox have won seven in a row. They've won 20 of 28, 16 out of 21. The Angels have lost 14 in a row. Dalbec gets the biggest hit of the night, an RBI double down the line in right in which Verdugo motored around from first. Sox are 30-27, will need to beat Ohtani for sweep.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 3:15:09 GMT -5
Nathan Eovaldi’s low velocity a concern, but Red Sox bullpen leads them to seventh straight win Eovaldi’s 94 mph average fastball his lowest since 2012
By Jason Mastrodonato | jason.mastrodonato@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald June 9, 2022 at 1:11 a.m.
Throughout 162 games there are going to be some unusual lineups that create some strange games.
Wednesday night’s affair between the Red Sox and Angels in Anaheim was one of those games.
The Red Sox went with their weirdest lineup of the season, using Christian Vazquez at first base and Bobby Dalbec at third while batting right fielder Christian Arroyo in the leadoff spot and hitting Vazquez second, the highest he’s hit in the order in three years.
The Angels were without three of their best hitters, Mike Trout, Taylor Ward and Anthony Rendon, who are all injured.
And while Nathan Eovaldi was pitching with a fastball that averaged 94 mph, down 3 mph from his usual heater, the battered Halos’ lineup barely put up a fight as the Sox held on for a 1-0 win.
It was the Sox’ seventh straight win and the Angels’ 14th straight loss.
The takeaways: 1. Concerning start for Eovaldi
Throwing triple-digit fastballs is a signature part of Eovaldi’s reputation, but he didn’t throw one harder than 97 mph on Wednesday night. His 94 mph average was his lowest since 2012. And it wasn’t just his fastball; his velocity on all of his pitches was down drastically.
Manager Alex Cora looked alarmed in the fifth inning, when Eovaldi threw a fastball far off the plate and Cora immediately ran out of the dugout with the trainer to take a look. After a short conversation, Eovaldi sent them back to the dugout and then recorded the final out of the inning, but he never went back out for the sixth.
He threw just 84 pitches, 56 for strikes.
“His right hip got tight,” Cora told reporters in Anaheim after the game. “He was battling the whole game and kept pushing to be out there. That’s why I went out and said, ‘hey man, this is bigger than one game, what we’re trying to accomplish in 162-plus.’ I said, ‘are you OK?’ He said he’s fine, then we took him out.”
The saving grace was Eovaldi’s split-finger fastball, which, despite being 2 mph slower than usual, was disappearing through the bottom of the zone and causing the Angels’ lineup fits. Four of his five strikeouts were on the splitter, which generated a remarkable seven whiffs on the night.
Against a bad Angels lineup that included defensive specialist Juan Lagares batting fifth, Eovaldi allowed just six hits over five scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 3.16.
Cora said he anticipates Eovaldi staying in the rotation through the hip tightness, but an update on his health in the coming days will be of primary importance. 2. Dalbec, Vazquez shine
Rafael Devers was due for a day off against a left-handed starter, and so Cora chose Dalbec at third base and put Vazquez at first base, a position he hasn’t played much of but looks like a natural at.
He made perhaps the play of the game for the Sox in the seventh, when the Angels were threatening with a man on first and nobody out. Max Stassi hit a grounder up the middle off Jake Diekman and Xander Bogaerts scooped it to Trevor Story for the out at second, but Story made an awkward throw that sailed left of first base. Vazquez kept his foot on the bag while making a perfect scoop to preserve the double play.
“He’s a good infielder,” Cora said. “He is. He has great footwork, good hands. He knows the game. He does it a lot behind the plate. He picks a lot. That was big. I was telling the guys, the first time I used him at first base was in the World Series and we didn’t hesitate. He’s that good of a defender.”
Vazquez has also been red hot at the plate, entering the game with a .382 average in his last 15 games. He was 1-for-5 out of the No. 2 spot.
Dalbec hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time lately, but earned the start with Devers on the bench and came through in the clutch. With Alex Verdugo at first base and the game still scoreless in the sixth inning, Dalbec got an 88-mph sinker right down the middle and smoked it to the opposite field for an RBI double.
Dalbec then made a silly baserunning mistake trying to score from second on a groundball to the shortstop and was thrown out easily at home to end the threat in the sixth. 3. Bullpen stays hot
The Angels are in such a bad slump they tried an usual strategy to break it as they decided to use Nickelback songs for all nine of their walkup songs at Angel Stadium. But that didn’t work.
Behind Eovaldi, Tyler Danish, Diekman, John Schreiber and Matt Strahm combined to throw four scoreless innings while allowing just one hit.
Cora has said he would love to get it to a point where he can use one pitcher in the ninth inning, no matter the matchups, but he’s not there yet.
Schreiber looked terrific in the eighth and to start the ninth, but Cora had Strahm enter with one out in the ninth and a left-handed hitter due up. Strahm handled his two hitters with ease for his second save in two nights.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 3:19:28 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 3h John Schreiber has resuscitated this season for the Red Sox as much as anyone. 16 games pitched, 11 shutdowns. Absolutely nuts.
Red Sox hit the ball hard 4 times tonight (Story 2, Arroyo, Plawecki). Tied for their fewest in a game this year with the Ohtani domination game at Fenway.
Cora says Eovaldi was pitching with a tight right hip, but wanted to keep pitching. He has an extra day rest before his next start and "should be ok."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 3:27:26 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Halos Thursday, 9th June 2022 930pm @ Angels Stadium
Pivetta 5-4/3.50
Ohtani 3-4/3.99
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 9:38pm EDT Written by The Admiral
Boston Red Sox (29-27) vs. Los Angeles Angels (27-30)
The four-game series between the American League rivals Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels will conclude on Thursday, June 9. The Red Sox won the opening two games and extended the winning streak to six, while the Angels fired manager Joe Maddon after suffering the 12th consecutive loss. However, that didn’t help as they lost the following game as well.
These American League foes have met on five occasions this season, and Boston currently leads the series 3-2. The Angels are -125 favorites in this one, while the total is set at 7.5 runs
Red Sox edged the Angels in the extra-inning The Boston Red Sox secured another tight victory over the Los Angeles Angels on the road. After a 1-0 win in the opening game of the series, the Red Sox got a 6-5 win in the extra-inning despite losing 2-0 and 5-3. They now improved to a 29-27 record, which is only good for the 4th place in fierce competition in the AL East.
Boston recorded 15 hits opposite Los Angeles’ eight and deservedly got a win in the end thanks to Christian Vasquez’s RBI single and Trevor Story who scored the winning run. Matt Strahm got his second save of the season as he struck out two, while Tanner Houck (4-3) was credited with a win as he pitched for 2.0 innings and registered no runs on one hits with 3 K and 1 BB. Garrett Whitlock (2-1) experienced a rough start and lasted only four innings after allowing four runs on six hits along with 5 K and no walks.
Nick Pivetta (5-4) is taking the mound for the Red Sox against the Angels on Thursday. The 29-year-old right-hander started 11 games so far in the season and has a 3.50 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 58/21 K/BB ratio over 61.2 innings of work. Pivetta faced the Angeles once in 2021 and recorded a 3.00 ERA in 6.0 innings in a no-decision.
Angels need new wings The Los Angeles Angels are going through their worst form since the 1988-89 season and it doesn’t seem they will end the current skid very soon. Even though they fired manager Joe Maddon, the problems didn’t stop there as the Angels lost another game and now are on a 13-game losing run. On top of that, their superstar slugger Mike Trout sustained a left groin injury and is questionable to feature on Thursday.
It started well for the Angels in a 6-5 loss, though. They got to a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning through Trout’s 2-run homer, but after he left the game due to an injury, the Angels stopped offensively and lost in the end. Jose Suarez (0-2) allowed three runs on seven hits with 3K and 2 BB in 5.0 innings, but Jaime Barria (1-1) was the one who took a loss, his first of the season.
Shohei Ohtani (3-4) is getting his tenth start of the year and is hoping to bounce back from two losses in a row. The 27-year-old two-way sensation owns a disappointing 3.99 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 65/11 K/BB ratio in 47.1 innings. Ohtani did impress in his previous start against the Red Sox, his latest win, as he pitched for 7.0 innings and allowed no runs on six hits with 11K and no walks.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 6:58:18 GMT -5
Mastrodonato: It’s time to believe in the Red Sox again Sox tied with Yankees for MLB-best 20-8 record since May 10
By Jason Mastrodonato | jason.mastrodonato@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald June 9, 2022 at 5:30 a.m.
The Red Sox are back, and they’re giving us reason to believe again.
With another 1-0 win over the Angels on Wednesday night, the Sox have won seven straight and are 20-8 since May 10, tied with the Yankees for the best record in MLB in that span.
Most impressively, they’ve bounced back from some ugly losses and a disappointing homestand to keep things rolling.
They looked awful on the last homestand, particularly in a meltdown on a Friday night game against the Orioles that has been lingering in Alex Cora’s mind since then.
It was a game the Sox should’ve won easily, with a six-run lead entering the seventh inning against one of the worst teams in the league. But the bullpen gave up 10 runs. The energy was sucked out of Fenway Park. And the Sox went on to lose the five-game series against the last-place O’s and split a two-game series against the last-place Reds.
Bad teams don’t get on a winning streak immediately after a homestand like that. Mediocre teams don’t, either. The Red Sox did.
It doesn’t matter that their competition on this trip has been the rebuilding A’s and an Angels team that is playing so poorly it fired manager Joe Maddon and is now using exclusively Nickelback songs as their walkup music.
Good teams beat up on bad teams, and after the Sox failed to do that in the homestand, they’re doing it with ease on this road trip.
The bullpen remains a long-term concern, but it’s getting the job done right now. Sox relievers have a 3.23 ERA in the team’s 20-8 stretch, despite allowing 10 runs in one of those games. Take away that game and they’ve allowed just 32 runs in 100 innings in that span.
There still aren’t any roles, which is concerning. Cora has said several times he’d like to have pitchers he can rely on in specific innings rather than having to play the matchups throughout the game, but that clearly isn’t the case.
He didn’t have enough confidence in John Schreiber to keep Schreiber in the game in the ninth inning on Wednesday night, despite the funky right-hander’s dominant eighth inning and a quick out to start the ninth.
Instead, Cora went to lefty Matt Strahm to face a left-handed hitter in the middle of the inning. Strahm handled the job and collected his second save in as many nights.
While there aren’t any set roles just yet, at least Cora has found two guys he seems to have a lot of faith in lately: Scheriber and Strahm.
The offense drives the bus on this team, and there are still questions to be asked about production outside the middle of the order. They have no leadoff hitter after the struggling Kiké Hernandez went on the injured list with right hip flexor strain.
Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez are maybe the best two-three-four punch in the big leagues, but the offense didn’t get rolling until No. 5 hitter Trevor Story got hot.
It’s nice to see Christian Vazquez swinging the bat a little better, too.
The Sox are scoring 6.25 runs per game in their 20-8 stretch.
Most importantly, they aren’t striking out as much and are controlling the zone a bit better. A disciplined offense is a good offense, and while the Sox aren’t exactly disciplined, they’re at least making improvements.
The No. 1 reason to buy into this team is the starting rotation.
Nathan Eovaldi’s splitter looked as nasty as ever on Wednesday, despite pitching with 3 mph lower velocity while he battled some hip tightness. Any injury with Eovaldi is always concerning, given his injury history, but the Sox think he’ll stay in the rotation. He’s been lights out since having an awful game against the Astros last month.
Michael Wacha looks like the best $7 million any team spent this offseason. Nick Pivetta ranks in the top-10 in just about every category over the last month. Garrett Whitlock is still learning how to pitch as a starter, but has as much talent as anyone in the American League. And 42-year-old Rich Hill is bringing up the rear for the time being, with Chris Sale nearing a return likely in early July.
This team is not without its flaws, but at least the Sox are playing smarter, cleaner baseball while they’ve put together some impressive wins over the last month.
They don’t have to keep winning at a .714 clip the rest of the season. They just need to stay afloat until late July and put some pressure on the front office to make key additions at the trade deadline.
At the very least, the Sox are worth watching again.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 9:36:26 GMT -5
Slumping Angels look to struggling Shohei Ohtani vs. Red Sox FLM
Shohei Ohtani will be the starting pitcher for the host Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif., against the Boston Red Sox, looking to end a personal slump on the mound -- and his team's 14-game losing streak.
Ohtani (3-4, 3.99 ERA) already has doubled his loss total from last season, when he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA on his way to winning the American League MVP Award.
He's been particularly off his game during the club's losing streak, giving up nine runs and 14 hits in nine innings in losses to the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees.
It was so bad against the Yankees in his previous start last Thursday that there was talk of Ohtani tipping his pitches. He gave up four runs on eight hits, including three home runs, in just three innings. Ohtani, though, downplayed the possibility.
"They have a great lineup, and if I don't make my pitches, they're going to hit my pitches hard, and that's what happened," Ohtani, a right-hander, said through an interpreter. "I'm not sure (if I was tipping). You should ask the other team."
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked if his hitters were good at picking up tendencies of opposing pitchers.
"I think we are," Boone said. "We're going to hopefully continue to be good at it."
Ohtani is 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA in three career starts vs. Boston.
Ohtani also has slumped at the plate of late, most notably with the home run. He went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to the Red Sox and has not homered since May 29, a span of nine games and 36 at-bats.
Ohtani did not have Mike Trout hitting behind him in the lineup Wednesday because Trout is out with a tight left groin and is listed as day-to-day.
The Red Sox, who have won seven straight, also are without their center fielder in Enrique Hernandez, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday because of a strained hip flexor.
Jackie Bradley Jr. got the start in center field on Wednesday and figures to get most of the starts there moving forward. The Red Sox decided against calling up center fielder Jarren Duran, instead recalling switch-hitting infielder Jonathan Arauz.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora explained the club's decision was based on a plan to get some of the starting infielders some rest in upcoming games.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts, however, was in the lineup Wednesday despite leaving Tuesday's game because of tightness in his right shoulder. He recently became the franchise's all-time leader in games played at shortstop.
"Something that defines him is consistency," Hernandez said. "He's as consistent as they get, and I'd say that's both on and off the field -- at the plate, on defense, in the clubhouse, same guy every day."
Right-hander Nick Pivetta (5-4, 3.50 ERA) will be on the mound for Boston to make his 12th start of the season. He's coming off his best start of the year last Saturday against Oakland when he shut out the A's on two hits over seven innings.
Pivetta has made a complete turnaround from a slow start to the season, winning five decisions in a row after beginning the year 0-4 with a 7.84 ERA in his first five starts. However, he doesn't want to dwell on why he's been able to do it.
"I don't know. I'm just going out there and having fun, playing baseball, just repeating what I've been doing more," he said. "I'm not trying to overanalyze it -- I'm just trying to go out, compete, have fun, win baseball games -- that's all I really care about, and that's all I really want to do."
Pivetta has made one career start against the Angels, giving up two runs in six innings and getting a no-decision in a game last season.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 13:54:01 GMT -5
Game 58: Red Sox at Angels lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated June 9, 2022, 2 hours ago The Red Sox will go for a sweep of the Angels Thursday night after extending their win streak to seven games with a 1-0 win Wednesday. The Angels have now lost 14 straight, while the Sox have won 20 of their last 28 games to move three games over .500. After the game in Anaheim, the Red Sox will travel to Seattle to close out their 10-game road trip with a three-game series against the Mariners. Nick Pivetta is the Red Sox starter to close out the series against the Angels. Here is a preview. Lineups RED SOX (30-27): 1. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 4. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 5. Christian Vazquez (R) C 6. Franchy Cordero (L) RF 7. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF 8. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B 9. Jonathan Arauz (S) SS Pitching: RHP Nick Pivetta (5-4, 3.50 ERA) ANGELS (27-31): 1. Juan Lagares (R) CF 2. Shohei Ohtani (L) P 3. Max Stassi (R) C 4. Jared Walsh (L) 1B 5. Jo Adell (R) RF 6. Dillon Thomas (L) LF 7. Jack Mayfield (R) 3B 8. Tyler Wade (L) 2B 9. Andrew Velazquez (S) SS Pitching: RHP Shohei Ohtani (3-4, 3.99 ERA) Time: 9:38 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Ohtani: Christian Arroyo 0-3, Xander Bogaerts 1-6, Jackie Bradley Jr. 3-4, Franchy Cordero 0-3, Bobby Dalbec 1-3, Rafael Devers 2-7, J.D. Martinez 2-6, Kevin Plawecki 0-3, Trevor Story 0-6, Alex Verdugo 1-6, Christian Vázquez 0-0 Angels vs. Pivetta: Juan Lagares 1-5, Kurt Suzuki 4-12, Mike Trout 0-3, Andrew Velazquez 1-1, Tyler Wade 0-1, Jared Walsh 0-2 Stat of the day: After going 1-7-1 in their first nine series, the Sox have gone 6-1-2 in their last nine. Notes: Pivetta has won five decisions in a row after beginning the year 0-4 with a 7.84 ERA in his first five starts. … Ohtani is 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA in three career starts vs. the Red Sox … Ohtani has not homered since May 29, a span of nine games and 36 at-bats. … Per J.P. Long, this series is the first since July 2006 in which the Red Sox earned multiple 1-0 wins (July 18 and 19, 2006, vs. Kansas City). They last did it on the road Aug. 25 and 26, 1990, at Toronto. Song of the Day: Mötley Crüe - Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obksd2CWMFo
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2022 17:49:36 GMT -5
Trevor Story, Xander Bogaerts not in Boston Red Sox lineup vs. Angels’ Shohei Ohtani on Thursday Updated: Jun. 09, 2022, 6:38 p.m. | Published: Jun. 09, 2022, 6:37 p.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Trevor Story and Xander Bogaerts are not in the Boston Red Sox lineup Thursday against Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora had said Xander Bogaerts, who left Tuesday’s game because of left shoulder tightness but played Wednesday, would receive a scheduled day off today.
This is probably a good day for Story to rest. Story went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts against Ohtani at Fenway Park on May 5.
The Red Sox and Angels play at 9:38 p.m. Thursday here at Angel Stadium.
Boston, which is 6-0 on the current 10-game West Coast road trip, will try for the four-game sweep in Anaheim. The Sox have won seven straight overall.
The Red Sox lost to Ohtani when he started against them in May. The righty struck out 11 and recorded 29 swings-and-misses in 7 scoreless innings. He reached 100.3 mph with his four-seam fastball. He threw the pitch 47 times, averaging 97.2 mph, per Baseball Savant.
“It was tough with him because you feel like all his pitches were unpredictable,” J.D. Martinez said after the May 5 game. “Some of his fastballs were two-seam in. Other ones were cutting. Some sliders were backing up. Some of them were sweeping across the whole plate.”
Martinez also mentioned Ohtani’s splitter was moving in a different direction than normal.
Nick Pivetta will start for Boston. He has gone 5-1 with a 1.32 ERA, 2.63 FIP and .153 batting average against in his past six starts.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 10, 2022 2:39:43 GMT -5
Shohei Ohtani dominates Red Sox, ending Angels 14-game losing streak and Boston’s 7-game winning streak Published: Jun. 10, 2022, 12:48 a.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani held the Red Sox to just one run over 7 innings. He also belted a two-run homer.
The two-way star led the Angels to a 5-2 victory over Boston here at Angel Stadium. He ended Los Angeles’ 14-game losing streak and Boston’s seven-game winning streak.
The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning when Bobby Dalbec hit a sacrifice fly to center field. It scored Franchy Cordero who walked to begin the inning.
But Ohtani’s 394-foot two-run blast to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning put the Angels ahead for good, 2-1. He connected on a 92 mph fastball from Pivetta who left the pitch middle-up in the strike zone.
Pivetta pitched 5-plus innings, allowing four runs (all earned), six hits and two walks while striking out 11.
The righty — who threw 97 pitches (67 strikes) — left two runners on base in the sixth (both walks) for reliever Hirokazu Sawamura.
Sawamura retired the next two hitters before allowing a three-run homer to No. 9 hitter Andrew Velazquez.
What’s next?
The Red Sox will play a three-game series in Seattle beginning Friday.
Red Sox lefty Rich Hill (2-3, 4.40 ERA) will start opposite Mariners lefty Marco Gonzales (3-6, 3.59 ERA) in the first game.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 10, 2022 2:40:32 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox’s Alex Cora on Shohei Ohtani: ‘To see him hit a home run while he’s going out there for 7 innings, that’s impressive’ Published: Jun. 10, 2022, 2:14 a.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani held the Red Sox to just one run over 7 innings. He also belted a two-run homer.
The two-way star led the Angels 5-2 over the Red Sox here at Angel Stadium on Thursday.
His 394-foot home run to center field off Nick Pivetta in the fifth put Los Angeles ahead for good, 2-1. It left his bat at 104.4 mph.
“To see him hit a home run while he’s going out there for 7 innings, that’s impressive,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “And that’s why I keep saying he’s the best athlete in the world. Because to compete at this level on the mound and at the plate the way he does, it’s eye-opening. It’s unreal.”
Ohtani ended the Angels’ 14-game losing streak and Boston’s seven-game winning streak.
He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out six. He recorded 18 swings-and-misses and topped out at 101 mph with his fastball.
He has allowed only one run in 14 innings against Boston this season. He pitched 7 scoreless innings and struck out 11 on May 5 at Fenway Park.
“We had some chances,” Cora said. “We missed a few things offensively today. We were trying to put pressure on him and we weren’t able to execute. But he was good. He was good. I think he was great in Boston. Today he was good.”
Ohtani also singled (104.1 mph exit velocity).
Pivetta K’s 11
Nick Pivetta pitched 5-plus innings, allowing four runs (all earned), six hits and two walks while striking out 11.
“I think it just came down to the two walks to lead off the sixth inning,” Pivetta said. “It kind of screwed everything up. Uncompetitive. Not good.”
The righty — who threw 97 pitches (67 strikes) — walked the first two batters of the sixth inning before being removed.
Cora replaced him with reliever Hirokazu Sawamura who retired the next two hitters before allowing a three-run homer to No. 9 hitter Andrew Velazquez.
“I didn’t know I had so many strikeouts to be honest with you until I got here actually after the game,” Pivetta said. “So I wasn’t really focused on that at all. I was focused on competing and trying to put us in the best spot to win and I wasn’t able to do that tonight.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 10, 2022 3:37:39 GMT -5
Cora tips cap to ‘unreal’ Ohtani as Sox drop finale Pivetta racks up season-high 11 K's as West Coast swing rolls on 3:04 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
ANAHEIM -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora never had a chance to watch Babe Ruth play live, but he feels like he got a pretty good taste of what it must have been like on Thursday night at Angel Stadium.
Shohei Ohtani on the mound? Seven innings, four hits, one run, two walks, six strikeouts and 100 pitches.
Ohtani at the bat? A two-run homer off Nick Pivetta that put the Angels in front for good in the bottom of the fifth inning.
For good measure, Ohtani added a laser-beam single, putting his signature all over a 5-2 victory that snapped a 14-game losing streak for the Angels -- and ended Boston's seven-game winning streak.
“I think he was great [pitching] in Boston,” said Cora. “Today, he was good. Obviously, to see him hit a home run while he’s going out there for seven innings, that’s impressive, and that’s why I keep saying he’s the best athlete in the world.”
At Fenway Park on May 5, Ohtani overpowered the Red Sox with no walks and 11 strikeouts while throwing 99 pitches over six. He also had a big hit that day, denting the Green Monster with an RBI single.
Unless the Red Sox and Angels somehow meet up in the postseason come October, this will be Boston’s last look at Ohtani in 2022.
Needless to say, the dynamic slugger and pitcher left a lasting impression on Cora.
“To compete at this level on the mound and at the plate the way he does, it’s eye-opening. It’s unreal,” Cora said.
To beat Ohtani’s two-way heroics on Thursday, the Red Sox would have needed an “unreal” performance from Pivetta.
Boston’s righty, who came into this one with a 5-0 record and 1.32 ERA in his previous six starts, looked poised to go toe-to-toe with Ohtani early on.
The Red Sox actually led 1-0 when Pivetta fired that 1-1 fastball that caught too much plate with one out in the fifth, before Ohtani pummeled it for his two-run homer.
However, Pivetta was far more perturbed by his two walks to open the sixth than the homer he gave up to Othani.
Those two walks led to the Angels' No. 9 Angels hitter, Andrew Velazquez, unloading for a three-run homer off righty reliever Hirokazu Sawamura.
Suddenly, the shine had worn off a season-high 11-strikeout performance for Pivetta over five-plus innings.
“I think it came down to the two walks to lead off the sixth inning, that kind of screwed everything up,” said Pivetta. “Uncompetitive. Not good.”
In truth, despite Thursday’s result, things are pretty good for the Red Sox these days. A team that was 11-20 on May 11 is on a 19-8 stretch that has brought its record to 30-28. The turnaround currently has Boston in possession of the third American League Wild Card spot.
Cora’s team reeled off wins in the first six games of this 10-game swing on the West Coast, and will try to finish strong with three in Seattle this weekend. The recent resurgence allowed Cora to rest his starting double-play combination of Trevor Story and Xander Bogaerts for Thursday’s finale.
Rafael Devers got a breather on Tuesday. J.D. Martinez got a game off on the first leg of the trip in Oakland.
“It’s important,” said Cora. “I think we’re in a much different situation than 15 days ago. You feel with the traveling schedule. Seattle is not right down the street.”
Despite falling in the finale with a relatively quiet offensive performance, compared to where things were a month ago Boston had few regrets en route in Seattle.
“Very, very positive,” said Pivetta. “I like the way we’re playing right now. We’re doing a tremendous job. Just move on to Seattle, flush this and get back at it.”
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