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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 2:59:21 GMT -5
Bogaerts has 4 hits, Red Sox beat Royals 7-4 AP
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Xander Bogaerts had four hits, Alex Verdugo doubled twice and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 Friday night.
Verdugo had three hits as Boston evened the four-game series at a win apiece. Josh Winckowski (5-5) allowed one run on five hits over five innings for the Red Sox.
Zack Greinke (3-7) allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings for Kansas City.
''It felt good. From top to bottom a lot of really good at-bats,'' Verdugo said. ''We know Greinke. We know he kind of relies on over-aggression and expanding the strike zone. I think we did a really good job of making him come to us and then hitting the mistakes.''
The Red Sox got on the board in the second when ex-Royal Eric Hosmer pulled a double down the right-field line, scoring Verdugo.
Boston added two more runs in the fourth. J.D. Martinez hit a double off the wall in left-center, driving in Bogaerts and Verdugo.
''Greinke is master of throwing pitches around the zone and getting people out,'' Boston manager Alex Cora said. ''He's been really good throughout his career. We had to grind at-bats.''
The Royals threatened in their half of the fourth. They loaded the bases with one out, but Kyle Isbel grounded back to Winckowski, who threw to the plate for the force out, and Nicky Lopez struck out.
''Those drills from day 3 of spring training, that's why you do them,'' Winckowski said. ''When you're (facing the) bases loaded with one out, you're either thinking about a strikeout or a groundout. It just happened to be back to me. Then I had to make another pitch after that.''
Bogaerts drove in the Red Sox fourth run with a two-out single, chasing Greinke.
''(Bogaerts is) really good at going the other way,'' Cora said. ''Today he did it a few times, and it started with the first at-bat. Today was one of those nights when you feel like something good is going to happen.''
Salvador Perez blasted a 454-foot home run to left in the fifth.
Boston got that run back when Reese McGuire drove in Hosmer, who had reached on an error, with a single.
Jarren Duran drove home two with a double in the eighth. The Royals got three in the eighth on Nate Eaton's sacrifice fly and a two-run double by MJ Melendez.
HOMEGROWN
All nine position players in the Royals starting lineup, plus starting pitcher Zack Greinke, were originally signed or drafted by Kansas City. According to Elias, it's just the third game in franchise history - and second this season - in which the Royals have done this. They did it last Friday night at Yankee Stadium and on Sept. 19, 1990 at Minnesota.
TRAINING ROOM
Boston: RHP Michael Wacha is nearing his return to the Red Sox. He pitched 4 2/3 hitless innings Thursday night for Triple-A Worcester. He and reliever Chase Shugart combined for the first no-hitter in WooSox history. Cora said Wacha felt good today and likely will get one more start before returning to the parent club.
Kansas City: SS Bobby Witt Jr. was not in the lineup Friday. Manager Mike Matheny said the amount of distance he covered in Thursday's game prompted him to give his prized rookie a rest. Witt was available as a substitute.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Royals will continue their four-game series Saturday night. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-3, 4.11 ERA) will start for Boston. LHP Daniel Lynch (4-7, 4.70 ERA) will get the start for the Royals.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 3:26:32 GMT -5
Winckowski glove-flip leads to pivotal escape Red Sox rookie righty thwarts Royals' rally in 4th inning, wins 2nd straight start 3:10 AM ADT
KANSAS CITY -- It was a nice, consistent week for Red Sox right-hander Josh Winckowski. Two starts, two wins and only three runs allowed over a combined 10 innings.
The Red Sox can only hope that trend continues for several more weeks through August and September as they attempt to navigate through heavy traffic and make their way toward an American League Wild Card spot.
On Friday night against the Royals, Winckowski hung tough in a telling fourth inning and the Red Sox went on to a 7-4 victory at Kauffman Stadium. Boston held a 3-0 lead when Kansas City loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but Winckowski wouldn’t allow the Royals to seize the momentum.
The rookie pitcher induced a dribbler back to the mound by Kyle Isbel, resulting in a glove-flip forceout at the plate. And then, after running the count to 3-1 on Nicky Lopez, Winckowski came back to record a strikeout and the Red Sox took off from there.
Winckowski let out a little roar of exaltation after escaping the fourth.
“That inning got long and I had to make a lot of pitches,” he said.
The only blemish for Winckowski was a mammoth solo homer to left-center by Salvador Perez with two outs in the fifth. In fairness, Perez has been belting homers off a lot of pitchers recently. Winckowski then got the final out of the inning to put himself in position to gain the victory and Boston’s bullpen took it home over the final four innings.
“He’s learning on the fly and doing an outstanding job for us,” manager Alex Cora said of Winckowski. “He gave us five innings, the same as [last Sunday against Milwaukee]. Made a nice play on the comebacker, too.”
By making a glove-flip home on the Isbel dribbler, Winckowski showed poise in not rushing the play. Catcher Reese McGuire, acquired by the Red Sox earlier in the week in a Trade Deadline deal with the White Sox, was behind the plate Friday and in sync with Winckowski throughout his five innings.
“He got to catch my bullpen for this game and did a tremendous job of getting up to speed real quick,” Winckowski said of McGuire. “I felt really comfortable with him today.”
Boston’s offense, which had been stagnant in the previous two games, came to Winckowski’s aid with a 13-hit attack. Xander Bogaerts tied a career high with four hits and Alex Verdugo had three hits and a walk, including a pair of opposite-field doubles.
Cora said the plan going in was not to expand the zone against Kansas City starter Zack Greinke. An RBI double by Eric Hosmer (his first hit with the Red Sox) and a two–run double by J.D. Martinez got Boston off and running.
“Greinke has mastered throwing pitches around the zone and getting people out,” Cora said. “We have to grind at-bats. At one point, Hosmer had seen 20 pitches and only swung at three of them. It’s something we’re going to keep talking about. We have to stay in the zone. When we do that, we become a really good offensive club.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 3:28:04 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Sale (left finger fracture) playing catch August 5th, 2022
Keep track of the Red Sox’s recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season. LATEST NEWS
• All Red Sox transactions INJURY UPDATES 10-day and 15-day IL
LHP Chris Sale (left fifth finger fracture) Expected return: TBD Manager Alex Cora said Sale has started playing catch. The Red Sox have given no timetable for Sale's return following his July 18 surgery, which was described as an "open reduction and internal fixation of a left fifth finger proximal phalarix fracture." (Last updated: Aug. 5)
RHP Michael Wacha (right shoulder inflammation) Expected return: Aug. 9 at earliest Wacha was impressive in a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Aug. 4. He retired the first 13 hitters he faced and 14 of 15. Over 4 2/3 innings, Wacha struck out eight and walked one. This is the second IL stint of the season for Wacha, who is 6-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 13 big league starts. He last pitched for the Red Sox on June 28.
"Probably one more [rehab start] and then he'll be with us," manager Alex Cora said. "We'll talk to him and see how he feels about it. But he's trending in the right direction. Every report I got was positive and the way he competed was great." (Last updated: Aug. 5)
OF Kiké Hernández (right hip flexor strain) Expected return: Mid-to-late August Manager Alex Cora said that Hernández has "felt great" since resuming swinging the bat. Hernández has made steady progress ever since he got a platelet-rich plasma injection the weekend before the All-Star break.
"We'll see [Aug. 9] where he is," Cora said, adding that plans could be in the works soon for a rehab assignment. (Last updated: Aug. 5)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 3:29:19 GMT -5
J.D. Martinez delivers two-run double in Boston Red Sox win after being moved down to sixth in order
Updated: Aug. 05, 2022, 11:57 p.m.|Published: Aug. 05, 2022, 11:56 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
Manager Alex Cora moved J.D. Martinez down to sixth in the batting order Friday after the slugger went 3-for-34 (.088) in his first nine games of the second half.
It marked the first time Martinez batted as low as sixth in a batting order since May 16, 2017 with Detroit.
The 34-year-old DH broke out of his slump. His 393-foot two-run double to center field in the top of the fourth inning put the Red Sox ahead 3-0.
Boston won 7-4 over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Eric Hosmer’s first hit as a member of the Red Sox gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the second inning. His double, which went 109 mph off his bat, scored Alex Verdugo who had doubled with one out.
Xander Bogaerts and Reese McGuire also delivered RBI singles. Jarren Duran added a two-run double.
Bogaerts went 4-for-5. Verdugo went 3-for-4.
Red Sox rookie Josh Winckowski earned the win. He pitched 5 innings, allowing one run, five hits and two walks while striking out four.
He escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth inning. He got Kyle Isbel to ground softly back to the mound. Winckowski threw home for the force-out.
The righty then fell behind 3-1 in the count to Nicky Lopez before battling back to strike him out swinging.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 3:32:42 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h John Schreiber shouldn't have been anywhere near this game. But here he comes with a 7-2 lead and two men aboard in the 8th.
Austin Davis submits an outing that could cost the #RedSox on Saturday or Sunday.
Worth wondering if Schreiber is wearing down a touch. There's a clear split in performance. - First 31 games: 30 IP, 12 H, 6 BB, 37 K, 0.60 ERA, .119/.184/.178 - Last 8 games (before tonight): 10 2/3 IP, 10 H, 3 BB, 9 K, 4.22 ERA, .270/.342/.432
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 3:38:58 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Chris Sale plays catch, and Red Sox remain hopeful he’ll pitch again in 2022 By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated August 5, 2022, 8:52 p.m.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a departure from usual programming, there was a positive development involving the Red Sox: Chris Sale played catch on Friday.
It was a first step on yet another comeback trail for the lefthander, who had surgery on his left pinkie finger July 18 to repair a fracture. Sale was injured the previous day when he was struck by a 106.7 mile per hour line drive off the bat of Aaron Hicks in the second inning at Yankee Stadium.
With Fenway Park set up for the Mötley Crüe concert, Sale’s workout came at Boston College. It kickstarted the heart of Alex Cora.
“That’s good news,” the manager said before Boston’s 7-4 win in Kansas City.
Down for 19 days, Sale will need some time to build back up, but the process has started and the belief is that he will rejoin the rotation this season. There’s no schedule as of yet for when he would throw off a mound.
Sale, 33, has made only 11 starts for the Sox the last three seasons because of Tommy John surgery in 2020 followed by a fractured rib prior to spring training this year. He returned to the Sox on July 12 with five shutout innings at Tampa Bay. Then came the broken finger. On further review
MLB’s Baseball Operations Department spoke to Cora and acknowledged the wrong decision was made on the video review of Salvador Perez’s home run in the seventh inning on Thursday.
“They explained the whole thing. They missed it,” Cora said. “Just have to move on.”
Perez hit a line drive off a wall at the base of the left field foul pole that deflected into left field. Based on the Kauffman Stadium ground rules, the ball was in play, but it was ruled a home run. The Sox challenged the call and it was upheld by the umpires at the review center in New York. Cora was then ejected when he came out of the dugout to talk to crew chief Bill Welke.
An MLB source said the rule was reviewed with the umpires involved.
There is no further recourse for the Sox as judgment calls can’t be protested. The call essentially gave the Royals an extra run in a game they won, 7-3.
Perez homered again on Friday, his 16th of the season a 454-foot no-doubter off Josh Winckowski in the fifth inning. Injury updates
Michael Wacha faced 15 hitters in his start for Triple A Worcester on Thursday and retired 14 of them, eight by strikeout. But he may not be ready to return to the majors.
“He was very good,” Cora said. “We’re talking about it. Probably one more and then he’ll be with us. I think it makes sense. We’ll talk to him, probably, and see how he feels about it. But he’s trending in the right direction.”
Wacha is 6-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 13 starts. He hasn’t pitched since June 28 because of a sore shoulder.
Kiké Hernández, who is coming back from a hip strain, took batting practice on the field at BC and “felt great,” according to Cora.
“His moves are a lot better than early in the season and when he was getting tight in that area,” the manager said.
Hernández is scheduled to hit again on Saturday, then work out with the team at Fenway on Monday. He will need minor league games before returning.
“The way he’s trending, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s here with us in August,” Cora said.
Trevor Story, who has a fracture in his right wrist, is taking grounders and running the bases, but has not started hitting.
James Paxton threw 25 pitches of live batting practice at the team facility in Fort Myers, Fla., and is set for a two-inning intrasquad game next week. Cora believes the lefthander could join the team in September. Shuffle coming at the top
Jarren Duran went 1-for-5 with a two-run double from the leadoff spot Friday, but Cora said the plan moving forward would be to use Tommy Pham in that role and drop Duran down. “Let him breathe,” Cora said . . . Nate Eovaldi, the scheduled starter on Saturday, is 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA in six career games against the Royals . . . Bobby Dalbec is doing pre-game work at second base. There are no plans for him to start any games at that position, but with Eric Hosmer on the roster, versatility can help Dalbec get more at-bats. He played two innings at second on May 26 in a rout of the White Sox in Chicago.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 4:04:13 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Royals Saturday, 6th August 2020 8pm @ Kauffman Stadium
Eovaldi 5-3/4.11
Lynch 4-7/ 4.70
Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals Saturday, August 6, 2022 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Mark Ruelle
The Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals continue their four-game weekend series in Kansas City on Saturday night. The Red Sox are in last place in the AL East but are still very much in the wildcard race in the American League. The Royals are battling the Detroit Tigers at the bottom of the AL Central Division standings in a rebuilding season. The pitching matchup for Saturday will be veteran righty Nathan Eovaldi (5-3, 4.11) of the Red Sox taking on lefty Daniel Lynch (4-7, 4.70) of the Royals. First pitch is scheduled for 810pm EST.
In or Out? The Red Sox front office treated the trade deadline like the team has much of this season; cautiously operating, not sure if they were in or out. The team held onto veterans that were rumored to be moved like Xander Bogaerts, JD Martinez and tonight's pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. The Sox did move on from veteran catcher Christian Vazquez and dealt struggling left-handed reliever Jake Diekman while adding outfielder Tommy Pham and first baseman Eric Hosmer. With those moves, the jury is still out; are the Red Sox in or out? On Friday night in Kansas City, the Red Sox came back from a tough loss on Thursday night to upend the Royals and push back to .500. Xander Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo combine for seven hit, three runs scored and two RBI in the win and starter Josh Winckowski went five innings and allowed five hits in the 7-4 Sox win.
The Red Sox's most glaring weakness was not addressed at the deadline; the lack of starting pitching. Chris Sale is set to begin rehab for his broken finger this week in Florida while Rich Hill returned to the rotation on Thursday and Michael Wacha made a rehab start in the minors on Thursday. The Red Sox brass is confident that the return of the Red Sox staff will give the team a fighting chance down the stretch. On the mound on Saturday will be another player who recently returned from IL, Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi struggled in his return to the staff in July. In his three starts, Eovaldi went 0-1 with an ERA of 11.08. He bounced back in his last start against Houston, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing two unearned runs while striking out six.
Royal Rebuild The Royals are in full rebuild mode right now and that was evident at the Trade Deadline. The Royals moved on from two of their best hitters, trading away Andrew Benintendi to the Yankees and moving Whit Merrifield to the Blue Jays. In addition, the Royals traded catcher Cam Gallagher to San Diego as well. The Royals continue to add assets as they try to return to the successes the team enjoyed in the mid-2010s. On Friday night in the second game of the series with Boston, the Royals pitching allowed five Red Sox doubles and 13 hits in the loss.
The Royals lineup has taken a hit with the subtraction of both Merrifield and Benintendi. Even with the duo, the Royals were not among the stronger lineups in baseball. Kansas City is 27th in runs scored per game and 25th in slugging percentage. The Royals will now lean on young up-and-coming players like Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez and Vinnie Pasquantino. On the mound on Saturday for the Royals will be another young up-and-comer, lefty Daniel Lynch. Lynch has just one quality start among his 16 this season. In the month of July, Lynch made two starts coming off a stint on the IL. Lynch's ERA was 5.87 in the two starts, both no-decisions. In his last start, Lynch went 5.1 innings and allowed six hits without giving up a run.
Red Sox at Royals Saturday, at 7:10 PM EST Clear According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 96° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 13 MPH wind blowing right to left in Kansas City at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 6:41:33 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 5h Red Sox are two-thirds of the way through their season at 54-54. 26-27 at home, 28-27 on road. 31-29 since 5/30.
Enter the final third in 7th place for 3 wild card spots, 4 GB of 3rd (and 2nd) and 6 GB of the first WC spot. Behind TOR, SEA, TB, BAL, CWS, CLE.
26 of final 54 come against teams they’re chasing in wild card race. 9 more against Yankees + 3 against Twins, 2 against Braves. Not many layups.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 7:08:44 GMT -5
Sturdy Nathan Eovaldi aims to devour innings for Red Sox vs. Royals FLM
When the calendar turns to August and the schedule seems to go on for days, innings-eaters such as Nathan Eovaldi can be crucial for their teams.
Eovaldi (5-3, 4.11 ERA) will get the start for the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night, while the host Kansas City Royals will counter with Daniel Lynch (4-7, 4.70) in the third game of a four-game series.
Boston evened the series Friday night with a 7-4 victory. Starter Josh Winckowski gave up one run on five hits and two walks and struck out four in five innings to get the win. He worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the fourth inning by inducing a comebacker for a fielder's choice and a strikeout.
Xander Bogaerts had four hits and Alex Verdugo had three hits and a walk to key the Boston offense.
Eovaldi has pitched at least six innings in eight starts this season, allowing three or fewer runs in seven of them. He has a combined 2.70 ERA in 14 of his 16 starts, with the only aberrations against Houston (six earned runs on May 17) and Toronto (nine runs on July 22).
Red Sox manager Alex Cora appreciates that he can count on Eovaldi to gobble up innings.
"He's important," Cora said. "Not only him, but whoever can go deeper into the game can help. It's always good to get to the next level. When the starter goes six, it helps us maneuver the game the rest of the way."
So is Cora confident his right-hander is going to have an extended outing every time?
"I don't tell him that, but yeah," Cora said. "When he goes out, we expect him to go six or seven."
Eovaldi allowed two unearned runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings in Houston on Monday. He struck out six and walked two. He's 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) against the Royals.
The left-handed Lynch has not pitched six full innings since his third start of the year. He's pitched into the sixth frequently, including his most recent start when he threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox in a 2-1 win on Monday. He didn't walk a batter and struck out seven.
He said pitching deep into games is not his goal as much as it is a result of meeting his goals.
"I think those are all results, not process things," Lynch, 25, said. "The way I'm going to get deeper into games and pitch better is to work on my delivery, working on my command. I never go out there thinking, 'I need to go deep in this game.' I try to take it one pitch at a time. That's how the results come.
"I feel like I'm making improvements and still learning. There's always going to be more to learn. I just feel like I'm trying to learn every day and get better every day. I want to keep going out there and giving the team a chance to win."
Lynch will face the Red Sox for the first time in his career.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 13:15:16 GMT -5
Game 109: Red Sox at Royals lineups and notesBy Amin Touri Globe Staff,Updated August 6, 2022, 2 hours ago After evening the series with the Royals with a win on Friday, the Red Sox can guarantee at least a split with another one on Saturday. Nate Eovaldi is on the mound for Boston, trying to regain his rhythm after returning from the injured list. The righthander had a 3.16 ERA in 68 ⅓ innings before a stint on the shelf with back inflammation; that mark is 7.45 in the four starts since he was reactivated. Lefty Daniel Lynch has the ball for the Royals, making his first start against the Sox after one of his best outings of the season. The second-year southpaw tossed 5 ⅓ shutout innings against the White Sox on Monday, striking out seven without a walk. RED SOX (54-54):
1. Tommy Pham (R) LF 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 4. Alex Verdugo (L) RF 5. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 6. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B 7. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B 8. Jaylin Davis (R) CF 9. Kevin Plawecki (R) C Pitching: RHP Nate Eovaldi (5-3, 4.11 ERA) ROYALS (42-65):
1. MJ Melendez (L) LF 2. Bobby Witt Jr. (R) SS 3. Salvador Perez (R) C 4. Vinnie Pasquantino (L) DH 5. Hunter Dozier (R) 3B 6. Nick Pratto (L) 1B 7. Michael A. Taylor (R) CF 8. Kyle Isbel (L) RF 9. Nicky Lopez (L) 2B Pitching: LHP Daniel Lynch (4-7, 4.70 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Lynch: Has not faced any Boston batters Royals vs. Eovaldi: Dozier 3-6, Lopez 3-6, O’Hearn 0-4, Perez 1-9, Rivero 0-3, Taylor 1-9 Stat of the day: Xander Bogaerts’s four-hit game on Friday was the 20th of his career, second among Sox shortstops behind Nomar Garciaparra (21). Notes: Eovaldi has pitched at least six innings in eight starts this season, allowing three or fewer runs in seven of them. He has a combined 2.70 ERA in 14 of his 16 starts, with the only aberrations against Houston (six earned runs on May 17) and Toronto (nine runs on July 22) ... Eovaldi is 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) against the Royals ... Lynch has not pitched six full innings since his third start of the year ... The Sox enter the day in last place in the American League East at .500, two games back of the Orioles in fourth. Song of the Day: Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSKrC7dGcY
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 14:42:18 GMT -5
In a normal world Duran would be in AAA not only is here struggling at the plate bad jumps in the field, and a noodle arm.
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 16m Tommy Pham is leading off for the Red Sox tonight in Kansas City. It sounds like it won't be a one-day thing with Jarren Duran (hitting .155 since July 3) struggling.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 14:43:24 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 2m
This is the first time Pham will bat leadoff this season. Did so 63 times last year (.251/.364/.418).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 6, 2022 17:18:39 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1h Alex Cora is the finest manager in big league history. And it has nothing to do with moving the pre-game press conference from the dugout to his air-conditioned office.
Michael Wacha will make another rehab start on Tuesday. Cora said it would likely be at Portland.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 7, 2022 3:11:20 GMT -5
Pratto's 9th-inning homer gives Royals 5-4 win over Red Sox AP
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Rookie Nick Pratto hit a game-ending home run in the ninth inning, giving the Kansas City Royals a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night.
Pratto blasted a two-out, 3-2 changeup from Garrett Whitlock (2-2) an estimated 424 feet to center field for his second career homer and first at Kauffman Stadium.
''It was just like any other at-bat where I come up there with a plan and try to execute it,'' Pratto said. ''Throughout the at-bat he was making a lot of pitches to the edges so I felt like I was hanging in there and not chasing. It was a situation where I felt like I executed.''
Whitlock, who had retired all eight batters he faced before Pratto, was less measured in his assessment of the walk-off homer.
''He hit it out,'' Whitlock said. ''I'm pissed off, obviously not at you all, not anyone but myself and the guy made a good frickin' swing, but it was a terrible pitch by me.''
The Royals began and ended the game with homers for the second time in team history - the first was on July 3, 1973. MJ Melendez hit his second leadoff homer of the series, a 434-foot drive to right field for his 12th longball this season.
''It's extra special when they have a bunch of their buddies around,'' Royals manager Mike Matheny said. ''This is just a unique situation where you have so many guys that have come up together that are pulling for each other and helped each other get here.''
Kyle Isbel also homered for Kansas City.
Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run drive for Boston in the fourth inning and Alex Verdugo went deep in the sixth to tie the game at 4-4.
''We put together some good at-bats, especially at the end of the game,'' Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. ''It was a good effort, but we didn't end up finishing the game.''
Dylan Coleman (3-1) retired the Red Sox in order in the ninth.
Boston's J.D. Martinez doubled in the second inning and scored when Christian Arroyo reached on a fielding error by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Kansas City has made 27 errors in its last 32 games, the most by any team in that span.
Witt hit a two-run single in the third to put the Royals ahead 3-1.
MIRROR IMAGES
Both starting pitchers had nearly identical numbers. Boston's Nathan Eovaldi and Kansas City's Daniel Lynch each worked six innings, and each allowed four runs on seven hits, including two homers, while walking none. Eovaldi struck out seven to Lynch's six.
UP NEXT
Boston sends RHP Kutter Crawford (3-3, 3.86 ERA) to the mound on Sunday as it seeks a split of the four-game series. RHP Brad Keller (5-12, 4.61), who allowed a career-high eight runs against the White Sox on Tuesday, starts for the Royals.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 7, 2022 3:40:38 GMT -5
Garrett Whitlock gives up walk-off homer to Nick Pratto as Boston Red Sox lose, 5-4, to Royals, drop back under .500
Updated: Aug. 06, 2022, 10:24 p.m.|Published: Aug. 06, 2022, 10:01 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
On a brutally hot Saturday night in Kansas City, both the first and last pitches thrown by Red Sox pitchers left Kauffman Stadium in a heartbreaking loss for Boston.
With two outs in the ninth inning, Royals first baseman Nick Pratto hit a walk-off solo home run off Garrett Whitlock to give the Royals a 5-4 win. The loss dropped the Red Sox below .500 at 54-55.
Pratto’s blast ended a back-and-forth affair in which the Sox and Royals combined for five homers, including a leadoff blast MJ Melendez hit off Nate Eovaldi in the bottom of the first. With the score tied, 4-4, after Alex Verdugo hit a game-tying solo shot in the sixth, Whitlock retired the first eight batters he faced before Pratto took a 3-2 changeup over the center-field fence. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
Eovaldi’s night did not get off to a good start as Melendez deposited the righty’s first pitch into the seats to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. In the top of the second, J.D. Martinez doubled then scored on a Bobby Witt Jr. fielding error to tie the game.
Eovaldi then allowed three singles in a four-batter stretch, including a two-run knock by Witt, as the Royals took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third. But a half-inning later, Bobby Dalbec tied the game with a two-run shot off Daniel Lynch. Kyle Isbel (bottom of 4th) and Verdugo (top of 6th) exchanged solo shots that left the game tied, 4-4.
Eovaldi wasn’t at his sharpest, but he still lasted six innings. The righty allowed four runs, seven hits and two home runs while striking out seven batters. Lynch had almost an identical line, allowing the same number of runs, hits and homers but striking out one fewer batter. Neither starter issued a walk.
Whitlock pitched back-to-back 1-2-3 innings and the seventh and eighth and needed a total of just 19 pitches to record eight outs. Pratto, a rookie, worked an eight-pitch at-bat before sending an 86 mph changeup into orbit. It was just the second homer Whitlock has allowed as a reliever this season (and the first since Opening Day, when D.J. LeMahieu took him deep).
Christian Arroyo (3-for-4, R) had three hits in the loss and Verdugo had two. The Red Sox have now lost two of three in Kansas City to begin the series and will have to win Sunday to salvage a split. Boston is 3-3 on its road trip so far.
Dalbec, Verdugo hit game-tying blasts
Both Dalbec and Verdugo hit clutch homers that tied the game at various points. In the fourth inning, after Christian Arroyo hit a two-out single, Dalbec took a first-pitch slider into the seats for his 11th homer of the year. It traveled 420 feet and came off the bat at 107.8 mph.
Two innings later, Verdugo’s solo shot -- his first off a lefty since Aug. 23 of last year -- tied it, 4-4. His homer traveled 419 feet.
Davis makes diving catch
With two outs in the second, Sox center fielder Jaylin Davis made one of Boston’s best defensive plays of the year. Michael A. Taylor lined an Eovaldi pitch into the left-center gap but Davis caught it, robbing Taylor of an extra-base hit with a diving snap.
Crawford will pitch finale
Rookie righty Kutter Crawford (3-3, 3.86 ERA) will look to continue his solid stretch in Sunday’s series finale. Right-hander Brad Keller (5-12, 4.61 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals.
First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. ET. The Red Sox will then be off Monday before starting a six-game homestand with a two-game set against the Braves on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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