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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 28, 2023 10:38:13 GMT -5
Game 53: Red Sox at Diamondbacks lineups and notesBy Amin Touri Globe Staff,Updated May 28, 2023, 7 minutes ago These Red Sox just love a streak. After four consecutive losses (which followed four consecutive wins, which in turn had followed another four consecutive losses), baseball’s streakiest team can make it three wins in a row and claim a sweep over the Diamondbacks with Tanner Houck on the bump in Arizona on Sunday. Merrill Kelly has had a strong start to the season for the Diamondbacks, with a 2.98 ERA through 10 starts, and will take the ball for the hosts with hopes of keeping the brooms stored away. Lineups RED SOX (28-24): 1. Alex Verdugo (L) RF 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. Justin Turner (R) DH 4. Masataka Yoshida (L) LF 5. Jarren Duran (L) CF 6. Triston Casas (L) 1B 7. Enrique Hernandez (R) SS 8. Enmanuel Valdez (L) 2B 9. Connor Wong (R) C Pitching: RHP Tanner Houck (3-3, 4.99 ERA) DIAMONDBACKS (29-23): 1. Pavin Smith (L) DH 2. Ketel Marte (S) 2B 3. Corbin Carroll (L) CF 4. Christian Walker (R) 1B 5. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R) LF 6. Josh Rojas (L) 3B 7. Gabriel Moreno (R) C 8. Jake McCarthy (L) RF 9. Geraldo Perdomo (S) SS Pitching: RHP Merrill Kelly (5-3, 2.98 ERA) Time: 4:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Kelly: Rafael Devers 0-3, Kiké Hernández 1-8, Pablo Reyes 0-1, Raimel Tapia 7-15, Justin Turner 9-23, Alex Verdugo 0-3 Diamondbacks vs. Houck: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 0-4 Stat of the day: Diamondbacks starter Kelly made his first MLB start in 2019, 12 years after he was first drafted by the Orioles in 2007 and nine years after he was taken again by the Rays in 2010. Notes: Boston likely will see the return of Rafael Devers in the series finale. He sat out the first two games of the series because of an ailing calf ... Houck won three of his first four starts this season but has lost three of his past five. He settled for a no-decision on Monday despite allowing one run on three hits with eight strikeouts in six innings against the Angels ... Houck has yet to face Arizona in his career ... Kelly lost his lone career start against the Sox despite yielding just one earned run in eight innings of a 1-0 setback on April 7, 2019. It was his second start in the majors. Song of the Day: Queen "Stone Cold Crazy" www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0kTkxhyWNo
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 28, 2023 14:30:13 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 36m Good note from the #RedSox:
Prior to Reese McGuire last night, the last Sox player credited with a bases-loaded sacrifice bunt was Jerry Remy on June 11, 1979 at KC.
It was off Al Hrabosky and scored Butch Hobson in the 10th. Sox won 4-0 as Bob Stanley threw a 10-inning shutout
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 28, 2023 18:50:47 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 2h Casas and Duran are 9 x 55 on the trip with 24 Ks, 2 BBs, 2 XBHs and 1 RBI.
Duran punches out a 4th time.
@alexspeier and I were discussing the merits of bunting. Hard to give away outs in the 8th inning. But maybe that was the way to go given his struggles.Duran punches out a 4th time.
@alexspeier and I were discussing the merits of bunting. Hard to give away outs in the 8th inning. But maybe that was the way to go given his struggles.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 28, 2023 18:51:51 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 57m #Diamondbacks 4, #RedSox 2, final.
Sox (28-25) finish the road trip 4-5.
Sox left 10 men on base (5 in the last three innings) and were 1x7 with RISP.Sox left 10 men on base (5 in the last three innings) and were 1x7 with RISP.
Sox pitchers have gone 17 innings without a walk.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 28, 2023 21:17:10 GMT -5
3 takeaways from Boston's series win to wrap 9-game road trip Bullpen gives up one run over 12 innings, offense inconsistent across three-game set 9:59 PM GMT-3
@jesus_cano88 Share
PHOENIX -- The Red Sox’s nine-game, three-city road trip came to an end on Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 loss to the D-backs under the roof at Chase Field.
Boston left with a series win, but went 4-5 on the road trip. The team will fly back home and enjoy an off-day on Memorial Day -- good timing with the Celtics playing at home in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Final -- before a weeklong homestand that starts Tuesday against the Reds.
There are some areas the Red Sox excelled at in Phoenix and others that still need improvement, which will be critical with the Rays coming into town next weekend for a four-game series.
Here are three takeaways from this weekend’s series in the desert:
The bullpen anchored
Let’s start with a positive note. Red Sox manager Alex Cora has emphasized how happy he is with the state of his pitching staff, especially the bullpen.
Through 12 innings, the 'pen only allowed one run and kept the Red Sox within striking distance. In Saturday’s win, the relief corps worked four innings with just a one-run difference, which was highlighted by an athletic play by Kutter Crawford that resulted in a right ankle contusion -- Cora said Crawford is OK and should be available in Tuesday’s series opener.
Sunday was the same tale. After taking over for Tanner Houck in the fifth inning with a four-run deficit, the bullpen kept the D-backs’ bats quiet. Cora said pregame that Nick Pivetta, who was moved to the bullpen after a win over the Mariners on May 17, would be relied on heavily in the series finale, and he delivered with three scoreless innings.
“That's what we envisioned,” Cora said. “The breaking ball was good. He kept on balance, but the velocity was a lot better and that's what we want. We want him to pace himself. … He's done it before with us and he was good. So hopefully today was the first step for something great for him.”
The offense needs to show up more consistently
Friday’s offensive outburst (seven runs on 14 hits) was a good sign, especially coming off a four-game losing streak, but after that, they were not clutch with runners in scoring position.
Saturday’s game-winning play came on a self-called bases-loaded sacrifice bunt by Reese McGuire. It was a play that luckily paid off, but the Red Sox shouldn’t have had to rely on that run considering they left seven runners on base that game.
The same struggles continued on Sunday, except this time the Red Sox left 10 runners on base. After struggling against D-backs starter Merrill Kelly, the offense woke up in the last three innings, each time with runners in scoring position. They only capitalized once, on a bases-loaded RBI single by Alex Verdugo in the seventh inning.
Rafael Devers made his return to the lineup and played third after missing back-to-back games with left calf tightness. He had two chances to change the outcome of the game, most notably with the bases loaded in the seventh inning when he struck out on a two-out pitch out of the zone by Andrew Chafin. He was visibly frustrated after ending the inning.
“Everybody wants to do their job when there's bases loaded,” Devers said through an interpreter. “You always want to help your team win and get some runs in. I think it was a bad pitch and I got a little frustrated over that but nothing special.”
Houck’s start a tale of adaption
Houck was looking to build off his solid start against the Angels. Instead, he gave up three runs in the first inning, which was led by a two-run opposite-field homer from Corbin Carroll. Houck finished by giving up four runs on six hits over four frames, his shortest outing of the month.
Houck answered by retiring every batter the second time through the order. The key to calming down? Looking at the film with Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush and making in-game adjustments.
“[The] sinker, slider, kind of everything was just flat,” Houck said. “I know whenever I get to planes, horizontal and depth, pitches are a lot better. So it's one of those things where it's getting too much on the side of the ball as well as rotational, causing things to flatten up just a little bit.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 28, 2023 21:18:08 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Crawford (ankle contusion) day to day 4:26 PM GMT-3
LATEST NEWS May 28: RHP Kutter Crawford, right ankle contusion, day to day In Saturday’s win over the D-backs, Crawford was hit by a comebacker in his right ankle, resulting in a contusion. Crawford was still able to pull a miraculous play to record the out. Manager Alex Cora said that Crawford is OK and will be available Tuesday in the series opener against the Reds at Fenway.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 28, 2023 21:26:06 GMT -5
Red Sox end road trip with loss as Tanner Houck hit hard early in Arizona Updated: May. 28, 2023, 8:19 p.m.|Published: May. 28, 2023, 6:59 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com So far this season, Red Sox starter Tanner Houck has struggled facing the opponent’s order for the second and third time through. On Sunday, the Diamondbacks didn’t wait that long.
Arizona tagged Houck for four early runs and handed the Red Sox a 4-2 sweep-avoiding loss in the finale of Boston’s long nine-game west coast road trip. Boston was dominated by righty starter Merrill Kelly and fell to 28-25; the Red Sox finished their trip with a 4-5 record in San Diego, Anaheim and Phoenix.
The D-Backs greeted Houck, who the Sox chose to keep in the rotation over Corey Kluber earlier in the week, with a hit parade in the first. With one out, Ketel Marte singled before Rookie of the Year candidate Corbin Carroll opened the scoring with a two-run opposite field homer. Arizona followed with three more singles, including a Josh Rojas knock that made it 3-0.
Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo made it 4-0 with a solo shot to lead off the second inning. Houck then settled down and retired the last nine hitters he faced but was no match for Kelly, who kept Boston’s offense at bay throughout the afternoon. Kelly struck out 10 Red Sox, holding Boston to four hits over 6 ⅓ innings.
The Sox’ first good scoring chance came in the seventh, when Triston Casas singled and Kiké Hernández walked with one out, knocking Kelly out of the game. Lefty reliever Andrew Chafin then walked pinch-hitter Rob Refsnyder to load the bases, but all the Sox could muster was a single run on an Alex Verdugo RBI single. With two outs, Chafin struck out Rafael Devers to escape the jam.
Justin Turner made it a two-run game when he led off the eighth with a solo shot (his sixth of the season) off lefty Kyle Nelson but the Sox were unable to scratch across any more runs despite two more baserunners in the inning. In the ninth, Arizona closer Miguel Castro worked around a Verdugo single to retire the side, striking Turner out to end the game.
The Red Sox are now 12-14 on the road this season as well as 8-11 against National League teams. They fell to 15-19 against right-handed starters.
Pivetta shines; Casas, Duran struggle
Nick Pivetta was excellent out of Boston’s bullpen, allowing just two hits (and striking out three) in three scoreless innings as his ERA dropped to 5.77 this season. Pivetta kept the Sox in the game late but the offense was unable to fully close the gap.
Casas and Jarren Duran both had rough games at the plate. Casas was 1-for-4 with three strikeouts while Duran was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. In total, Boston’s hitters struck out 15 times (including seven times looking) while working only four walks.
Sunday’s showing ended a miserable road trip for Duran, who went 3-for-31 (.097) with 15 strikeouts in eight games out west. His OPS fell from 1.006 to .817 during that stretch.
Reds in town starting Tuesday
The Red Sox will fly home late Sunday night and have Monday off before beginning a six-game, seven-game homestand that includes a day-night doubleheader against the Rays on Saturday. First, though, is a three-game interleague set against the Reds.
Here’s the schedule (and pitching probables) for that series:
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. ET — RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 2.65 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (3-2, 4.08 ERA)
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. ET — RHP Luke Weaver (1-2, 5.45 ERA) vs. LHP James Paxton (1-1, 5.14 ERA)
Thursday, 7:10 p.m. ET — RHP Hunter Greene (1-4, 4.18 ERA) vs. LHP James Paxton (5-2, 4.72 ERA)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 29, 2023 5:37:26 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox caught up in the hoopla of potentially historic Celtics run By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated May 28, 2023, 10:03 p.m.
PHOENIX — Long after the Red Sox had finished their game on Saturday night, several players and the entire coaching staff lingered in the visitors’ clubhouse at Chase Field to ride the emotional roller coaster of the Celtics’ buzzer-beating victory over the Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.
“We’re following, man. It’s fun,” said Sox manager Alex Cora. “I tell these guys from the get-go that you have to enjoy the whole experience. This city is different [when it comes to sports], with all due respect to the other ones.”
Cora and several members of the team are making arrangements to attend Game 7 on Memorial Day — an offday for the Sox in Boston at the conclusion of a nine-game, 11-day road trip.
“They’re one win away from pulling this off and [Monday] should be crazy. Kind of like Game 4 [of the 2021 ALDS] against the Rays when we had the Marathon in the morning and then the game at night,” said Cora. “It’s going to be a lot of beverages and then Game 7. That’s going to be nuts.”
A day after Kutter Crawford exited the game after getting struck in the right ankle by a liner, the righthander — who wouldn’t have been a consideration to pitch on Sunday, one day after logging 2⅓ innings — said he expected to be available when the Sox host the Reds on Tuesday.
“A little sore, a little tender, but nothing alarming. Kind of just normal bruise, contusion stuff,” said Crawford. “We’ll obviously see how it feels day to day, but I don’t think it’s something that’s serious to keep me off the field.”
Crawford made a web gem on the play that led to his injury. The ball ricocheted back across the foul line, and Crawford jumped up from the ground, engaged in a Matrix-like dodge of hitter Gabriel Moreno, barehanded the ball, and flipped it to first for the out while falling over. He was intrigued to learn after the play, however, that he could have run over Moreno in pursuit of the ball.
“I was avoiding contact because I didn’t want it to be interference, but I was informed as long as I’m going for the ball, I have the right of the path,” he said. “Next time I might not pull up on the brakes. We’ll see.” Devers back in lineup
Rafael Devers returned to the lineup after missing two games with tightness in his right calf. The third baseman went 0 for 5. “I feel overall very good. I felt good at the plate as well, good timing,” Devers said through a translator. “Just, things didn’t go my way as expected but everything else is fine.” . . . Christian Arroyo (hamstring) played a third straight rehab game with Triple A Worcester, going 2 for 4 with a double. The infielder is 4 for 10 with a walk and two strikeouts in his WooSox assignment. He’ll be examined at Fenway on Monday, but Cora believed Arroyo may need a few more games in the minors before he’s activated.
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