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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 20, 2023 16:47:34 GMT -5
Playoff-chasing Rangers hit 4 homers in a 15-5 win over Red Sox after trailing 4-0 early AP
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Marcus Semien drove in three runs and scored for the AL-best 115th time, Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver hit back-to-back homers and the playoff-chasing Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 15-5 on Wednesday.
Rookies Josh Jung and Evan Carter each added two-run homers for the Rangers (84-68), who began the day a half-game behind Houston for the AL West lead and tied with division foe Seattle for the American League’s third and final wild-card spot.
Left-hander Martin Perez (10-4) struck out five while allowing three hits over 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Jon Gray, who has now allowed 11 runs over 8 2/3 innings his last three starts.
Boston, last in the AL East, dropped its fifth consecutive series even after jumping ahead 4-0. Adam Duvall hit a three-run homer in the first and Bobby Dalbec had a leadoff shot in the second off Gray. The Red Sox have lost 12 of their last 15 games.
The first seven Texas batters reached base in the bottom of the second off Brayan Bello (12-10). That included Heim's three-run homer just before Garver went deep - it was the 18th homer for both. Semien's two-run single capped the outburst that snapped the 4-all tie and put Texas ahead to stay.
Semien drew a bases-loaded walk in the third after an RBI single by Leody Taveras, who added a sacrifice fly an inning later.
Bello allowed eight runs and eight hits over three innings. He walked four, hit a batter and struck out two.
LOT OF HITS AND RUNS
Texas, which finished with 16 hits, broke franchise records by scoring at least 10 runs for the 26th time and at least 15 runs for the sixth time. The Rangers had already tied both of those records - the 25 games with 10 runs by the 2008 team, and five games with 15 runs in 1998. ... Every Texas starter had a base hit and scored a run, with Nathaniel Lowe the only one who didn't have an RBI. Jung, the All-Star third baseman in his third game back after missing six weeks with a fractured left thumb, had three hits and scored three times. Carter, in his 13th big league game, also had three hits and scored twice.
100/100 FOR GARCIA
Rangers All-Star slugger Adolis Garcia, in his third game back after missing 10 games with a right patellar tendon strain in his right knee, walked in the second inning and scored on Heim's homer. That was the 100th run scored this season for Garcia, who got his 102nd RBI with a double in the fourth. The right fielder is the only the second Rangers player in the past 18 seasons to score 100 runs and drive in 100. The other in that span was Josh Hamilton in 2012, when he had 128 RBIs and 103 runs scores.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: 2B Luis Urias exited the game with left calf tightness. He was lifted for a pinch-runner after his single in the seventh inning. ... Rookie OF Wilyer Abreu missed the entire series after he hurt his throwing hand crashing into the wall trying to make a catch on the game-ending play in their loss Sunday at Toronto. Manager Alex Cora said Abreu was feeling better.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: Boston is back at Fenway Park on Friday night to start its final homestand in a series opener against the Chicago White Sox.
Rangers: After their final off day of the regular season, the Rangers open their final home series of the regular season with the opener against Seattle on Friday night.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 20, 2023 16:49:20 GMT -5
Brayan Bello rocked by Texas, Red Sox give up season-high in runs in blowout
Updated: Sep. 20, 2023, 5:04 p.m.|Published: Sep. 20, 2023, 4:53 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
ARLINGTON, Texas — On Wednesday afternoon, the Red Sox looked like a team that just wants their season to be over.
Starter Brayan Bello was shellacked for eight earned runs in three innings and the Red Sox gave up a season-high in runs as the Rangers routed Boston, 15-5, to take the rubber match of a three-game series at Globe Life Field. Boston is now 3-12 in its last 15 games and 75-78 on the season. The Sox will need to win six of their final nine to finish at .500.
Bello, who has struggled in day games all season, had one of the worst starts by a Red Sox starter this season. He was tagged for eight hits and eight runs while issuing four walks and striking out two batters. His ERA rose from 3.71 to 4.11. Reliever Nick Robertson didn’t fare much better, giving up five runs in two frames. In total, Texas had 15 hits (including eight extra-base hits) and four homers. Marcus Semien and Jonah Heim led the way with three RBIs apiece.
Before the avalanche of Rangers runs, Boston actually gave Bello an early lead. Adam Duvall crushed a three-run homer off starter Jon Gray in the first, then Bobby Dalbec made it 4-0 with his first big league homer of the season in the second inning. From there, it was all Rangers.
Bello’s second inning started with a single and a walk before back-to-back homers from Heim and Mitch Garver tied the game. Three batters later, Semien’s two-run single — Texas’ fifth hit in a row and sixth of the inning — capped off a six-run inning. In the third, Bello got two quick strikeouts, then gave the Rangers another scoring chance by walking Heim and hitting Garver with a pitch. Leody Taveras made it 7-4 with an RBI single and Bello walked in Texas’ eighth run by issuing Semien a free pass.
Before Wednesday, no Red Sox starter had allowed eight runs in an outing.
Robertson, who had pitched well in September, didn’t do much better in the fourth. Three straight hits, including an Adolis García RBI double, made it 9-4. Taveras’ sacrifice fly put the Rangers in double digits. In the fifth, a Rafael Devers fielding error set up Corey Seager for an RBI double. Two batters later, Josh Jung hit a two-run shot to make it 13-4.
The Rangers weren’t done there. Carter’s second career homer came off John Schreiber in the sixth, making it 15-4.
Boston’s bats went cold after the second, with the Rangers retiring 10 in a row at one point. Old friend Martín Pérez pitched well in relief, going 4 ⅔ scoreless innings while striking out five. The Sox plated their fifth run in the ninth when Ceddanne Rafaela hit an RBI single off lefty Will Smith.
Boston fell to 37-40 on the road and finished its season series with the Rangers at 3-3.
Urías leaves game
Second baseman Luis Urías left the game with left calf tightness, according to the Red Sox. Wilyer Abreu pinch-ran for him in the seventh then Connor Wong took over at second base.
White Sox come to Fenway on Friday
The Red Sox will begin their last homestand of the season Friday when they welcome the White Sox to town for a three-game series between out-of-contention teams. Chris Sale will get things going against his former team in the opener.
Here’s the schedule (along with pitching probables):
Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET — RHP Touki Toussaint (4-7, 5.40 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (6-4, 4.66 ERA)
Saturday, 4:10 p.m. ET — RHP Dylan Cease (7-8, 4.85 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (9-9, 4.48 ERA)
Sunday, 1:35 p.m. ET — RHP Mike Clevinger (8-8, 3.42 ERA) vs. RHP Kutter Crawford (6-7, 4.19 ERA)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 21, 2023 4:38:34 GMT -5
Why does Red Sox starter Brayan Bello (6.94 ERA) struggle in day games?
Updated: Sep. 20, 2023, 7:39 p.m.|Published: Sep. 20, 2023, 7:28 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
ARLINGTON, Texas — Brayan Bello’s 2023 season has been — literally — night and day for the Red Sox.
Bello, who was rocked for eight runs in three innings in Wednesday’s 15-5 blowout loss to the Rangers, has been a completely different pitcher depending on the scheduled first pitch time of his starts. In 17 night games, he has dominated, posting a 2.80 ERA and striking out 85 batters in 103 innings. In 10 day games, he owns a 6.94 ERA while allowing 67 hits in 48 innings.
Wednesday’s start, which began at 1:05 p.m. local time in Texas, was his worst of the season. Home runs by Adam Duvall and Bobby Dalbec gave the Red Sox a 4-0 lead in the top of the second before the Rangers exploded for six runs on six hits in the second inning and two more runs in the third. Bello’s ERA rose from 3.71 to 4.11 in just three innings.
“To be honest, I don’t know what happened,” Bello said through interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez. “I tried to execute my pitches. I tried to get ahead of the hitters and but it didn’t happen today. It wasn’t my day today.
“I’ve never had a game like this before. I felt like every pitch I threw, they were able to make adjustments and hit the ball hard.”
The Red Sox are keenly aware of Bello’s day/night splits, which have plagued him since his season debut on Patriots Day, when he was tagged for five runs and eight hits in 2 ⅔ innings in a loss to the Angels. It has been a topic of conversation with the young righty throughout the season. Still, manager Alex Cora thinks Bello’s daytime struggles are an aberration more than anything.
As they do with most young pitchers, the Red Sox have worked with Bello to alter his routine on weeks he has a scheduled day start. Following the lead of longtime Sox righty Nathan Eovaldi, who was committed to a strict routine during his time in Boston, Bello has woken up earlier in the days before a daytime start and changed other aspects of his pre-start routine.
“When it’s your turn to pitch, it’s your turn to pitch... Some guys struggle on Thursday and you’ve got to pitch on Thursday,” Cora said. “He knows what he needs to do before going into these starts, the day game ones.”
“It’s a process during the week. Get up earlier. Your weight room stuff, do it earlier. More activation before the start. And he’s been doing that. The numbers show that, but I don’t think he’s not a morning person or is a night person.”
Bello couldn’t put his finger on exactly why he has pitched so poorly during the day.
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“I do the same work whether the game is day or night,” he said. “I try to do my routine and everything the same. I don’t know what’s going on there.”
Trailing 4-0, the Rangers jumped all over Bello in the second inning. Josh Jung singled, then Aroldis García walked before Jonah Heim made it 4-3 with a three-run homer. Mitch Garver followed Heim with a game-tying solo shot. After a Leody Taveras single and Evan Carter double, Marcus Semien made it 6-4 with a single of his own. Seven consecutive Rangers reached before Bello got Corey Seager to ground into a double play and Nathaniel Lowe to ground out.
In the third, it was much of the same. Bello got two quick strikeouts then walked Heim and hit Garver with a pitch before Taveras and Carter both singled. Bello forced in Texas’ eighth run with a walk to Semien.
“They put some good swings on pitches in the zone,” Cora said. “The command was off. It’s one of those that, you’ve got to turn the page and be ready for the next one.”
Bello will pitch once more before the end of the season, likely Wednesday night in Boston’s home finale against the Rays. Luckily for him and the Red Sox, that’s a night game.
“He’s a good pitcher,” Cora said. “He’s part of the future, he’s part of the present and he just had a bad one today.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 21, 2023 4:40:42 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Urías (left calf) exits early September 20th, 2023 LATEST NEWS
Sept. 20: INF Luis Urías (calf tightness) departs early Urías exited Wednesday's 15-5 loss to the Rangers in the top of the seventh inning due to left calf tightness. He legged out an infield single, but walked off the field gingerly afterward and was replaced by pinch-runner Wilyer Abreu.
Manager Alex Cora said after the game that Urías just felt some tightness and will be re-evaluated when the club returns to Boston.
Sept. 20: RHP Kenley Jansen (COVID-19) considered day to day Jansen, who was placed on the COVID-19 IL on Sept. 13, did not make the trip to Texas but is hopeful to rejoin the team when it returns to Boston, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who said the big righty is feeling better.
Jansen was eligible to be activated on Wednesday, but the team opted to keep him out as he recovers from the illness.
“It all depends on what [the doctor] says,” Cora said. “[Jansen] still needs the green light. He also hasn’t pitched in a while, so we have to be smart about that, too.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 21, 2023 4:51:58 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK In his eighth professional baseball stop, Zack Weiss is making the most of his opportunities with the Red Sox By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated September 20, 2023, 7:41 p.m.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Red Sox have asked a lot from their bullpen thanks to a rotation that has thrown the second-fewest innings in the American League this season.
Righthander Zack Weiss has provided some needed assistance since being called up on Sept. 9.
Weiss allowed two runs in his first game and has since given up one unearned run on one hit over 6⅔ innings in five appearances. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning in Wednesday’s 15-5 loss against the Rangers, striking out two.
“Trying to stay aggressive and attack and pitch to my strengths,” said Weiss, who was claimed off waivers from the Angels on Aug. 25.
Weiss, 31, has played for six organizations and two independent teams over 11 seasons in pro ball after being drafted out of UCLA in 2013. Wednesday was his 25th appearance in a major league game.
The Red Sox needing arms has created an opportunity for him.
“Getting consistent work has been very helpful,” Weiss said. “I haven’t had a ton of opportunities at this level so every game I get I put a lot of value into it. I really appreciate it.”
Weiss never expected he’d face the Yankees twice as a member of the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
“Pretty special,” he said. “That’s something you watch on Sunday Night Baseball. It’s been very cool to play for a historic franchise like the Red Sox. When you’re pitching, you’re competing. But I’m also able to appreciate being in that situation.”
Kelly’s comeback continues
Manager Alex Cora said “there’s a good chance” righthanded reliever Zack Kelly would rejoin the team on Friday. Kelly has been on the injured list since April 13 with an elbow injury that required surgery to repair a displaced nerve.
Kelly has a 3.86 ERA in nine appearances for the Sox since being signed as a minor league free agent in 2020.
It doesn’t appear Kenley Jansen will be with the team this weekend.
The closer, who went on the COVID-19 injured list last week, still hasn’t been cleared by team medical director Dr. Larry Ronan. He also hasn’t pitched since Sept. 12 and will likely need to throw in the bullpen first.
“We have to be smart about that, too,” Cora said.
Rookie outfielder Wilyer Abreu, who jammed his left hand trying to make a catch in Toronto on Sunday, missed two games before getting into Wednesday’s game as a pinch runner in the seventh inning.
Second baseman Luis Urias left Wednesday’s game in the eighth inning with a tight left calf. He is day to day.
Urias was the only trade deadline acquisition made by now-former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. He has hit .225 in 32 games and played poorly on defense. White Sox next
Two teams out of contention start a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday night when the White Sox come to town.
But do not expect spring training-type lineups from the Red Sox. Cora said he’ll play the regulars.
“There’s 35,000 people there. They go to Fenway and they’re going to enjoy it,” the manager said. “I’ve been watching the highlights. A lot of teams in the hunt and a lot of empty stadiums. That’s not going to happen at Fenway, I hope, this weekend.
“Those fans deserve the best of us. They’ve been there the whole season and they’ll be there.”
Chris Sale is scheduled to face his former team Friday night. Touki Toussaint will start for Chicago. See you next season
The Sox are 4-6 at Globe Life Park. They are scheduled to play two exhibition games at the ballpark next March 25-26 before opening the regular season at Seattle on March 28 . . . The Sox fell to 37-40 on the road with four games at Baltimore remaining . . . John Schreiber did some shopping while he was in town. The reliever arrived at the clubhouse wearing cowboy boots, a Wrangler shirt, jeans, a belt with a big silver buckle, and a cowboy hat. He looked ready for a role in “Yellowstone.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 21, 2023 6:58:15 GMT -5
Red Sox officially eliminated from postseason contention After a disappointing showing at the trade deadline, the Red Sox have gone 18-28 since Aug. 1.
By Conor Ryan September 20, 2023
For the fourth time in the last five years, the Red Sox are going to be on the outside looking in at meaningful baseball in October.
Boston was officially eliminated from postseason contention on Wednesday evening, with the Sox now knocked out of the playoff picture for the second straight year.
Boston was pushed to the brink following its 15-5 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday afternoon, with the knockout punch delivered a few hours later after the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Yankees, 6-1.
The Red Sox’ fate comes as little surprise after a sustained slide down the standings over the last few months.
Entering the trade deadline at 57-50 and firmly in the AL Wild Card race, Boston lost steam after the team largely stood pat and didn’t acquire any impact players to bolster the roster, even with evident flaws present across the diamond.
Eventually, a banged-up starting rotation and beleaguered bullpen finally started to run out of gas, with Boston now 18-28 since Aug. 1. Boston currently sits in last place in the AL East with a record of 75-78, and have now lost 12 of its last 15 games.
Boston has just nine more games left on their schedule this season, with a pivotal offseason on the horizon.
Beyond the franchise’s search for a new top baseball executive following Chaim Bloom’s firing, the Red Sox have plenty of work to do when it comes to reconstructing a flawed roster at the big-league level.
“There’s a lot of things that we have to work [on],” Alex Cora told WEEI’s “Gresh and Fauria” show on Wednesday. “The offseason got more interesting, right? And more important. We gotta make a decision as an organization. Who’s gonna run this club and then after that, we have to improve in a lot of areas, as far as the big league roster.
“There’s a lot of good things that are happening. There’s a lot of good things that are happening in player development. But at the end of the day, as you guys know, up here is where it really counts. And the last few years we haven’t done a good job putting this team to the next level. … We have to improve in a lot of things.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 21, 2023 13:10:46 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 23h "They are finishing through the finish line," declares Kevin Millar about a #RedSox team that is 6-12 in September
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