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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 7, 2024 6:05:02 GMT -5
Red Sox lose: Rafael Devers makes costly error on ‘routine play’
Updated: Apr. 07, 2024, 3:59 a.m.|Published: Apr. 07, 2024, 12:21 a.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Rafael Devers made a costly error in the sixth inning and the Red Sox’ five-game winning streak ended. Boston lost 2-1 to Los Angeles here at Angel Stadium on Saturday.
Boston’s offense managed just three hits. Angels starter Reid Detmers struck out 12 in 6 dominant innings. What is going on with the Mets offensive struggles to start the season? - Around the Bases with Jon HeymanWhat is going on with the Mets offensive struggles to start the season? - Around the Bases with Jon Heyman
The Angels took the lead in the sixth. Zach Neto grounded to shortstop Pablo Reyes who seemed to have trouble transferring the ball from his glove to his hand. Reyes’ flip to second base for the force-out was late as runner Mickey Moniak beat the throw.
“Moniak did an outstanding job getting a good secondary lead and hustling on that play,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I didn’t see a replay. Pablo took longer than what he wanted to. But I think the guy at first got a great jump and got to second base. And we didn’t make a play after that.”
Moniak beating the flip to second loaded the bases with two outs for Anthony Rendon.
Rendon hit a 91.7 mph grounder to third base that should have ended the inning. But the ball took an in between hop and deflected off Devers’ glove into left field. Two runs scored on Devers’ error.
“That’s a routine play,” Cora said. “He knows it.”
Devers left the clubhouse before reporters entered.
“In between hop,” Cora said. “And the ball just kicked up. And he just missed the play.”
Whitlock can’t make it through 5 innings
Garrett Whitlock pitched 4 ⅓ scoreless innings. But four walks drove up his pitch count. He threw 101 pitches before reliever Greg Weissert replaced him with one out and runners at first and second base.
“I had to battle for sure,” Whitlock said. “They fouled off a lot of really good pitches and everything. And I didn’t have the command of my changeup I wanted. Other than that, just battled through it.”
Duran saves a run, drives in a run
For a second straight night, manager Alex Cora brought in Weissert to face Mike Trout in the fifth inning.
With runners at first and second base, Trout connected for a 278-foot, 82.2 mph liner to left field. Jarren Duran made a diving catch to his right.
Weissert then retired Taylor Ward on a fly-out to right field to end the inning.
Duran also drove in a run to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the third inning. He dropped an opposite-field single into left to score Connor Wong from third base.
Enmanuel Valdez saves run
With runners at first and second base, Enmanuel Valdez dived to his left and fielded Mickey Moniak’s 101.9 mph ground ball that looked like it was headed into right field. He fired to first base for the final out of the fourth inning.
Triston Casas makes diving play
Triston Casas dived to his right to catch Nolan Schanuel’s 95.2 mph line drive for the second out of the third inning.
Series finale Sunday
The Red Sox and Angels will play their three-game series finale Sunday. Righty Tanner Houck (0-0, 0.00) will start for Boston opposite Los Angeles righty Chase Silseth (0-0, 9.00).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 7, 2024 6:21:40 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen has his mind set on 500 saves, but is that a realistic goal? By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated April 6, 2024, 7:43 p.m.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kenley Jansen arrived at Angel Stadium on Saturday with 423 career saves, sixth all-time, one behind John Franco.
Jansen needs 15 saves to pass Francisco Rodriguez (437) and move into fourth place.
At that point, only Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601), and Lee Smith (478) would be ahead of Jansen.
The 36-year-old righthander has bigger goals than moving up the leaderboard a little.
“I want 500 saves,” Jansen said after pitching a perfect ninth inning to finish off the Red Sox’ 8-6 victory against the Angels on Friday night. “That would be a good number.”
Jansen averaged 36 saves from 2021-23 with the Dodgers, Braves, and Red Sox. So it’s possible he could reach 500 by the end of the 2025 season.
But there are warning signs. Jansen averaged only 90.7 miles per hour with his signature cutter Friday night. That’s well off the 94.3 he averaged last season.
Jansen threw six cutters to Mike Trout, the leadoff hitter in the inning. The first five were between 88.2-89.9 m.p.h. Jansen hit 91.8 with his final pitch to Trout and retired him on a fly ball to right field.
Jansen attributes the drop in velocity to making only four appearances in spring training because of injuries and more specifically the sore lower back he has been dealing with on the road trip.
“I have work to do,” Jansen acknowledged. “I’m not where I need to be. But I’ll get there.”
Friday was the third time Jansen had pitched in four days. Manager Alex Cora hasn’t taken it easy with his closer.
“The cutter was really good [Friday],” Cora said. “I know everyone was talking about the velocity with the cutters to Trout, but the action was good and you saw what happened at the end.”
Trout is 1 for 11 against Jansen in his career with eight strikeouts and a walk. The one hit was a home run in 2015 but Jansen got the save in that game. Houck takes turn
The Sox finish their 10-game road trip Sunday afternoon with Tanner Houck starting against righthander Chase Silseth.
Houck faced Oakland on Monday and had one of the best starts of his career, throwing six shutout innings. He allowed three hits and struck out 10 without a walk.
The 10 strikeouts matched Houck’s career high, which came in his third major league game in 2020.
Houck is 1-1 with a 6.28 earned run average in four career appearances against the Angels. He started twice against them last season and allowed three earned runs over 10 innings with 14 strikeouts.
Silseth, 23, faced the Sox for two innings in relief last season. He started Anaheim’s fourth game of the season and allowed four runs (three earned) at Miami on Monday. Next man up
Cora was somber Friday night when discussing Trevor Story’s injured left shoulder. Seeing his shortstop come out of the game in the fourth inning after diving for a ball was hard to watch.
“That’s the tough part of this job,” Cora said. “You try not to get attached emotionally with players. But they’re human beings. For three hours they’re baseball players, but before that we talk about a lot of stuff and you get attached to them because you know the work they put in.
“This kid has done everything right, everything possible to post for more than 150 games.”
Story told Cora before the season that his goal was to play at least 150-155 games after two injury-filled seasons.
Story was placed on the 10-day injured list with what was described as a dislocation. Infielder David Hamilton was called up from Triple A Worcester.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow offered no timetable on Story other than to say more information is expected once he sees associate head team orthopedist Dr. Evan O’Donnell in Boston on Monday. Angry bunch
The Angels played a lengthy video of franchise highlights on the scoreboard as part of the home opener festivities before the game on Friday night. The crowd booed all the clips showing Shohei Ohtani. Third baseman Anthony Rendon also was booed. He has hit .242 with a .740 OPS since agreeing to a seven-year, $245 million contract before the 2020 season … Tyler O’Neill hit four home runs in his first 22 at-bats. He had nine in 238 at-bats last season … Rafael Devers was hit on the top of the right hand by a pitch in the fifth inning on Friday. He left the park with his hand and wrist in a wrap but avoided any broken bones. Devers could avoid such injuries by wearing a batting glove with more padding, but he’s tried them and doesn’t like how it feels … Cora ran 17 miles on Saturday morning with his partner Angelica as part of her training for the Boston Marathon. “This is what we’re doing,” Cora said. “If people want to join us, hey, do it. Post it on Instagram. We’ll do a challenge or something for the [Red Sox] Foundation.” Cora is running his first 5K race next Saturday before the Sox play the Angels at Fenway.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 7, 2024 6:24:52 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs.Los Angeles Angels Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 4:05pm EDT Written by Paul Biagioli
A big matchup in the American League is set for Saturday when the Boston Red Sox (6-2) take on the Los Angeles Angels (4-3). This will be the third game of the series, as Boston won the first matchup 8-6 in Los Angeles (Note: This article was published before the results of Saturday's game). Tanner Houck will be on the mound for the Red Sox, and Chase Silseth will start for the Angels. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 EST from Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
Five Game Streak The Boston Red Sox came into Saturday's matchup with the Angels on a five game winning streak, placing them just a half game behind the Yankees in the AL East standings. They won the first matchup with the Angels on Friday 8-6, as the team hit five home runs including two from right fielder Tyler O'Neil in the win.
O'Neil has been their strongest bat on the season, as he leads the team with four home runs and typically bats fifth in the lineup. O'Neil has brought the power, while left fielder Jarren Duran has been the most consistent force at the plate. Duran leads the team with 13 hits and is batting .394 as the leadoff hitter. Trevor Story has been solid in his start of the 2024 season as a 31-year old shortstop, he has seven hits and four RBIs through the early season. Third basemen Rafael Devers has been quiet so far, only hitting .200 but he does have a home run to start the year.
Tanner Houck is a twenty-seven year old right hander on the mound for the Red Sox. He has pitched his whole career in Boston and finished last season with a 6-10 record and a 5.01 ERA. He looked good in his one start this year, pitching six scoreless innings against the Athletics in an easy 9-0 win.
Four Game Streak Snapped The Los Angeles Angels had won four straight games before starting their series with the Red Sox. They swept the Marlins in Miami and took down the Orioles in their final matchup of the series. Things were looking good for Los Angeles until they gave up five home runs in the loss to the Red Sox in their first game of the series. Their young catcher, Logan O'Hoppe had four RBIs in the loss.
Mike Trout is a future Hall of Famer for the Angels, he already has three home runs on the season, but all three were on solo shots as he only has three RBIs. Trout has been playing centerfield and batting third in the lineup. Taylor Ward also has three homers on the young season, he is a thirty-year-old left fielder with eight RBIs from the cleanup spot. Anthony Rendon bats leadoff for Los Angeles, he is a thirty-three-year-old third baseman, but is off to an awful start to the season with only one hit in 23 at-bats.
Chase Silseth will get the start here for Los Angeles, he is a twenty-three-year-old right-hander who finished last season with a 4-1 record. The Red Sox won in their first game with Silseth on the mound, but he gave up three earned runs in just 3.0 innings on the mound, leading to a 9.00 ERA.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 7, 2024 7:33:18 GMT -5
Latest loss is not how the Red Sox drew things up By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 21 minutes ago
It was just a one-run loss, one which snapped a five-game win streak. But within the Red Sox' 2-1 defeat to the Angels Saturday night were all the warning signs Alex Cora's team have been trying to avoid.
First and foremost, the defensive acumen that the Sox had been hanging their hats on throughout the first week took a turn for the worse. In particular, Rafael Devers' glove work once again came into play.
With two outs in the sixth inning and the Red Sox clinging to a one-run lead, Devers failed to reel in a grounder off the bat of Anthony Rendon, allowing two pivotal runs to score
"That’s a routine play,” Cora told reporters. “He knows it." The manager added, "In between hop. And the ball just kicked up. And he just missed the play.”
The miscue came immediately after a slow transfer to second from shortstop Pablo Reyes - allowing Mickey Moniak to beat out the inning-ending fielder's choice - loading the bases and extending the frame.
"Moniak did an outstanding job getting a good secondary lead and hustling on that play,” Cora relayed after the game. “I didn’t see a replay. Pablo took longer than what he wanted to. But I think the guy at first got a great jump and got to second base. And we didn’t make a play after that."
There were other elements of the loss that didn't feel quite right.
For a second straight game, the Red Sox' starter didn't go as many as five innings, with Garrett Whitlock throwing 101 pitches over just 4 1/3 frames.
Then there was the Trevor-Story-less offense.
The Red Sox had no answers for Angels' lefty starter Reid Detmers, who struck out 12 over six innings while giving up just one run.
A huge positive for Cora's club continued to be Rule 5 draftee Justin Slaten. The rookie came on to pitch the final two perfect innings, striking out five.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Apr 7, 2024 12:51:52 GMT -5
Whitlock was missing the strike zone by way too much. When Detmer missed, it was by two inches. That puts a lot of pressure on the batter. When Whitlock missed, he was missing by a foot. That makes the decision by the batter too easy.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 7, 2024 14:11:24 GMT -5
Game 10: Red Sox at Angels lineups and notes for series finaleBy Amin Touri Globe Staff,Updated April 7, 2024, 1 hour ago The Red Sox have continued to get great pitching through the early part of the season, but it was their defense that let them down with a pair of unearned runs in Saturday’s loss to the Angels. Tanner Houck has the ball Sunday as Boston looks to finish this West Coast road trip on a strong note. The righthander threw six shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out 10, to beat the Athletics on Monday. Chase Silseth had a less successful first start for the Angels; he lasted just three innings in Miami, throwing 76 pitches and allowing three earned runs on five hits. Lineups RED SOX (6-3): Duran CF, Devers 3B, O’Neill LF, Casas 1B, Yoshida DH, Valdez 2B, Abreu RF, McGuire C, Hamilton SS, Houck P Pitching: RHP Tanner Houck (1-0, 0.00 ERA) ANGELS (5-3): Rendon 3B, Schanuel 1B, Trout CF, Ward LF, Drury 2B, Sano DH, O’Hoppe C, Moniak RF, Neto SS Pitching: RHP Chase Silseth (0-0, 9.00 ERA) Time: 4:07 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Silseth: Enmanuel Valdez 0-1, Connor Wong 0-1, Masataka Yoshida 0-1 Angels vs. Houck: Jo Adell 0-1, Brandon Drury 2-3, Aaron Hicks 1-7, Mickey Moniak 1-3, Zach Neto 0-1, Logan O’Hoppe 0-2, Anthony Rendon 2-3, Luis Rengifo 0-4, Miguel Sanó 2-3, Matt Thaiss 1-2, Mike Trout 0-4, Taylor Ward 1-5 Stat of the day: Sox pitchers have posted a 1.44 ERA through the first nine games, best in the majors by nearly a full run. Notes: Tests on Saturday confirmed Trevor Story has a dislocated left shoulder, after a diving back-handed attempt to field a one-hopper hit by the Angels’ Mike Trout on Friday. Story will see the team doctor on Monday in Boston to determine if he will need surgery and how long he will be out, and is on the 10-day injured list for now. ... Pablo Reyes replaced Story on Friday and was the starting shortstop in Saturday’s 2-1 los, going 0 for 3 with three strikeouts. ... Houck is 1-1 with a 6.28 ERA in four career games (two starts) against the Angels. ... Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel walked in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game, which would have extended his on-base streak to 36 games to start his major league career. However, Major League Baseball announced a scoring change from March 30, the Angels’ second game of the season in Baltimore — an infield hit was changed to an error by Orioles pitcher Mike Baumann, retroactively ending Schanuel’s streak at 30 games. Song of the Day: Missing Persons "Walking in LA"www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHAMh2-cviA
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 7, 2024 14:18:04 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier As the Sox near their home opener, Cora was asked about last year’s struggles at Fenway. He said the team has struggled at home since ‘19 (with the exception of ‘21). Asked for a cause, he cited … bad pitching, bad defense, bad baserunning, bad hitting, and a lack of atmosphere.
Cora said Fenway remains an incredible place, but that it hasn’t been an “uncomfortable” environment for opposing teams in recent years. (He recalled the 2021 playoffs as a clear exception.) But, he also recognized that as a reflection of how the team has played.
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Post by Kimmi on Apr 7, 2024 14:27:16 GMT -5
Devers error, bat-power outage snap Red Sox win streak at 5
By Gabrielle Starr | gstarr@bostonherald.com PUBLISHED: April 7, 2024 at 1:08 a.m. | UPDATED: April 7, 2024 at 1:09 a.m. From start to finish, Saturday night’s 2-1 loss was a grind for Boston on both sides of the plate. After homering five times off the Angels in the series opener, the Red Sox found themselves in a bat-power outage in the middle contest, held to one run on three hits. The rotation opened the season with seven consecutive starts of at least five innings, but in the first two contests in Anaheim, neither Kutter Crawford nor Garrett Whitlock could complete the fifth. Whitlock managed to make it through Saturday’s outing without allowing a run, but it was a true team effort. Over 4 ⅓ innings, he gave up four hits, walked four, and only struck out four. Beginning with a leadoff single to Anthony Rendon and one-out walk to Mike Trout in the first, the right-hander allowed at least one baserunner in four of five innings he was on the mound. It appears that the exciting times of our improved defense are over, at least temporarily. Last night's game was another winnable game, which may or may not have been won without Devers' error. That said, you have to tip your cap to Detmers. He shut the Red Sox offense down. It's hard to win any game when you only score one run. Frustrating offense.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2024 5:36:03 GMT -5
'There's a reason he's here': Hamilton hits first homer in big win April 7th, 2024
Kyle Glaser ;
ANAHEIM – The Red Sox are understandably concerned about the potential long-term loss of shortstop Trevor Story. David Hamilton did his part to help assuage their fears in his first game as Story’s replacement.
Hamilton hit the first home run of his Major League career in his first plate appearance of the season as the Red Sox closed out their season-opening road trip with an 12-2 rout of the Angels on Sunday at Angel Stadium.
Boston went 7-3 on their season-opening road trip. The club will now return to Fenway Park to face Baltimore in their home opener on Tuesday.
“It’s what I want to do,” Hamilton said. “I want to help the team win. I want this team to go to the postseason and the World series, and hopefully I can be a part of that.”
Hamilton was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday after Story was placed on the injured list with a dislocated left shoulder. The 26-year-old rookie made his first start of the season on Sunday and got off to an inauspicious start, booting a 112.8 mph ground ball from Miguel Sanó on his first defensive chance in the second inning (the play was ruled a hit). He recovered to start a double play on the very next batter, making a nice sliding stop up the middle to end the frame.
“I mean, the first play, that was a tough one. ... That was a missile by Sano,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “But then he makes a double play, then he makes a play to his left, and everybody was able to breathe.
“There's a reason he's here. He's left-handed and he's a good defender.”
Minutes later in the top of the third, Hamilton hammered a 94 mph fastball above the zone from Chase Silseth over the right-center-field wall for his first career home run, giving the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. He later ripped a hard single in the sixth, finishing with his first career two-hit game as well.
“It was a good feeling, for sure,” said Hamilton, who received the home run ball and had it encased in his locker after the game. “Definitely not trying to do that, but ran into one and it got out luckily.”
Rafael Devers, Tyler O’Neill and Reese McGuire also homered for the Red Sox. Devers and O’Neill joined Hamilton with solo shots in the third inning off Silseth, marking the second time in the last three days that Boston has homered three times in a single frame. On Friday, O’Neill, McGuire and Triston Casas all homered in the second inning off Angels right-hander Griffin Canning.
McGuire blew the game open with a three-run homer off José Suarez in the sixth that extended the Red Sox’s lead to 7-0. They piled on from there, including scoring four runs in the ninth inning to push their lead to double-digits, eventually pushing Angels manager Ron Washington to call upon designated hitter Sanó to pitch.
The offensive outburst gave Tanner Houck more than enough run support to work with. The 27-year-old right-hander held down the Angels for six shutout innings with seven strikeouts, his second straight scoreless start to open the year.
“Pitching with a lead always helps,” Houck said. “To have the three-run lead going into that inning was great. Luckily I was able to stop some damage from happening. But with that being said, always pitching with lead is great.”
Houck has pitched 12 shutout innings with 17 strikeouts to two walks to begin the season. Overall, the Red Sox lead the Majors with a 1.49 ERA, the lowest mark through 10 games in franchise history.
“[It’s] phenomenal,” Houck said. “It's something that you don't want to lean your hat on too much. Obviously a great start to the season, but also knowing that we still have 150 games to go. So with that being said, just go out there and continue to work each and every day and keep getting better.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2024 5:45:08 GMT -5
Red Sox rout Angels: Rookie replacing Trevor Story belts first MLB homer
Published: Apr. 07, 2024, 7:05 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. — David Hamilton, filling in at shortstop for injured Trevor Story, belted his first major league home run to help the Red Sox win 12-2 over the Angels on Sunday.
Boston finished its 10-game West Coast road trip with a 7-3 record.
The Red Sox recalled Hamilton on Saturday after Story suffered a left shoulder subluxation in Friday’s win.
Two of Hamilton’s three hits at Triple-A Worcester this season were homers.
He went 2-for-4 with a walk here Sunday. He connected on a 94.2 mph four-seam fastball from Angels starter Chase Silseth and sent it 373 feet to right-center field to put Boston ahead 1-0 in the third inning. It left his bat at 99.3 mph.
It was one of three homers Boston hit in the third. Rafael Devers blasted a splitter for a 435-foot, 108.4 mph shot to center field. Tyler O’Neill crushed a 94.3 mph sinker for a 402-foot homer to left-center field that left his bat at 102.9 mph.
Hamilton played through a torn ligament in his left thumb for much of last year. The 26-year-old appeared in 15 games for Boston in ‘23, going 4-for-33 (.121) with two doubles.
McGuire pulls a homer
Reese McGuire’s 376-foot three-run home run that he pulled to right field put Boston ahead 7-0 in the sixth. That’s exactly what he’s trying to do more of this season.
“It was adjusting a little bit of my intent to pull the ball as well as go the other way,” McGuire said last week. “So in the past, I think I was always looking for ways to hit the ball to the opposite field. And this year, I’ve practiced and worked on hitting the balls in the air to right — and what contact point that is on certain pitches. So just kind of expanding the baseball field of where I’m looking to hit the ball.”
Houck dominates
Tanner Houck pitched 6 scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out seven.
He threw 49 sliders (six swings and misses), 37 sinkers (95.4 mph max, 93.3 mph average velocity), 10 splitters, two cutters and one four-seamer, per Baseball Savant. The four-seamer might have been a mischaracterized sinker.
The righty has tossed 12 scoreless innings in two starts this season. He has given up just seven hits and two walks while striking out 17.
Home opener
The Red Sox fly home Sunday night and will play their home opener against the Orioles on Tuesday at 2:10 p.m. Red Sox righty Brayan Bello (1-0, 5.40 ERA) will start opposite Orioles righty Corbin Burnes (1-0, 2.31 ERA).
The Red Sox will wear Tim Wakefield No. 49 patches on the sleeves of their jerseys for the first time Tuesday. They will continue to wear them on their home and away jerseys throughout the 2024 season to honor the former Red Sox knuckleballer who died Oct. 1, 2023.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2024 5:46:54 GMT -5
Red Sox’ David Hamilton after first MLB homer: ‘My phone’s blowing up’
Updated: Apr. 07, 2024, 8:30 p.m.|Published: Apr. 07, 2024, 8:26 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Rookie shortstop David Hamilton couldn’t make a play on Miguel Sanó’s scorching 112.8 mph ground ball that was ruled an infield single in the bottom of the second inning.
“He smoked it at me,” Hamilton said. “Should have caught it.”
But Hamilton made up for it on the next play when Angels rising star Logan O’Hoppe drilled a 105.1 mph ground ball to shortstop.
“I was hoping that next one came at me to turn that double play,” Hamilton said. “So thankfully it did.”
Hamilton then stepped to the plate in the third inning and blasted his first major league homer to help lead the Red Sox to a 12-2 victory over Los Angeles at Angel Stadium on Sunday.
Hamilton, who took injured shortstop Trevor Story’s spot on the active roster, contributed with both his glove and bat in the rout. He went 2-for-4 with a walk as the No. 9 hitter.
“That’s what I want to do. I want to help the team win,” Hamilton said. “I want this team to go to the postseason, win the World Series. And hopefully I can be a part of that.”
The left-handed batter is expected to receive some starts against right-handed pitchers with Story out. Story is likely to miss significant time after he suffered a left shoulder subluxation diving for a ground ball Friday.
Hamilton — who played through a torn ligament in his left thumb for much of last year — had no friends or family here but they were watching or at least keeping track back at home.
“My phone’s blowing up right now,” he said.
He hadn’t read the text messages yet though because he went to work out after the game.
He connected on a 94.2 mph four-seam fastball from Angels starter Chase Silseth and sent it 373 feet to right-center field to put Boston ahead 1-0. It left his bat at 99.3 mph.
“It was a good feeling, for sure,” Hamilton said. “Definitely not trying to do that but ran into one and it got out.”
He enjoyed celebrating in the dugout with his teammates.
“I was fired up, man,” Hamilton said. “I don’t really even remember what happened. Just everybody was coming at me saying congrats. Great feeling.”
His first home run ball was sitting in his locker after the game. It worked out well because the ball bounced back into the field of play.
“I came back into the dugout, they were like, ‘Oh, here’s the ball,’” Hamilton said.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2024 6:05:43 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe #RedSox 12, #Angels 2. Sox finish season-opening West Coast swing 7-3.
Houck with a strong start. 5 RBIs for McGuire. O'Neill homers again.
Big for the coming week: Chase Anderson pitched the final 3 innings.
Day off tomorrow, back at the office Tuesday.
Postgame scenes: Chase Anderson telling Kenley Jansen he's only one behind him for the team lead in saves ... Triston Casas dancing with his bat to salsa music ... David Hamilton smiling widely about making an unexpected 36-hour trip to California and hitting his first MLB homer.
Alex Cora postgame:
"Bailes (Andrew Bailey) is happy. (Pete) Fatse is happy. Tek is happy. Everybody's happy in that room.
How's the manager?
"He's happy. Tired but happy."
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Post by Kimmi on Apr 8, 2024 14:56:23 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe #RedSox 12, #Angels 2. Sox finish season-opening West Coast swing 7-3.
Houck with a strong start. 5 RBIs for McGuire. O'Neill homers again.
Big for the coming week: Chase Anderson pitched the final 3 innings.
Day off tomorrow, back at the office Tuesday.
Postgame scenes: Chase Anderson telling Kenley Jansen he's only one behind him for the team lead in saves ... Triston Casas dancing with his bat to salsa music ... David Hamilton smiling widely about making an unexpected 36-hour trip to California and hitting his first MLB homer.
Alex Cora postgame:
"Bailes (Andrew Bailey) is happy. (Pete) Fatse is happy. Tek is happy. Everybody's happy in that room.
How's the manager?
"He's happy. Tired but happy." It was a great road trip. Everybody should be happy. All 3 losses were by one run - you can't ask for much more. Now we need to beat Baltimore.
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