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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 28, 2024 10:09:37 GMT -5
Buster Olney @buster_ESPN From @eliassports : The Red Sox’ shutout yesterday lowered their team ERA to 2.63 over their 28 games this season. It’s the Red Sox’ lowest ERA through their first 28 games of a season in more than 100 years–– since their 1920 team fashioned a 2.52 ERA to that point in the season. 10:50 AM · Apr 28, 2024 · 92.6K Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 28, 2024 12:43:09 GMT -5
Game 29: Cubs at Red Sox lineups and previewBy Amin Touri Globe Staff,Updated April 28, 2024, 59 minutes ago Why don’t the Red Sox just win by 17 runs every game? After their most lopsided shutout win since the Eisenhower Administration, the Sox can clinch a series win over the Cubs on Sunday in primetime. Tanner Houck has the ball for the finale, looking to continue his sparkling start to the season; the righthander has allowed just six earned runs in 32 ⅔ innings. With expected starter Jordan Wicks scratched because of forearm tightness, the Cubs will turn to Hayden Wesneski for his first start of the season.
Lineups CUBS (17-10): Nico Hoerner (R) 2B Mike Tauchman (L) RF Ian Happ (S) LF Christopher Morel (R) 3B Michael Busch (L) 1B Dansby Swanson (R) SS Matt Mervis (L) DH Miguel Amaya (R) C Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF Pitching: RHP Hayden Wesneski (2-0, 0.00 ERA) RED SOX (15-13): Jarren Duran (L) CF Rafael Devers (L) 3B Tyler O'Neill (R) LF Wilyer Abreu (L) RF Connor Wong (R) C Masataka Yoshida (L) DH Enmanuel Valdez (L) 2B Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B Ceddanne Rafaela (R) SS Pitching: RHP Tanner Houck (3-2, 1.65 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: ESPN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Cubs vs. Houck: Michael Busch 0-2, Ian Happ 0-1, Nico Hoerner 0-1, Christopher Morel 0-1, Dansby Swanson 1-2, Patrick Wisdom 1-1 Red Sox vs. Wesneski: Tyler O’Neill 0-1 Stat of the day: Wilyer Abreu has an RBI in eight straight games, and the first Red Sox rookie and first Sox player age 24 or younger to have such a streak since Ted Williams in 1942 (players of similar talents, of course). Notes: Ceddanne Rafaela led the way in Saturday’s romp, going 4 for 4 with seven RBIs and finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Rafaela became just the fourth Red Sox player to record at least seven RBIs at his age (23 years, 222 days old) or younger. ... Houck’s only two career appearances against the Cubs have come in relief, including a scoreless ninth inning on July 3, 2022. ... The Cubs had their four-game win streak snapped and were shut out for the first time this season on Saturday. Just one of their five hits — a Pete Crow-Armstrong double — went for extra bases. ... During Saturday’s game, the Red Sox acquired 33-year-old first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper from the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations and transferred first baseman Triston Casas (left rib strain) to the 60-day injured list. Song of the Day: Boston - Smokin' www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDI-AdnIK08
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 28, 2024 16:48:53 GMT -5
Mac Cerullo @maccerullo Alex Cora said Brayan Bello is making great progress in his recovery and they expect he'll be back sooner rather than later.
Garrett Whitlock is still feeling it a bit. He's been throwing but no mound progression for him just yet.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 28, 2024 16:50:00 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne Vaughn Grissom, playing perhaps his final game for Triple-A Worcester before joining the Red Sox, went 4-for-4 today.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 28, 2024 18:15:50 GMT -5
This crud ESPN broadcast saying now that rain is coming.....
by the way O'niel is mic'd up for their nonsense in the 2nd
Lots of empty seats again.......
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Apr 28, 2024 20:34:57 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne Vaughn Grissom, playing perhaps his final game for Triple-A Worcester before joining the Red Sox, went 4-for-4 today. That's important for us. If Grissom is any good, that'll be a gain for us.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:17:10 GMT -5
Tyler O'Neill's bloop single lifts Boston Red Sox past Chicago Cubs 5-4 AP
BOSTON (AP) Tyler O’Neill hit a game-ending bloop single to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.
Jarren Duran hit a two-run triple and Connor Wong drove in two runs with a pair of two-out singles, helping Boston to the win in the rubber game of weekend set. The Red Sox beat the Cubs 17-0 on Saturday.
Chicago trailed 4-1 before Mike Tauchman hit a tying three-run homer against Chris Martin in the eighth inning. Matt Mervis hit an RBI single in the seventh for the Cubs' first run of the game.
For the second straight day, a large gathering of Cubs fans that made the trip to Fenway Park were unable to wave their “W” flags, a staple after wins at Wrigley Field.
Duran led off the ninth with a walk against Mark Leiter Jr. (0-1). He raced to third on Rafael Devers’ single.
O’Neill then hit a shallow fly toward left field. Shortstop Dansby Swanson, playing with the entire infield in, tried to make sliding catch, but it went off his glove and landed in the outfield grass.
“It was awesome, you could feel the crowd buzzing out there," O'Neill said about his first walk-off hit with the Red Sox. ”I knew the infield was in. I was trying to put a good swing on anything elevated, get it in the air. It fell in there this time."
Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings. He was charged with one run and four hits.
“It's tough to know, even if he catches it, Duran being such a good runner, he may score.” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said about the final play.
Kenley Jansen (1-0) worked the ninth for the victory.
Duran’s triple into the center-field triangle made it 4-0 in the sixth.
“I had happy feet at third base,” Duran said of what he was thinking on the winning hit. “I was like: ‘Tag, no tag. Tag, no tag.’ ... I've just got to stay off because I probably wasn't going to be able to tag. I was just trying to stay off (the base) as far as possible to try and be able to score.”
Boston shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela went 1 for 4 a day after going 4 for 4 with a two-run homer and driving in seven runs.
Despite dealing with injuries to their starting rotation, the Red Sox entered the day with a majors’ best 2.63 ERA, their lowest at this point of a season since 1920.
Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu made a nice running catch on Swanson’s fifth-inning fly ball, and second baseman Enmanuel Valdez had a diving play on Nico Hoerner’s grounder the following inning.
Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya struck out swinging in the third, and his bat went flying over the protective netting. It went into the stands about 10 rows behind the Cubs’ on-deck circle, appearing to strike a fan. Medical personnel were looking at a person’s hand. They left their seat and walked away with the EMTs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: LHP Jordan Wicks was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained forearm. Counsell said they hope they caught it early and it’s a “short stay.” ... Counsell said the plan for OF Cody Bellinger (two fractured ribs) is to do a “little more every day and see where that puts us.” He crashed into a wall last week. ... 3B Christopher Morel fouled a ball off his left foot but stayed in.
Red Sox: 2B Vaughn Grissom (strained left hamstring) played his second straight rehab game for Triple-A Worcester, going 4 for 4 with a walk and two RBIs. He’s expected to be activated on Tuesday. ... Masataka Yoshida said through a translator that he jammed his hand on a swing in his first at-bat. “It's something that we have to wait and see. We'll see (Monday)," he said.
WORTH NOTING
The Red Sox designated left-handed reliever Joely Rodriguez for assignment and recalled right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa from Triple-A Worcester. The 30-year-old Uwasaswa was acquired from Tampa Bay on March 27. He was a three-time All Star in Japan, posting a 2.96 ERA for the Nippon Ham Fighters in 2023.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-0, 1.69 ERA) is set to open a four-game series at the Mets on Monday. RHP Luis Severino (2-2, 2.67 ERA) is slated to start for New York.
Red Sox: Off Monday. RHP Cooper Criswell (1-1, 2.38 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game series in Fenway on Tuesday against RHP Logan Webb (3-1, 2.33 ERA) and San Francisco.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:25:42 GMT -5
Houck dazzles before O'Neill walks it off for Red Sox 12:48 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
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BOSTON -- For the Red Sox, their first walk-off win of 2024 culminated with a bloop single from Tyler O'Neill that had an exit velocity of just 63.4 mph and an expected batting average of .110, according to Statcast.
But the popup trickled off shortstop Dansby Swanson’s glove in shallow left field at Fenway Park, and Boston had a 5-4 win over the Cubs in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday Night Baseball.
During his first month of the season, O’Neill has been known more for his thump (nine homers in 70 at-bats) than soft contact.
But on a night when the Red Sox lost a 4-1 lead in the top of the eighth on one swing -- a three-run homer by Chicago outfielder Mike Tauchman off reliever Chris Martin -- a winning bloop never felt so satisfying to O’Neill, who is the son of a former bodybuilding champion built like a powerhouse himself.
“It was awesome,” O’Neill said. “You could feel the crowd buzzing out there; I really wanted to come up big for those guys. I didn't get the job done earlier in the game to break it open. I knew the infield was in, so I was just kind of trying to put a good swing on anything elevated to get it in the air so it fell in there this time.”
Though O’Neill’s fortunate hit was the final act of the drama, there were some good things that led up to it. Here is a sampling.
Duran's walk
With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox were pleased to have the top of the order coming up. In particular, they felt good about having the ultra-fast Jarren Duran leading off.
Facing the nasty offerings of Cubs righty Mark Leiter Jr., Duran fell behind in the count 0-2. At that point, it was hard to imagine Duran was going to draw the walk that would set the walk-off rally in motion.
In a season in which the Red Sox are riding their young players and getting some encouraging results, Duran showed his maturation by battling back in a seven-pitch at-bat.
“I knew he had a pretty good split and he would like to work down, so I was like, 'All right, I just need [him to come] up,”’ said Duran, who also laced a two-run triple in the sixth. “I was just looking for a ball up in my chin, honestly. And he just kept living down. So I was like, 'I'm going to give him down. If it’s a strike down there, I’ve just got to tip my cap because I can't go chase him down there.' So I was just looking to get him up and he just kept leaving everything down. So I just took the walk."
In other words, Duran had to walk before he could run. And when Rafael Devers hammered a 108.2 mph single to left, Duran used his 14.6-foot secondary lead to roar to third in 7.36 seconds while hauling at a sprint speed of 29.4 feet per second.
That left O’Neill in the ideal situation: Runners at the corners and nobody out.
“Duran moving from first to third on that is what sparks that, and the speed he has changes the game,” said Red Sox righty Tanner Houck.
Speaking of Houck ...
Houck claimed the fifth spot in Boston’s rotation at the end of Spring Training and, if not for a season-ending right elbow injury to Lucas Giolito, he might have been the odd man out.
It might be a while before anyone calls Houck a bubble candidate for the rotation again. Along with Kutter Crawford, Houck has emerged into co-ace for a rotation that has exceeded everyone’s expectations. Houck was marvelous in this one, allowing four hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings. He walked zero and struck out nine. Of his 95 pitches, 72 went for strikes.
Houck’s slider is devastating. His sinker purrs in at 96 mph. And his splitter has turned into a weapon.
“This is what I've been working toward the past few years, to be able to go deeper into games and give the team a chance to win,” Houck said. “So it was a lot of hours, a lot of months, years, weeks honing the craft and being able to compete at the highest level.”
Abreu's snag
Rookie right fielder Wilyer Abreu has suddenly become one of Boston's most indispensable players -- on both sides of the ball. While he had a down night offensively, Abreu made a tremendous running catch in front of the right-field wall to take extra bases away from Swanson in the top of the fifth.
“Outstanding,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “This kid shows up every day. He plays hard, pays attention, he plays good defense, and he hustles. We love him.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:27:20 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Yoshida exits; Grissom, Cooper to debut Tuesday 12:54 AM ADT
MLB.com LATEST NEWS
April 28: DH Masataka Yoshida exits after jamming left hand In his first at-bat of Sunday's 5-4 win over the Cubs, Yoshida jammed his left hand on a swing. Yoshida stayed in for one more at-bat before Rob Refsnyder later pinch-hit for him in the sixth. The Red Sox will have a better idea by Monday if the injury is significant. The club said imaging hasn't been scheduled at this point.
"It’s something we have to kind of wait and see on," Yoshida said via an interpreter. "Just wait and see how it feels.”
April 28: 2B Vaughn Grissom, 1B Garrett Cooper could both debut Tuesday The Red Sox, depleted by injuries in recent weeks, could have two new faces make their team debuts at Fenway Park on Tuesday night against the Giants. Grissom went 4-for-4 on Sunday in what was likely his final Minor League rehab game for Triple-A Worcester. Grissom was acquired from the Braves in December in exchange for Chris Sale with the expectation that he would be the team's starting second baseman. But Grissom had left hamstring and groin injuries in Spring Training, forcing him to start the season on the injured list.
Cooper, acquired from the Cubs for cash considerations on Saturday, is expected to be Boston's primary first baseman until Triston Casas (torn cartilage in left ribcage) returns from the 60-day injured list. The Red Sox are off on Monday, when Cooper is likely to arrive in Boston.
April 28: RHP Naoyuki Uwasawa recalled from Triple-A Worcester; LHP Joely Rodríguez designated for assignment Uwasawa, 30, was acquired from the Rays in a Minor League trade on March 27. The right-hander made three starts for Worcester, going 2-1 with a 4.80 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 15 innings. The Red Sox will use him as a bulk-innings reliever.
Rodríguez, 32, allowed three runs in one inning against the Cubs on Friday. The left-hander owns a 6.55 ERA in 11 relief appearances for Boston this season.
April 28: RHP Nick Pivetta (right elbow flexor strain) expected to make rehab start A day after Pivetta threw three innings and 50 pitches of live batting practice at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were plotting a course for him to make a Minor League rehab start of three to four innings. With Triple-A Worcester playing at home on Thursday, that seems like a logical day for Pivetta to pitch. He could be activated by the Red Sox as soon as May 7 or 8 in Atlanta.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:30:08 GMT -5
‘Stubborn’ Jarren Duran begins Red Sox’ walkoff rally with stubborn walk
Updated: Apr. 29, 2024, 1:27 a.m.|Published: Apr. 29, 2024, 12:17 a.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — “He was very stubborn.”
That’s how manager Alex Cora described Jarren Duran’s approach leading off the ninth inning against Cubs right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr.
Boston earned a 5-4 walkoff win against Chicago here at Fenway Park on Sunday.
Duran quickly fell behind 0-2 in the count, then battled back to draw a seven-pitch walk. He moved from first to third base on Rafael Devers’ single to left field and scored on Tyler O’Neill’s walk-off bloop RBI single to shallow left.
“I knew he had a pretty good split,” Duran said about Leiter who hadn’t allowed an earned run in 12 ⅓ innings entering Sunday. “So I knew he would like to work down.”
Duran was looking for a pitch up in the strike zone. The first pitch of the at-bat, a called strike, clipped the bottom of the zone. All six other pitches landed below the strike zone.
“I was just looking for a ball up at my chin honestly and he just kept living down,” Duran said. “So I was like, ‘If he gets a strike down there, I’ve just gotta tip my cap. I can’t go chasing down there.’ He’s a really good pitcher. So I was just looking to get him up and he just kept leaving everything down. So I just took the walk.”
Cora added, “Just gotta be very stubborn there because he’s going to leave it down in the zone.”
O’Neill’s bloop that scored Duran went only 183 feet to left field. The Cubs had the infield draw in with runners at the corners and no outs. Shortstop Dansby Swanson sprinted to the outfield and got his glove on it but it bounced out.
“I had happy feet at third base. So I was like, ‘Tag? No tag? Tag? Don’t tag?’” Duran said. “But I was like, ‘I’ve got to stay off (the bag) because I’m probably not going to be able to tag on it.’ So I was just trying to stay off as far as possible to be able to score.”
Duran also hit a two-run triple in the sixth inning to give Boston a 4-1 lead.
“I know I’ve been going through a skid and just trying to do too much, man,” Duran said. “Just absolutely pushing myself too hard. But just calming myself down and letting the boys pick me up, man. They’re behind me. We’re behind each other.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:32:10 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb Jarren Duran on Wilyer Abreu's catch: “That guy’s a stud. He’s been doing it all year so far. It’s so awesome to be able to talk with him and see how he does stuff in the outfield. He’s absolutely swinging the crap out of the bat right now, too. So it’s awesome to see that "The guy’s just coming about. And it’s so cool to see and be able to witness as a teammate.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:33:18 GMT -5
Mac Cerullo @maccerullo Yoshida said the injury happened in his first at bat. No X-rays scheduled but they’ll need to wait and see how he feels tomorrow before they can determine if he’ll need to miss any time.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:34:30 GMT -5
Matt McCarthy @mattmccarthy985 That’s the ultimate example of a visiting team having no idea how to play at Fenway Park. The left fielder has no business playing so deep, ESPECIALLY with the winning run at third.
Nice to see Fenway act as a home field advantage. That hasn’t been the case for a long time. 10:48 PM · Apr 28, 2024 · 3,494 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:38:17 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats Chris Martin 2023: 51 IP, 2 HR, 6 ER 2024: 11 IP, 2 HR, 7 ER 10:23 PM · Apr 28, 2024 · 32.3K Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2024 5:42:30 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Second baseman Vaughn Grissom to join Red Sox following completion of rehab assignment By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated April 28, 2024, 11:02 p.m.
Second baseman Vaughn Grissom (groin) likely played his last game at Triple A Worcester.
“If everything goes well, I do believe he’s going to be with us,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday, before a 5-4 win in the series finale against the Cubs at Fenway Park.
Grissom finished his final contest with the WooSox at 4 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored in an 8-5 win at Toledo.
The Sox, who sent the 23-year-old on a rehab assignment on April 12, wanted to ensure Grissom accumulated enough reps at second, as well as enough at-bats. He played in nine games for Worcester, batting .333/.444/.400 with an .844 OPS.
After Sunday’s contest, Cora reiterated that Grissom will likely join the club Tuesday at Fenway for the start of their series against the Giants.
Grissom will be paired with Ceddanne Rafaela after the Sox named the rookie as the everyday shortstop in place of the injured Trevor Story.
It’s likely that either David Hamilton or Enmanuel Valdez, both infielders, will be optioned to Worcester to make space for Grissom. Uwasama joins bullpen
The Red Sox recalled Naoyuki Uwasawa from Worcester. To make room for Uwasawa, the club designated fellow reliever Joely Rodriguez for assignment.
Uwasawa was acquired from the Rays in a minor league trade at the end of March.
The Sox, dealing with injuries in their rotation, won’t utilize Uwasawa in a starter’s role, even though that’s the position the righthander is most accustomed to. Before signing with Tampa Bay in January, Uwasawa, 30, spent 11 seasons pitching for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan.
“He’s going to provide us length [out of the bullpen],” Cora said. “The fastball is not an overpowering fastball, but it’s a good split. And that’s something we’ve been talking about throughout the weeks, the usage. It’s a good pitch. He pounds the strike zone. He’ll be in the bullpen, and that’s the first time he’s done that in his career except for in spring training. So, we have to make sure that he’s coming in with some leeway.”
Uwasawa noted that his splitter, which he learned while with the Rays, is his best pitch.
“Now that I’m using my splitter, I feel like the hitters have made up their mind that [I’m going to throw it],” he said through a team interpreter. “And I feel like my other pitches play off of it.”
Uwasawa made three starts for Worcester and was 2-1 with a 4.80 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 15 innings. Rodriguez gone
The Sox cutting ties with Rodriguez was inevitable.
The club inked the lefthander to a one-year deal prior to the 2023 season; however injuries limited him to just 11 innings. This year, Rodriguez made the team over Brennan Bernardino out of spring training after returning on a minor league deal.
Rodriguez struggled tremendously, posting a 6.55 ERA in 11 innings (eight earned runs), which included allowing three home runs.
Cora answered to what plagued Rodriguez.
“The strike-throwing,” Cora said. “The stuff looked down, and we needed help here. We have two lefties throwing the ball well. Like I said in Seattle [before the season opener and after Bernardino] was sent down. Was it the right move? It is what it is. Joely has been a big leaguer throughout his career. He’s been good at what he does and it just didn’t happen.”
Pivetta bounces back
Injured starter Nick Pivetta (elbow) bounced back well from his live batting practice Saturday. Cora said his staff is mapping out what’s next, but, ideally, he would like Pivetta to make a rehab start or two … Garrett Whitlock’s progression from his left oblique strain has been slow. Cora said that the righthander is throwing but still feels some pain when doing so … Cora said Saturday was the best day playing catch Brayan Bello (lat strain) and that the starter is progressing well … Masataka Yoshida came out of Sunday’s game in the sixth inning with a left hand bruise after getting jammed on a swing. The designated hitter’s hand was clearly swollen between his thumb and index finger, but X-rays weren’t needed at the time. Cora noted he’s concerned given Yoshida left the contest … First baseman Garrett Cooper, whom the Sox acquired via trade from the Cubs Saturday, will join the team Tuesday.
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