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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 26, 2021 19:28:27 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 41s Austin Riley down the line in left. It's a 4-3 Atlanta lead in the 5th.
Nick Pivetta kept it even for exactly one hitter. The next one goes deep. #RedSox
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 26, 2021 21:09:02 GMT -5
NESN preview during this month Red Sox with 2 out an a man on 3rd base hitting 2 for 27
jesus There's 100s of stats out there, so you will always find one that looks bad. If we were undefeated this month, I could still a stat saying we were hitting .100 with a guy on 2nd and one out. That said, the number looks sketchy. YTD, were are 7-31 with --3 and 2 outs. If we are 2-27 this month, then we got five hits in April, in only 4 ABs. Something is not lined up right.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 26, 2021 21:17:54 GMT -5
Tom Caron @tomcaron · 24m So far this rain delay: ✔️ @skennedysox said Sox are hiring and trying to get more employees for game nights ASAP ✔️Jim Rice offered to sell beer in LF if Sam can't find enough help.
The issue could be trying to compete against the government for help. They were interviewing the governor of Wyoming on Bloomberg Radio the other day. He said that, once you added in the federal subsidies, that folks on unemployment were making $17/hour. Businesses were trying to hire people, but they couldn't afford to pay people work, as much as the government was paying them to stay home.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 0:13:42 GMT -5
and Manfred wonders why TV numbers are hard to get...
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 7m ATL 5 BOS 9 Final
#RedSox are 30-20.
Time of game -- 2:56 Time of rain delay -- 2:53
Baseball, man. Days off for everyone Thursday (today)! #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 2:48:53 GMT -5
'Dangerous' Devers' HR, 2B lift Sox in finale 3:42 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- During his season-long surge of power-packed hits, the only real flaw for Rafael Devers had been his inability to do much damage against lefties.
That all changed at the most opportune time(s) on Wednesday night as the left-handed-hitting masher came up with two big hits to lead the Red Sox to a 9-5 victory over the Braves in which the final three innings were played following a rain delay of two hours and 53 minutes.
For the Red Sox, the wait was well worth it, as they improved their record to 30-20 at the 50-game mark of the season.
With the Sox down 3-1 with two outs in the fourth, Devers scorched a game-tying two-run homer to center against Braves lefty Drew Smyly that left his bat at an exit velocity of 107.1 mph and traveled a projected 434 feet, per Statcast.
“When he’s locked in, he’s very dangerous,” shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. “He’s not the type of guy who can just do it for a couple of days. He can ride it a long time. That’s just a credit to the talent and the work he puts in. Once you see him so confident, it’s something that’s very nice to see.”
After the Braves took the lead and the Sox tied it up, Devers untied it with another big two-out hit off Smyly in the sixth, this one a 102.8 mph missile that looked like it was going to dent the Green Monster, but instead caromed off of it for an RBI double.
Coming into the contest, Devers was slashing .224/.333/.306 against lefties with only one homer and seven RBIs in 57 plate appearances.
“He got an 0-2 breaking ball, put a great swing on it and hits a home run. Then stays on a fastball, he doesn’t get pull happy, and hits it off the wall,” manager Alex Cora said. “So that’s a good sign right there for him to get a fastball and hit it the other way.”
While solving the “lefty” issue, Devers padded his extra-base hit totals, which have been ridiculous as of late. Eighteen of his last 24 hits have been for extra bases, as well as 14 of his last 18.
In his age-24 season, Devers is putting it all together as the No. 5 hitter for the Red Sox, rounding out a fearsome middle of the order that also includes J.D. Martinez and Bogaerts.
“Devers just hits it hard. It’s coming hard at you, so you better get out of the way or you’re going to get hit by it,” Bogaerts said.
Verdugo steals a run One of the biggest plays of the game came on a 71.5 mph grounder to third base by Bogaerts in that game-turning sixth. The Red Sox have been struggling mightily with a runner on third and less than two outs, and entered the night 29th in the Majors in OPS in that category. So when Bogaerts tapped one to third with the Red Sox down a run, it looked like another chance was going to be squandered.
However, thanks to Alex Verdugo, who got a great jump from third and roared home on the play to narrowly beat the throw by Braves third baseman Austin Riley, it went down as a fielder’s choice RBI.
The Sox would go on to score three more runs before the inning was over.
“It was a great jump and Xander with two strikes put the ball in play,” Cora said. “Alex gets a good primary lead, a good secondary and good reaction. Great slide too. Something we talk about and we work on and he was able to score there.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:03:47 GMT -5
Red Sox roll over Braves on a soggy night at Fenway By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated May 27, 2021, 1 hour ago
Rain poured down on Fenway shortly after the Red Sox opened the floodgates in the sixth inning Wednesday.
The Sox trailed, 4-3, heading into that bottom frame with Braves starter Drew Smyly still on the hill. Yet with runners on second and third, Xander Bogaerts’s slow dribbler to Braves third baseman Austin Riley gave a hustling Alex Verdugo enough time to score. The hustling Verdugo slid underneath the tag of catcher William Contreras, tying the game at four apiece. The play, which was challenged by the Braves but upheld, led to the Sox’ four-run inning and the club’s 9-5 win. In the midst of a two-hour and-53-minute rain delay, the Red Sox ultimately found a way to split the two-game set against the Braves.
Rafael Devers, who roped a two-run homer off Smyly in the third inning to center, followed Bogaerts in the sixth and thumped an RBI double off the left field wall. That was Devers’s 56th extra-base hit to the opposite field since 2019, nine more than any player in that span.
“Devers just hits it hard,” said Bogaerts after the game, shedding light on Devers’s skill of using the opposite field. “It’s coming hard at you. That’s all I know. So you better get out of the way or you’re going to get hit with it.”
Christian Vázquez later singled in a pair of runs, stretching the Sox’ lead to 7-4.
Then the rain delay came. Wednesday turned into Thursday.
“I don’t think the game should have really continued, especially with that second rain,” Nick Pivetta said. “I mean, if the second rain didn’t come, OK, I understand. It’s just not good for players’ health, injuries. Luckily, we went unscathed.
Once the game resumed, Pivetta’s outing was well into the past, including the two-run homer he surrendered to Riley in the fifth. He yielded four runs in six innings against a Braves offense that doesn’t get cheated on their swings — an offense that is unapologetic in their attempt to do damage on each pitch. Despite the Braves’ inconsistent start to the season, they led the league in homers (78), while also tallying the third-best OPS (.756). They are, indeed, a potent offense.
Wednesday was a tussle for Pivetta even though he struck out nine because the Braves offense stayed true to form.
Ozzie Albies roped an RBI triple to right-center off Red Sox starter Pivetta in the top of the first inning. The ball got by the overzealous Hunter Renfroe in right, ultimately allowing Freddie Freeman to score from first.
In that same frame, Dansby Swanson laced an RBI double over the head of Renfroe — who appeared as if he got a bad read — adding to the lead. Then in the third, Contreras’s sac fly put the Sox in a 3-0 hole.
Nevertheless, the Sox offense has been one of the best all-around offenses in baseball this season and Renfroe responded with a solo shot in the top of the second. Pivetta, meanwhile, found his way after his second inning by increasing his curveball usage.
“They were coming up pretty aggressive so I just made a quick game change,” Pivetta said.
Josh Taylor took the seventh inning and after hitting Ronald Acuña with a pitch, he retired the next two batters before manager Alex Cora summoned Adam Ottavino from the Sox bullpen. Ottavino covered the next 1 ⅓ innings, retiring each of the four hitters he faced.
The Sox carried a five-run lead into the ninth, but a Contreras homer off reliever Matt Andriese followed by an Acuña hit through the right side forced Cora to go to his closer in Matt Barnes. With Braves’ Freeman at the dish, Barnes induced a double play to end the contest.
“We got back to our principles as an offense,” said Cora, who has stressed the importance of situational hitting to his players. “You saw what happened. We ended up scoring nine.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:05:52 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Alex Verdugo battling through hamstring tightness, but unconcerned By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated May 27, 2021, 1 hour ago
Alex Verdugo is still hampered a bit by left hamstring tightness. At times, you can see him pull up when running out certain grounders.
“It’s just one of those things,” Verdugo said before the Red Sox’ 9-5 win against the Braves Wednesday to split the two-game set. “It’s there, but I’m not going to say it’s going to fully impact me like that. I just feel like I got to be cautious with it. There are certain plays when I’m running, maybe I shut it down just a little bit.”
Verdugo, who went 1 for 4 Wednesday, originally started feeling the tightness in his left hamstring as a result of right calf tightness. He doesn’t see it having a long term impact on him.
“I didn’t want to fully put a lot of weight on my right leg,” Verdugo said. “So I felt like my left leg probably took over a little bit. And that’s why I got this. But our training staff, everybody, we’re on a good path, man. My calf is feeling a lot better. We’re starting to figure out what’s going on in there, doing a couple little activating and treatment things that are just putting me in a lot better place.” Get 108 Stitches in your inboxGet everything baseball from the Globe's Red Sox reporters every Monday-Friday during baseball season, and weekly in the off season.
Verdugo is a key part of this Red Sox team, particularly the top of the lineup. In 46 games, he’s hitting .292/.353/.456 with six homers. Having him healthy is essential, particularly in the midst of this tough stretch of games. Before the end of June, the Red Sox have two series each against the Astros and Yankees, plus meetings with the Blue Jays and Rays.
“We’re going to keep working, keep grinding,” Verdugo said. “I feel like once the legs start coming back a little bit, everything else is going to start to really take off. So you got to go through it, fight it, and work with what you got today. It’s a long season.”
Ryan Brasier getting close
Ryan Brasier (left calf strain) threw live batting practice Wednesday and is getting close to a rehab assignment, per manager Alex Cora. Brasier will throw a bullpen over the weekend, then another live batting practice. From there, the team will see where he’s at. Related: Red Sox remain hopeful Chris Sale will make it into rotation this season
If all goes well, Brasier could go on a rehab assignment next week.
“It seems that way. It feels that way,” Cora said. “We’ve just got to make sure with him that he’s physically fit, which is very important. Mechanics are very important with him. You saw it in ’19 and ’20 when he’s gone off [mechanics], and it doesn’t go the way we want.”
In 2019, Brasier struggled to a 4.85 ERA in 55⅔ innings. He recovered somewhat in the shortened 60-game 2020, striking out a career-high 10.8 batters per nine innings to go along with a 3.96 ERA.
In the absence of Brasier, the Red Sox haven’t settled on a seventh-inning guy. Instead, Cora has mixed and matched. Brasier could serve as the bridge to Adam Ottavino and Matt Barnes.
“We believe he’s getting close,” Cora reiterated. Into the night
When the Red Sox took the lead with a four-run bottom of the sixth inning on Wednesday, the teams had nearly three hours to think about it. Rain halted the game just after 9 p.m., with no updates for more than two hours until 11:36, when the grounds crew rushed to prepare the field for an announced midnight restart. They did so, with the delay officially clocking in at two hours, 53 minutes . . . After Friday’s game against the Marlins, Cora will travel to Puerto Rico to see his daughter, Camila, graduate from high school. Bench coach Will Venable will manage Saturday, with Cora planning to be back Sunday. “I wish I could be there more, but obviously with the guidelines and protocols, it’s hard,” Cora said. “She’s still rooting for the Red Sox, rooting for dad, rooting for baseball, and now it’s our time to root for her. I cannot wait for Saturday, I think it’s probably the biggest day of my life” . . . Boos showered down on Pablo Sandoval for the second night in a row. Back with Atlanta, Sandoval’s five-year, $95 million deal with the Red Sox back in the 2014 offseason turned out to be one of the worst contracts in franchise history. He played in just 161 games and struggled with staying in shape before the Red Sox cut ties in the summer of 2017. “They don’t treat me that bad here,” Sandoval said of the fans. “Just things don’t go well sometimes. I’m happy to be back and winning games — that’s the most important thing. Try to help my team to win games.” Sandoval was 0 for 4 with a strikeout Wednesday, dropping his average to .261 in 36 games this year. Yankee starter Corey Kluber is headed to the injured list with a right shoulder strain. Yankee first baseman Luke Voit also hit the IL with a grade 2 right oblique strain.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:16:13 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 3h Alex Cora speaking postgame. Can't hear a thing over the Fenway sound system, which is playing Tessie for exactly zero fans left here. #RedSox
Cora on the extra BP from Bogaerts, Devers and Vazquez -- 'That work paid off.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:17:14 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 3h Pivetta said he was a bit surprised play resumed by credited his teammates for staying 'checked in' throughout the delay. #RedSox
Pivetta -- 'They were coming up pretty aggressive. Just made quick game change there.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:17:59 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 2h Bogaerts -- 'Just got to continue competing and try to get the job done.' #RedSox
Bogaerts on Devers -- 'He's locked in, man. You guys know when he's locked in he's very dangerous.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:24:41 GMT -5
OverTheMonster @overthemonster · 4h lmao of course we get a review right after a three hour delay. What a dumb sport this is
This is absolutely absurd. I can't imagine there is one person on that field who wants to continue this game.
Michael Hurley @michaelfhurley · 3h It’s 12:46 am. I am watch one million people furiously dump bags of dirt in a zig-zag pattern on the infield while a million other people rake it in, interspersed with shots of an umpire trying to figure out the meaning of life. It’s raining on the new dirt as soon as it’s laid.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:27:31 GMT -5
NESN preview during this month Red Sox with 2 out an a man on 3rd base hitting 2 for 27
jesus There's 100s of stats out there, so you will always find one that looks bad. If we were undefeated this month, I could still a stat saying we were hitting .100 with a guy on 2nd and one out. That said, the number looks sketchy. YTD, were are 7-31 with --3 and 2 outs. If we are 2-27 this month, then we got five hits in April, in only 4 ABs. Something is not lined up right. u would believe Alex though right?Alex Speier @alexspeier · 7h Here it is: Red Sox have a runner on third, fewer than 2 outs. They're 2-for-27 with a 30% K rate in those situations over the last few weeks.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:37:09 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 7h Rafael Devers’ last 6 hits:
Double HR Double HR HR Double
Devers leads the majors in RBI (43) and is tied with Shohei Ohtani for the MLB lead in extra-base hits (29).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:37:29 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 3h The Red Sox are 11-1 in Nick Pivetta’s starts since they acquired him in 2020. This is the first time they have ever won as many as 11 of a pitcher’s first 12 starts with the club. (h/t @eliassports )
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 27, 2021 3:41:12 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 4h Josh Taylor will pitch the seventh, it appears.
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 4h In the last month he's faced 26 men and allowed 2 hits.
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