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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 13:44:24 GMT -5
Game 76: Yankees at Red Sox lineups and pregame notes By Matt Pepin Globe Staff,Updated June 25, 2021, 9:17 a.m.
The Red Sox fell out of first place in the AL East Thursday when they lost to the Rays, 1-0, on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth. That gave Tampa Bay the series, and also put the wraps on an eight-game Red Sox road trip.
Now they return home to host their biggest rivals, the third-place Yankees, who are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have won two straight.
Before Friday’s series opener, the Red Sox will honor Dustin Pedroia, who spent his entire pro baseball career in the Red Sox organization and was forced to retire in February because of ongoing knee problems.
Lineups
YANKEES (40-34):
Pitching: RHP Domingo Germán (4-4, 4.17 ERA)
1. DJ LeMahieu (R) 2B 2. Aaron Judge (R) CF 3. Gary Sanchez (R) C 4. Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH 5. Luke Voit (R) 1B 6. Gleyber Torres (R) SS 7. Gio Urshela (R) 3B 8. Miguel Andujar (R) LF 9. Clint Frazier (R) RF
RED SOX (44-31):
1. Michael Chavis (R) 1B 2. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 6. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 7. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 8. Christian Vazquez (R) C 9. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 2B
Pitching: LHP Martín Pérez (5-4, 4.32 ERA)
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Yankees vs. Pérez: Miguel Andújar 0-5, Clint Frazier 1-2, Brett Gardner 2-10, Aaron Judge 1-6, D.J. LeMahieu 4-11, Rougned Odor 2-6, Giancarlo Stanton 3-7, Gary Sánchez 2-7, Gleyber Torres 1-8, Gio Urshela 1-4, Luke Voit 3-9, Tyler Wade 0-0
Red Sox vs. Germán: Xander Bogaerts 5-12, Michael Chavis 0-1, Bobby Dalbec 0-2, Rafael Devers 2-13, Marwin Gonzalez 4-11, Kiké Hernández 0-2, J.D. Martinez 1-11, Hunter Renfroe 0-1, Danny Santana 0-3, Alex Verdugo 1-3, Christian Vázquez 1-4
Stat of the day: Nick Pivetta on Thursday became the first Red Sox pitcher to be pulled from a no-hitter after six innings since Babe Ruth in 1916.
Notes: The Red Sox swept the Yankees in New York in early June … The Red Sox have lost four of their last six games … New York is 3½ games behind second-place Boston in the AL East … Pérez did not face the Yankees during the series in New York. He is 2-3 with a 7.92 ERA in seven career starts against them … Germán faced the Red Sox June 6 and held them to one run on three hits over 5⅔ innings in a game Boston won in 10 innings. He is 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA in seven games (six starts) vs. the Red Sox … The Red Sox have been held to three runs or fewer in each of their last four losses … Hunter Renfroe hit Boston’s lone home run during the series at Tampa Bay.
Song of the Day: Queen - I Want To Break Free
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 14:06:30 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 4m Ryan Brasier is here at Fenway Park tonight. Walked up Jersey Street around 3 pm. Presumably meeting with #RedSox medical staff prior to resuming his work at Fort Myers/on a rehab assignment.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 14:58:43 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 7m Cora on Dustin Pedroia: "If he wants to manage the Red Sox in a few years, I really don't mind that. I really don't."
Jokes he can step aside and become a special advisor when that time comes.
Red Sox injury updates: * Sale on track for 20-pitch live BP tomorrow... will be another live BP next week. * Brasier in town for a checkup.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 15:09:57 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 19m Cora on Pedroia: ‘He’s in my Hall of Fame, not only as a player but as a person.’
Cora says the Sox are getting closer to the 85 percent vaccination threshold than they were last week, but still haven’t cleared it.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 15:12:45 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 22m Cora on Pedroia potentially being voted into Cooperstown -- 'I don't want to talk about the Hall of Fame. He's in my Hall of Fame.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'Now he's enjoying his life again, which is very important. He's part of the #RedSox organization.'
'If he wants to manage the Red Sox -- hey, I don't mind that in a few years.'
'I'll be kind of like a senior adviser. We'll make a new job description.'
Cora wearing a team-issued red t-shirt -- 'Dustin' in blue block letters across the front, the number 15 on the back. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 15:14:03 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 25m Cora on Pedroia -- 'This kid, he never took a play off.' #RedSox
Cora said Sale will face hitters Saturday. It will be 20 pitches of live BP. #RedSox
Cora said Sale would face hitters again next week barring any setbacks. A rehab assignment could follow. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 15:14:55 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 14m Cora on the #RedSox defense recently -- 'Sloppy. Bad. All of the above. We need to be better.'
Cora -- 'There's no perfect team out there. You guys see it around the league.'
Cora thinks Houston is currently playing the best baseball in the league. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 15:17:42 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1m Alex Cora still refers to 37-year-old Dustin Pedroia as "that kid."
Goes back to 2006 when he was, in fact, "that kid."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 15:20:15 GMT -5
Tom Caron @tomcaron 11m Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy just told me he expects tonight’s game to be sold out. Tickets still available but by game time he expects a full house. #RedSox #Yankees #MLB
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 25, 2021 16:04:53 GMT -5
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 25, 2021 21:07:16 GMT -5
I wouldn't mind an insurance run or two. It feels like Barnes is inheriting a lot of 1-run leads. Don't want to burn him out, and I certainly don't want to lose the game.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 25, 2021 22:30:32 GMT -5
5.1 innings of shutout relief work, with a 7/1 K/W. Well done.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 26, 2021 3:26:27 GMT -5
Sox feed off 'incredible crowd' to beat Yanks 2:15 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- The first packed house at Fenway Park this season -- some 36,869 strong -- got an opening act of celebrating Dustin Pedroia and then an equally satisfying main attraction of watching their Red Sox edge out the rival Yankees, 5-3, on an electric Friday night that opened a three-game rivalry series.
While Boston has exceeded expectations to this point, New York hasn’t been able to meet them.
But the Yankees had caught a little burst of momentum coming into Fenway, winning seven of their last 10.
That made it important for the Red Sox to set the tone for the weekend by cooling off their rivals.
They accomplished that with a tense and satisfying performance, which included the latest throw by Hunter Renfroe that looked like it was shot out of a cannon -- a 94.7-mph strike home that nailed Gio Urshela trying to score from second on a single by Miguel Andújar.
“The fact that everybody was here early, the fans, that’s something different, but obviously for the right reason,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “I have to give it to the fans, for them to show up and bring the energy from the get-go with Pedey, and then keeping it going all the way through the end. I’ve been saying Friday nights at Fenway are cool. They’re pretty cool, and it was another great atmosphere.”
The offense, perhaps jolted by the Pedroia ceremony, made some early noise with run-scoring doubles into the gap in left-center in the first by Xander Bogaerts and Renfroe.
“Yeah, it was incredible,” Renfroe said of the atmosphere. “Obviously, this is the thing you live for. These are the games you live for. Obviously, it wasn’t a playoff [game], but it was a playoff-like atmosphere. The guys felt it from the fans, and the fans were there the whole game.”
Without question, the biggest roar of the night unrelated to Pedroia was when that throw from Renfroe came searing home, and Christian Vázquez dropped down the tag on Urshela.
“He’s been awesome offensively and defensively,” said Bogaerts. “I didn’t even know he was that good of an outfielder. He’s been playing really, really good for us.”
It was Renfroe’s second assist in as many nights, his third in the last four games and sixth in his last 21 games.
Amazingly, teams continue to test him.
“I honestly didn’t even think [Renfroe] was going to make a throw on that play,” Yankees third-base coach Phil Nevin said. “There’s no excuse. You can’t get the guy thrown out there. Even if you think you see something, you’ve got to err on the side of caution with nobody out. I’ll be thinking about that all night, for sure.”
Though lefty Martín Pérez lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing three unearned runs, the bullpen took it home by getting the final 16 outs without yielding a run.
Nobody on the Red Sox was more grateful for the dominance of the ‘pen than Bogaerts, who booted a routine ground ball by Urshela in the second that led to a three-run inning by the Yankees that tied the game.
“These guys picked me up big time,” said Bogaerts. “Just continued putting up zeros after I messed up. It was a rough feeling for me, and these guys came in and they did a great job. I still don’t know how I missed it, because normally I catch pretty much everything that’s hit to me. Once I missed that one, that really hurt. That was an awesome win.”
It was a much better feeling for Bogaerts when, with the potential go-ahead run at the plate with one out in the ninth, DJ LeMahieu hit a grounder that he started a 6-4-3 double play on to end the game.
Cora couldn’t help but note how fitting it was for this entertaining contest to end on a play that Pedroia turned countless times in his career.
“It was meant to be,” said Cora. “The whole thing was amazing, it was cool. [Pedroia] was amazing. I know he enjoyed every moment of it. There were a few surprises. I didn’t know Pedro [Martinez] was in town. He came out and that was cool, as always. The big man [David Ortiz] with a great message [on the scoreboard]. And Pedey, he nailed it.”
It was a win that belonged to Boston.
“What an incredible crowd,” said Renfroe. “Obviously coming from last year and not having fans at all to having a packed house tonight against the Yankees, it was pretty special.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 26, 2021 3:35:37 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 6h RED SOX SELLOUT STREAK: 1
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 26, 2021 3:47:10 GMT -5
Hunter Renfroe’s sacrifice fly provides winning run, Red Sox hang on to beat Yankees By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 25, 2021, 10:58 p.m.
On a night that featured Fenway Park’s first sellout crowd since September of 2019 and saw an emotional Dustin Pedroia receive a sendoff that Red Sox legends are accustomed to, the team on the field didn’t disappoint.
The Red Sox carved out a 5-3 win Friday against the rival Yankees. It was stamped by a Christian Vázquez RBI single in the eighth, giving the Sox their final run of the contest and much-needed breathing room. Matt Barnes worked around two singles to begin the ninth inning to record his 16th save of the season.
After winning just one game in their 10 meetings last season, the Sox have won their first four contests of 2021 against the Yankees. Despite the victory, much of the postgame talk was about Pedroia.
“I know it’s been a while since he’s watched a major league game from the stands,” Bogaerts said. “So it was nice to win the first game at home. Always great to start the series off on a good note and we should come here again tomorrow with the same hunger.”
The Red Sox jumped on Yankee starter Domingo Germán in the first. Bogaerts roped a double that scored Michael Chavis and Alex Verdugo. Hunter Renfroe’s double two batters later scored Bogaerts to stretch the lead to 3-0.
Red Sox starter Martín Pérez retired the side in order in the first but was snakebitten in the second inning. With one out and runners on first and second, Gio Urshela’s grounder to Bogaerts forced the Sox shortstop to move slightly to his right. It appeared as if Bogaerts had a chance at a force play at second but he bounced the throw, loading the bases. Pérez struck out Miguel Andujar for the second out of the inning before a Clint Frazier walk forced in a run. DJ LeMahieu then sliced a two-run single down the right-field line to tie it at 3.
That didn’t last long, however, with Renfroe’s sacrifice fly to center fielder Aaron Judge putting the Sox ahead by a run after three innings.
The Yankees threatened in the fourth. Urshela doubled to begin the inning. Andujar then singled through the right side. But Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin helped the Sox when he sent Urshela home. Renfroe cut down Urshela on a throw to Vázquez straddling the plate.
Sox manager Alex Cora aggressively utilized his bullpen. After Frazier flied out, Pérez’s night was over after just 3⅔ inning. The top of the Yankees order was due up, and Hirokazu Sawamura took over.
“I wanted to Martín to go as long as possible but with all those righties it just felt like it was time to go somewhere else,” Cora said. Related: Early results are encouraging but Red Sox still have a long way to go
Though Pérez didn’t allow an earned run, it was a laborious outing for the lefthander, who for the fifth time this year lasted less than four innings in a start.
He threw 67 pitches, striking out three and walking two. He drew just four swings and misses, none of which came on his two-seamer or four-seamer. Sawamura navigated his way through 1⅓ innings of scoreless ball and Garrett Whitlock followed that with two scoreless innings of his own.
“We have to win as a group,” Pérez said regarding his early hook. “And I think we did today. So I did my job and then we called the bullpen and they finished it off. So, I think it’s not just one player.”
The Red Sox bullpen threw 5⅓ innings, allowing just three hits, one walk, and striking out seven.
Fenway returned to some sense of normalcy with 36,869 fans in attendance. Within that normalcy was some closure for Pedroia.
And with the Yankees threatening and LeMahieu at the plate, the Sox turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the contest, much like Pedroia throughout his career.
“The fact that we ended with a 6-4-3 double play, it was meant to be,” Cora said. “The whole thing was amazing.”
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