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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 29, 2021 18:01:51 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: Kiké Hernandez finding more comfort as he tries to take hold of leadoff spot
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: June 29, 2021 at 6:36 p.m. | UPDATED: June 29, 2021 at 6:47 p.m.
Kiké Hernandez is starting to catch fire at the top of the lineup, and the Red Sox are hoping it can continue as they try to solve their season-long leadoff conundrum.
With leadoff home runs on back-to-back days — including blasting Gerrit Cole’s first pitch to the Monster seats in Sunday’s win over the Yankees — Hernandez is starting to look more and more comfortable. The Red Sox’ utility man has been moving all over the lineup in the last month, but his consistency — he has an .865 OPS since June 7, and is batting .300 with four doubles and three homers and five walks since June 19, have earned him his No. 1 spot back, at least for now.
“He’s a guy, if he gets on a hot streak, he rocks and rolls for a period,” Red Sox hitting coach Tim Hyers said before Tuesday night’s game. “I think he’s found comfort in his swing and you also see a couple of walks in there, so he’s getting his pitch to swing at and not expanding as much. He’s been doing a great job. Probably, when he went down in the order, it probably relaxed him a little bit and then he’s taken off after that.”
After starting the season with Hernandez at leadoff, the Red Sox have cycled through four others at the top — in part because of Hernandez’s brief stint on the injured list — but manager Alex Cora has always wanted the order to start with Hernandez, who made his 48th start at leadoff on Tuesday. They like his aggressiveness, which he’s shown this week and which is something he’s learned to manage over the first three months.
“That’s his strength,” Hyers said. “Alex does a great job of talking to players and helping them understand their strengths and capitalize on them, and that’s one of them. We want him to be aggressive, but there’s a point where you’re overaggressive and you’re giving away at-bats, so I think right now he’s doing a great job and we couldn’t ask for any more right now.”
Sale set for another BP
Chris Sale will throw two innings to live hitters on Wednesday at Fenway Park in his next big checkmark in his Tommy John surgery recovery. Like Saturday’s session, it will simulate a game day as he warms up in the bullpen and goes through an up and down on the mound. He’ll throw 15 to 20 pitches in each inning in what Cora described as likely a more aggressive session.
“For me, like I’ve been saying all along, the live BPs are great, but how he feels the next day is the most important thing,” Cora said. “And so far, in between that live BP and to now, he’s feeling amazing. So, go through his work tomorrow and then we’ll see how he reacts on Thursday.”
Taylor continues dominant run
With a perfect eighth inning of relief in Monday’s win over the Royals, Josh Taylor ran his string of consecutive scoreless outings to 23, the most in Red Sox history by a left-handed pitcher that was previously set by Hideki Okajima and Tony Fassas, who each had 19. The franchise record is 27 by Koji Uehara in 2013.
“If people look at his numbers and they see what he’s done since the end of April, he’s been one of the best, if not the best lefty in the big leagues,” Cora said. “You can’t deny that numbers-wise. … Putting him in tough spots with two on and men on or facing a bunch of righties late in games. From my end, like I said, if you’re paying attention to what is going on, he’s been one of the best if not the best lefty reliever the last two months.”
Injury updates
Christian Arroyo (right shin bruise) is continuing to progress well. Cora said the second baseman will go on a rehab assignment with Worcester this week and should be ready to go for the west coast trip that begins Friday.
Kevin Plawecki (left hamstring strain) is farther behind, though. Cora said the backup catcher didn’t feel great on Monday and will need more time. He was going to get treatment on Tuesday and see how he feels, but the Red Sox aren’t rushing him back.
“This is not about this week or next week,” Cora said. “This is about the whole season, and we need you. So, just make sure you’re patient enough and we’ll see where it takes us.” …
Bobby Dalbec and Tanner Houck each celebrated birthdays on Tuesday as they turned 26 and 25, respectively. Houck started for Worcester on Tuesday, his third outing since returning from a flexor strain.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 29, 2021 19:31:06 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne Another out on the bases for the Red Sox. This time it's Bobby Dalbec trying to go first to third on a single by Kiké. ============================================================================================ I don't mind aggression, but with two outs, you have to be just about automatic at 3rd.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 29, 2021 19:34:43 GMT -5
shitty base running by jdm and dalbec and pivetta is a soup sandwich out there.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 29, 2021 21:05:29 GMT -5
Beautiful 2B by JD. Just went with the pitch. We got some guys that should be watching and copying.
And, only because these things don't make the papers, it was a good send for the second run. If he was one step slower, he might not make it, and that would be the story. Aggression pays, but it doesn't come without risk.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 2:46:53 GMT -5
Bats, bullpen pick up Pivetta in win over KC 1:17 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- If abbreviated outings by the starting pitchers have become too much of a recurring theme for the Red Sox in recent weeks, two other themes have allowed the club to remain in first place in the American League East as June winds down to just one more day.
The offense keeps bashing the baseball around and the bullpen continues to get the job done far more often than not.
It was that formula that allowed the Red Sox to upend the Royals, 7-6, on another hot and steamy night at Fenway Park on Tuesday.
“We're putting together good at-bats. The line is moving, we're walking too, we've been controlling the strike zone,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We're doing a lot of good things offensively.”
And the bullpen almost always makes that offense stand up -- particularly of late.
Sox relievers have not allowed an earned run in the last three games, covering 11 innings. They’ve posted a 0.51 ERA (one earned run in 17 2/3 innings) in the first five games of this seven-game homestand and have a 1.16 ERA in the last eight games.
“The bullpen has been throwing the ball really well. I think for the vast majority of the season the bullpen has been really, really solid,” said closer Matt Barnes, who locked down his 18th save. “Guys are feeding off of each other, guys are doing their thing, wanting the ball, competing and going out there and doing their job in big situations. It’s been awesome, it really has.”
Their winning streak at five games, the 49-31 Sox have opened up a two-game lead in the AL East. The season will be half over on Wednesday night and Boston has positioned itself for a potentially thrilling stretch run.
Thus far this month, the Sox are 17-10. This, even though the starting pitchers have gone less than five innings in 10 of the last 21 games.
Nick Pivetta was the starter who didn’t go as long as the Sox hoped on Tuesday, lasting just 4 1/3 innings while giving up nine hits -- including three homers -- and six runs.
“I’m definitely not satisfied with it,” said Pivetta, who fired 6 2/3 no-hit innings in his previous start before getting taken out. “I think I really have to bounce back from this one. I need to go deeper in the ballgame. I need to give more innings so I can give the bullpen a little bit more of a rest there. But at the end of the day, the bullpen picked me up, the hitters picked me up all game and we came out with the win, so I think that’s really important.”
Once Pivetta departed, the Royals stopped scoring.
Relievers Yacksel Ríos, Darwinzon Hernandez, Adam Ottavino and Barnes combined for the final 14 outs, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out six.
It was the MLB-leading 27th comeback win for the Red Sox. Prior to the game, Cora was asked if he would prefer to have some less stressful games in which his team could play from ahead.
“For my heart and our bullpen,” said Cora.
But with the offense once again at its relentless best, overcoming three deficits, Cora had Barnes pitch for the third straight day while Ottavino pitched for the second consecutive day.
“They were really good, starting with Ríos and Darwinzon,” Cora said. “It's just one of those, they're throwing the ball well. I know at the end we went to Adam and Barnesy [again], but just what the offense did today, they deserved for us to actually use them in that spot. We've been using them a lot. Maybe they'll be out tomorrow. Maybe it rains tomorrow. We were aggressive with them, we finished the game, and now we move on to tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, the offense seems to have no issue helping to carry the day again and again.
The biggest swing of Tuesday’s game was from J.D. Martinez, who rifled a two-run double down the line in right in the bottom of the sixth that scored Alex Verdugo from first. That gave Boston the lead it never relinquished after several swings of momentum earlier in the game. It was part of a four-RBI night for Martinez.
“I think we’re doing a really good job of really staying convicted on our approaches and not chasing around the zone,” said Martinez. “We’re making these guys work and just putting the ball in play hard when we get the mistakes and the pitches we’re looking for.”
At this point, it seems clear that overlooking the Red Sox would be a mistake. Other than the Giants, no team in MLB has exceeded the expectations of so many -- at least of the external variety.
“I know last year was [tough], I’ve always believed in our offense,” said Martinez. “Last year we struggled a little bit to pitch and these guys have been great this year. I’m a believer that if you have good pitching, the offense always finds a way to step up.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 2:48:41 GMT -5
Notes: HRs reflect Kiké's comfort at leadoff Dalbec having productive June; Houck an option for spot start June 29th, 2021 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne Enrique Hernández's solo home run
Jun 28, 2021
BOSTON -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s seemingly endless search for a productive leadoff hitter might have led him back to his original choice.
Of late, Kiké Hernández has finally started doing what the Red Sox hoped when he was installed at the top of the order on Opening Day.
Christian Arroyo, Michael Chavis, Marwin Gonzalez and Danny Santana are the other players Cora has tried in the No. 1 slot of the order. But it was Hernández back in there for the 48th time in Boston’s 80 games on Tuesday.
On Sunday against Yankees' Gerrit Cole and on Monday against Royals' Danny Duffy, Hernández gave the Red Sox instant offense by leading off the bottom of the first with a homer.
Hernández became the fourth player in Red Sox history to lead off two games in a row with a home run, joining Harry Hooper (1913), Mike Aviles (2012) and Mookie Betts (twice in ’16).
“It’s instant offense,” said Cora. “We know he can hit the ball out of the ballpark. Sometimes he tries [too much] to hit the ball out of the ballpark. You see those two swings, they were short, in the zone, he put a good swing on it.”
The Red Sox will definitely take the home runs, but it is Hernández’s overall improvement in approach that is most significant.
“He’s been good. He’s taking his walks. It started in Kansas City. Hopefully he can continue doing that,” said Cora. “It’s not about him hitting the ball out of the ballpark, but we know he can do damage from that spot.”
In his last nine games, starting with the Kansas City series that Cora mentioned, Hernández is slashing .300/.395/.733 with four doubles, three homers, five walks and seven RBIs in 38 plate appearances.
Despite Hernández's recent improvement, the Red Sox started Tuesday with a .284 on-base percentage at leadoff, which ranked 14th in the American League.
Taking stock of the birthday boy Bobby Dalbec celebrated his 26th birthday by batting ninth for the Red Sox and starting at first base on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
For future birthdays, he hopes to take on a more prominent spot in the batting order.
But for now, the Red Sox are fine with riding the ups and downs of Dalbec’s rookie season, particularly with the club entering play on Tuesday in first place in the AL East.
Dalbec snapped an 0-for-15 stretch on Monday when he belted a 397-foot homer as part of a 2-for-4 night.
With June winding down, this has actually been Dalbec’s best month so far. His .493 slugging percentage entering Tuesday represents a big jump from .429 in May and .343 in April. Dalbec continues to strike out at a high rate. He had 32 K’s in his first 79 plate appearances in June.
“He’s just starting to play at the big league level so there’s up and downs. I do believe that lately he has understood that at this level, you have to make adjustments,” said Cora. “Everything starts with timing. We’ve been talking about that the whole time. You get there on time, your mechanics are going to be sound anyways. He has his rough patches, but at the same time, one thing I’ve been telling him, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing, we’re still winning ballgames.
“That’s why I tell all these kids the young guys, don’t get caught up in your stats. Don’t get caught up in your 0-for-4’s or 4-for-4’s. At the end of the day, if we got 27 outs and we got the win, just smile, have fun and shake hands. That’s the most important thing. Try to contribute offensively, defensively, running the bases, in the dugout, communication-wise. Do whatever it takes for us to win ballgames. I think he’s understanding that part. Obviously as a young player, it’s not easy to struggle.”
Rotation reinforcement? With Tanner Houck pitching well for Triple-A Worcester since he returned from his strained flexor injury in his right arm, it could make sense for him to make a spot start or two either leading up to or following the All-Star break to give some of the other starters a breather.
The Red Sox have had one of the healthiest rotations in MLB this season. Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Richards and Martín Pérez started 77 of the team’s first 79 games. The other two went to Houck.
“We’ll talk about it,” said Cora. “We’ll be facing a lot of good lineups [coming out of the break]. We’re talking about that. August, like I said the other day, it’s going to help us with the five off-days. That’s going to be very important, but we’re going to need some help at one point. These guys, they’ve been posting the whole time, and we’ll see where we go with it.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:14:16 GMT -5
Red Sox withstand another starter’s meltdown and drop Royals again By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 30, 2021, 12:09 a.m.
The Red Sox found themselves in the midst of another nail-biter with the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday evening at Fenway Park.
But the Sox have been here before — maybe even too much.
They entered the day with 26 come-from-behind wins, a testament to their mettle and ability to move on to the next pitch and next play.
In Tuesday’s back-and-forth contest that featured hot bats on both sides in the midst of a game-time temperature of 95 degrees, it was the Sox who stayed cool when it counted for a 7-6 victory.
Matt Barnes struck out the side for his 18th save as the Red Sox’ bullpen provided 4⅔ innings of shutout relief.
For the second night in a row, a Red Sox starter allowed five-plus runs in an outing. On Monday, the starter was Garrett Richards, who allowed five runs over his 5⅔ innings of work. Tuesday, it was Nick Pivetta’s turn.
The Royals battered the Sox starter for six runs in 4⅓ innings, printing Pivetta’s worst start of the season. Pivetta yielded nine hits, three of them homers. Just one run — on a Michael Taylor single to center field in the second — wasn’t scored on a home run.
“I’m definitely not satisfied with it,” Pivetta said afterward. “I think I really have to bounce back from this and go deeper into the ballgame.” Related: Nick Pivetta wanted to go deep into the game, but instead he was taken deep
Whit Merrifield took Kansas City’s first trip around the bags in the first inning when his leadoff homer made its way just within the Pesky Pole. Taylor then a two-run shot to right-center in the fourth. In the fifth, Ryan O’Hearn met the batter’s eye in center on his home run.
That was enough for manager Alex Cora to make the call to his bullpen, electing to go with Yacksel Riós.
In the meantime, though, the Sox were giving Royals starter Brad Keller his share of trouble. Contrary to Kansas City, the Sox’ runs weren’t dictated by the long ball.
J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts had RBI singles in the first, giving the Sox a 2-1 lead.
Hunter Renfroe’s sacrifice fly in the third put the Sox ahead, 3-2, in a game that featured six lead changes through the first six innings.
In the fourth, Kiké Hernández tied the contest with a single to left-center and Martinez’s sacrifice fly later in the inning put the Sox back in front again, 5-4.
Keller finally saw his day come to a close when Bobby Dalbec singled to left in the sixth. Martinez struck again for the Sox, lacing a double to right field that scored two and giving the Sox a 7-6 lead. It was the Sox’ first, and only, extra-base hit of the game.
“I think we’ve been doing a really good job of staying convicted in our approaches,” Martinez said.
Said Cora: “We’re putting together good at-bats,” Cora said. “The line is moving, we’re controlling the strike zone. We’re doing a lot of great things offensively.”
The Red Sox’ offense, indeed, has done its part. That, and the bullpen, is a huge reason why this team is two games ahead of the Rays for first place in the American League East.
The Sox’ sustainability on the offensive side shouldn’t be brought into question. This team has consistently proven itself to be one of the best offenses in baseball. But is it sustainable for the bullpen to keep bailing the Sox out? That’s certainly a dark cloud that looms over Fenway.
Consider that in June, leading up to Tuesday’s game, the Sox bullpen had pitched 101 innings, which ranked fourth in the majors during that span. The teams in front of the Red Sox? The Royals (No. 3), Orioles (No. 2), and the Diamondbacks (No. 1), all of whom are well under .500 and are last in their division.
Sox starters have gone fewer than five innings in 10 of the 21 games since June 7.
Barnes says the potential wear and tear on him isn’t a concern.
“I’ve thrown 70 games in a season and another 10 in the postseason,” said Barnes. “So I feel really good right now. I’m not going to speak to anybody else.”
Cora admitted that this should be a concern for the Red Sox.
The Sox survived the night again, but moving forward and with a West Coast trip on the horizon, the rotation will need to eat innings.
“We will show up [Wednesday] and see where we’re at,” Cora said.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:16:54 GMT -5
Red Sox’ Nick Pivetta wanted to go deep into the game, but instead he was taken deep By Kris Rhim Globe Correspondent,Updated June 30, 2021, 12:26 a.m.
It’s easy to tell when Nick Pivetta has found his groove on the mound.
Typically after successful innings, he’ll pound his glove emphatically, then skip and jump over the first baseline as he runs to the Red Sox dugout.
That excitement was missing Tuesday night.
Pivetta handed the ball to manager Alex Cora after 4⅓ innings and headed to the dugout dejected, head down, missing the bounce and joy he typically has. The 28-year-old allowed nine hits, six runs (all earned), and three home runs in 89 pitches in the 7-6 win over Kansas City at Fenway Park.
“He’ll be the first to admit it wasn’t a great one,” Cora said.
Pivetta said he wasn’t satisfied with his performance and emphasized the need to bounce back in his next start.
“I needed to go deeper in the ballgame,” he said. “I needed more innings to give the bullpen a little bit more of a rest there. But at the end of the day, the bullpen picked me up. The hitters picked me up all game, and we came out with the win, and I think that’s really important.”
Yacksel Ríos earned the win for his relief effort. He pitched 1⅔ scoreless innings with a strikeout.
“[The bullpen has] been incredible,” Pivetta said. “They’re all really working hard, going out there grinding innings out and doing a tremendous job. I think it’s just been a team effort as a whole. Sometimes things aren’t going your way. It’s a team, there’s eight other guys on that field, so when they pick you up, it’s always a great feeling.”
Cora said the Red Sox “needed” Pivetta to go deeper in the game and starting pitchers not going deep into games is concerning.
“That’s why yesterday was huge for Garrett to go 5⅔ — we tried today too,” Cora said. “... We had to do what we had to do. Hopefully Martìn [Perèz] goes deep into the game tomorrow, we put together a good offensive performance, and we can actually breathe the last few innings.”
In the third inning, it seemed as if Pivetta might have turning things around. He got three quick outs on just nine pitches. He looked confident as he jumped over the first baseline on the way to the dugout after the inning. That quickly changed in the fourth, when Michael Taylor hit a slider into right field for a home run. Then, in the fifth, Ryan O’Hearn sent a four-seamer 419-feet into center field to give the Royals a 6-5 lead.
“I thought he found his rhythm in the third inning — it was actually a good one,” Cora said. “It was one of those games where the way it started, I was thinking it was a good one for him to go five [innings] and take him out of the game.”
Just five days ago, Pivetta had arguably his best outing of the season, against the Rays. He didn’t allow a hit through a season-high 6⅔ innings, adding eight strikeouts. He joined elite company when he became the second Red Sox pitcher to be removed from a game without allowing a hit over six-plus innings.
The other guy? Babe Ruth. Related: Grant Gambrell likes the way his fortune has swung in the Red Sox’ farm system
Cora said Pivetta’s intensity might have played a role in his struggles Tuesday night. “He pitched so good in Tampa. Sometimes that takes a toll in the next one,” Cora said.
The month of June has not been kind to Pivetta. Tuesday’s no-decision means he ends the month without a win in six starts.
Pivetta’s June struggles are a complete 180 from how he began the year. He was 6-0 with a 3.86 ERA through his first 10-starts — the first Sox starter to do so since Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz in 2013.
Even with his disappointing June, Pivetta came into the game leading the team in strikeouts with 94, and recorded at least six strikeouts in each of his last six starts. He out only struck out five batters Tuesday. Coming into the game, Pivetta had 69 strikeouts over the previous 10 games, the most in his career over any 10-game span.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:18:59 GMT -5
Red Sox notebook Red Sox’ aggressive tactics on bases have defenses on the run By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 30, 2021, 12:41 a.m.
Red Sox first base coach Tom Goodwin swiped 369 bags during his 14-year big league career. In 1996, when Goodwin was a member of the Kansas City Royals, he stole 66 bases that year. It was a different game back then, one that relied on speed to exploit teams.
Now, 25 years later, Goodwin has infused some of his aggressive baserunning tactics into this Red Sox team.
“We’ve been trying to work on our primary and secondary leads,” Goodwin said before the Sox’ 7-6 win over the visiting Royals on Tuesday. “We’re trying to be as aggressive as we can, but yet still playing within the realm of the game. We don’t want to get picked off. I think it’s about going toward that extra 90 feet. We talked about that a lot in spring training. I think that was definitely the main goal we had coming in.”
This isn’t about stealing bases. The Red Sox ranked 20th in the league with 29 stolen bases this year. It’s about intent. The Red Sox have capitalized on taking the extra base. For example, Hunter Renfroe hustling his way to an infield single to score a run Saturday against the Yankees. In that same series, Rafael Devers scored on a sacrifice fly in foul territory just beyond first base.
The Sox’ audacity on the bases was born, in part, by both Goodwin and third base coach Carlos Febles (20 steals for Kansas City in 1999). But it was also implemented into the Sox’ style through the opponents they faced.
“We also realized how other teams were doing it to us,” Goodwin intimated. “How Tampa Bay was doing it to us. How Kansas City was doing it to us. And how some of the more athletic teams and how they can put pressure on us and not have to get two and three or four hits in a row or two or three or four hits in an inning to score runs.”
Goodwin and the Sox figured they had the speed and athleticism to do it. That guys were young enough to return the favor to the rest of the league. So far, it has paid dividends. Rotation could be shuffled
With the exception of the second game of the season, members of the Sox’ rotation has made each of their starts. After the All-Star break, however, the team might be considering sliding in a sixth starter in order to give the pitchers a bit of a break.
“We’re talking about that,” manager Alex Cora said. “We’re going to need some help. These guys, they’ve been pitching the whole time. We’ll see where we go with it.”
Chris Sale is on schedule to throw an up-and-down live batting practice Wednesday. Sale will toss roughly two innings. Bumps and bruises
Christian Arroyo (right knee contusion) is making progress. Cora expects Arroyo to be ready for the team’s upcoming six-game West Coast road trip. Meanwhile, catcher Kevin Plawecki (left hamstring strain) didn’t respond well when going through his progression Monday. “We have to slow him down a little bit,” Cora said. “Now we have to wait a little bit, see how he feels. But nothing major. But like I told him, this is not about this week or next week. This is about the whole season and we need you to make sure we’re patient enough. We’ll see where it takes us.” . . . Bobby Dalbec left Tuesday’s game with right hamstring tightness. Cora said afterward that he’s OK, but the team will stay away from him Wednesday . . . Tanner Houck tossed a season-high four innings to go along with four strikeouts in the WooSox’ 9-7 loss to visiting Scranton. Houck surrendered two runs and tossed 67 pitches, the most he’s thrown since returning from a right flexor strain. Jarren Duran homered twice and now has 15 for the season.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:22:01 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams @byjulianmack · 5h Bobby Dalbec is OK after being taken out due to right hamstring tightness. Cora said he likely won't be in the lineup tomorrow.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:23:39 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 8h Fine line between aggression and recklessness on the bases. We're watching the #RedSox trample it thus far this evening.
Good job by some of the lesser threats in the #RedSox order just putting the ball in play this inning. Positive results tend to follow.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:27:43 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 7h Red Sox starters have gone fewer than 5 innings in 10 of 21 games since June 7. Prior to that, they'd gone fewer than 5 in just 7 of 57 nine-inning games. The team's 16-10 record in June reflects a LOT of strong work by the bullpen.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:28:20 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 5h Barnes, pitching in the second game of back-to-back days, strikes out the side for the save in a 7-6 Red Sox win. Red Sox bullpen delivered 4 2/3 scoreless innings. They continue to power the team through this month, with the starters having hit a collective wall.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:31:46 GMT -5
Boston Sports Info @bostonsportsinf · 4h Red Sox - June
(17-10, .630) Runs scored - 135 Runs allowed -136
Run differential - (-1)
Huh?
I don’t recall ever seeing a team win 63.0% of their games in a month with a negative run differential
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 30, 2021 3:34:08 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 5h Red Sox relievers have a 0.46 ERA in their last 6 games (19.2 IP, 1 ER).
The Red Sox…
…own sole possession of the AL’s best record (49-31, .613).
…have won their last 5 games.
…own a 2.0-game lead in the AL East.
…are 14-7 in 1-run games.
…are 25-17 at home.
…lead MLB with 27 comeback wins.
…have not lost more than 3 consecutive games.
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