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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:03:39 GMT -5
Duran's first HR ignites Sox's slumbering bats 1:17 AM ADT Jordan Horrobin
Jordan Horrobin @jordanhorrobin
In the middle of Sunday night's loss to the Yankees, Alex Cora made a note for himself: It was time to make some lineup changes.
"We haven't been great offensively since we went to Oakland," the Red Sox manager explained. "And I just felt like moving people around would probably relax a few guys."
The relaxed, reshuffled Red Sox performed about as well as they possibly could on Monday, blitzing the Blue Jays for 11 early runs in a 13-4 win at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y. Boston posted an eight-run first inning for the first time since July 2, 2015 (at Toronto), washing away two-plus weeks of offensive futility.
In their previous dozen games, the Red Sox had scraped and scrounged for offense, averaging just 3.8 runs per game and falling well short of the lofty expectations placed on a lineup featuring three All-Stars.
Among Cora's maneuvers Monday was the promotion of Jarren Duran to the two-hole, and the rookie justified it instantly. His first MLB homer -- a two-run blast to left -- jump-started the Sox in the opening frame. Boston's No. 3 prospect had a quiet debut in the Bronx this past weekend, going 1-for-6 with three strikeouts, but Cora was encouraged by the 24-year-old's "competitive" at-bats.
"Duran, with a 2-0 pitch, he doesn't try to pull it," Cora said. "He goes the opposite way, and that's what's so impressive about him."
"I didn't think I got it," Duran said. "I thought maybe over [the outfielder's] head for a double or something, but it felt good trotting the bases, feeling like I did something to help the team get some runs on the board early."
Hunter Renfroe followed five batters later with a grand slam, and Kiké Hernández added a two-run homer, giving the Red Sox a three-homer first inning -- their first as a road team in franchise history. Hernández would add a solo dinger in the sixth.
Consider that eight-run inning in the context of how the Red Sox fared over the three-game series against the Yankees this past weekend: Boston had just six runs on 15 hits (.172 batting average), with two home runs.
The Sox tacked on three more in Monday's second inning with a Rafael Devers solo homer and a two-run double by Danny Santana, who's fresh off the injured list (left quad strain). By game's end, six starters had reached base at least twice, and the team worked nearly as many walks (seven) as strikeouts (eight).
"The at-bats were really professional today," Cora said. "We stayed in the zone, we did a lot of good things and hopefully we can continue tomorrow."
Cora didn't reveal whether he'll keep the lineup the same for Tuesday's game, but it's difficult to argue with the results of the new formula. In addition to helping some of his players relax, the skipper was hoping to "get some traffic" in front of J.D. Martinez. The All-Star designated hitter, who's batted third in all but one start this year, was dropped to No. 5 so fellow All-Stars Devers and Xander Bogaerts could hit ahead of him.
Martinez responded with a 4-for-4 night, including two doubles and a walk. That performance was somewhat muted, though, given Boston's six home runs (tying a season high).
A trademark of this Red Sox season is that home runs are celebrated with a laundry cart joyride in the dugout. In Buffalo, however, the players had to improvise by dragging a cooler along the ground.
"There's some places that there's no cart," Cora said. "I guess that's what they [used] today. We'll get back to it when we get home."
They'll head home Thursday, but first comes the goal of earning a series win against the Blue Jays. The Red Sox have now won each of their past four series openers, but they lost the previous three series.
Of course, if the offense uses this 14-hit, 13-run outburst to get back on track, series wins should become the norm again for the American League East leaders. One day after Christian Vázquez called out his team, saying they needed to "act more like we're in first place," that's exactly what they did.
"I read the quote and we talked a little bit about that," Cora said. "We have to show up every day. Every single day. And we've done a great job throughout the season, but it felt like there was an 'it factor' today."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:18:06 GMT -5
What, us, stumbling? Red Sox score eight in first, clobber Blue Jays in Buffalo By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated July 19, 2021, 10:41 p.m.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Manager Alex Cora oozed with confidence through a Zoom screen Monday afternoon.
His Red Sox, fresh off the All-Star break, dropped two out of three to the Yankees — a team they were 6-0 against before that series. The Sox scored just six runs and hit a forgettable .172.
Yet Cora remained steady, knowing that across a 162-game season, offensive ruts happen. Their six losses in eight games were just another pothole in the road. The Sox, as they have all year, would get through it.
“I think you go through ups and downs during the season,” Cora said before the game. “Yesterday [against the Yankees], there were some good things that we did. We just didn’t put the ball in play. We just didn’t cash in. You’re gonna go through stretches like this. Let’s try this and see what happens.”
What happened was the Red Sox ripped the Blue Jays for eight runs in the first inning and three in the second on the way to a 13-4 victory. Six homers accounted for 12 of the 13 runs.
The “this” was a reshuffled lineup, which did damage. Following a Kiké Hernández leadoff double, Jarren Duran belted his first big-league home run off Jays starter Ross Stripling, putting the Sox up 2-0. The former No. 2 hitter, Alex Verdugo, drew a one-out walk to load the bases in the No. 6 spot, and Hunter Renfroe scalded a grand slam to left-center field.
That was it for Stripling, who was in the showers when Hernández came up again and stung reliever Anthony Kay for a two-run shot, his first of two homers on the night.
“That was a great first inning,” Cora said. “I think the at-bats were really professional today. We stayed in the strike zone, we did a lot of good things, and hopefully we can continue tomorrow.”
The lineup, which also dropped J.D. Martinez from third to fifth — behind Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers — was reworked in part to get Martinez going. The designated hitter responded with two doubles, four hits, and a walk.
Devers had a solo shot and Danny Santana a two-run double in the second. Santana, activated from the injured list before the game, also homered in the fourth to make it 12-0.
“I feel really good,” Santana said. “A lot different than the first half of the season. I have better swing selection and am more aggressive with my swing.”
Nick Pivetta was the beneficiary of all the offense, pitching 6⅔ innings despite giving up 11 hits, including a four-run Toronto third in which Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left the bases loaded.
“In the fourth inning they tacked on four runs on a couple of broken-bat singles and a [Cavan Biggio] home run,” Pivetta said. “So, just right there it was about just limiting damage as much as possible with such a great lead that we had there.”
Hirokazu Sawamura, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Adam Ottavino closed out a win in which the Sox racked up 14 hits.
“We kind of struggled in New York,” Duran said. “So it was for us to come out and swing the bat early today. Just stay within our approaches. We were really patient at the plate and you could tell as we got pitches that we wanted, we did damage to him.”
Garrett Richards gets the start for the Sox (57-38) on Tuesday. Thomas Hatch will go for Toronto in place of Alek Manoah, who was put on the injured list with a back contusion after he reportedly slipped on wet dugout steps at Sahlen Field.
“We just show up and work and get ready every single episode regardless of what happened,” Cora said. “Today was a good start. Now we have to finish it.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:21:20 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Jarren Duran begins gangbusters first inning for Red Sox with MLB home run No. 1 By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated July 19, 2021, 8:26 p.m.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Alex Cora made the decision to move Jarren Duran to second in the batting order Monday against the Blue Jays, and dropped Alex Verdugo to the No. 6 spot in the lineup. It was a test, in some regard.
Duran passed, with his first career home run an opposite-field shot off starter Ross Stripling to begin an eight-run first inning and a 13-4 victory.
“You can see the energy, you can see the confidence. Obviously, you see the athlete,” Cora said before the game. “You see the quality of the at-bats. Yesterday against the Yankees in his first at-bat, he was down 0-2 and he battled back and made it through to some competitive pitches.
“I’m not saying this is the way we’re gonna go the rest of the season. But it just felt right today. And we’ll see where it takes us.”
Duran’s blast was the first of three in the inning for the Red Sox, followed by a Hunter Renfroe grand slam to make it 6-0 and a Kiké Hernández two-run shot. It marked the first time in franchise history the Red Sox belted three homers in a game in the top of the first inning, and their first eight-run first inning since July 2, 2015, also against Toronto on the road.
The rookie felt happy he could contribute.
“I didn’t think I got it,” Duran said. “I thought maybe it was over the left fielder’s head for a double or something. But it felt good trotting the bases to help the team get some runs on the board early.” Related: What, us, stumbling? Red Sox score eight in first, clobber Blue Jays in Buffalo
Duran, hitless in his other five at-bats, said he has the home run ball in his possession, but Major League Baseball wasn’t able to authenticate it because the cameras didn’t follow it the entire time.
Alex Verdugo seeks to see solution
As for Verdugo, he took batting practice on the field Monday. That was a rarity; he prefers the cage because he can keep his swing simple, avoid staring at how far the ball traveled, and focus on the process.
But Verdugo said his process needed to be a bit more visual Monday, so he elected for BP not just in the cage, but on the field with his teammates.
“Just to see a couple of balls, some nice line drives over the shortstop’s head,” Verdugo said.
Hitting coach Tim Hyers stood in back of Verdugo, filming him while he took his hacks and providing some instant feedback between rounds.
Verdugo has scuffled the last month and a half, hitting .250 since June 1, with just two homers and 54.8 percent of his contact pounded into the ground.
“My lower body is drifting,” Verdugo said. “I have the feeling of staying back where my head is staying back, but my hips and my legs are drifting forward.”
That has caused Verdugo to play catch-up. When your body drifts forward, the ball gets on top of you quicker, resulting in late swings or having to adjust on the fly. That’s when everything breaks down, resulting in weak contact.
“My shoulders are coming out [of the zone], my hips are coming out,” Verdugo said. “What I usually do so well is I stand upright. I’m together.”
Verdugo was hitless, but drew three walks and scored twice, on Renfroe’s grand slam and Danny Santana’s second-inning double. He fouled off some tough pitches during the eight-pitch at-bat in the first, and didn’t bite on a Stripling changeup below the zone for ball four.
“I keep trying to hit a five-run homer and it’s like, ‘Oh that’s gonna get me out of my little rut,’ but nah, man,” Verdugo said. “Those base hits, just seeing the ball and putting it in play and catching a couple barrels is gonna give me what I need.” Christian Arroyo back to the injured list
Santana was activated from the injured list at the expense of Christian Arroyo, who went on for the third time this season, this time with the left hamstring he strained reaching for a throw on Sunday night . . . Christian Vázquez didn’t play Monday after he took a foul ball off his right knee during the Yankees series. Kevin Plawecki went 2 for 4 with a walk in his place. Vázquez is expected to be ready to go in the next couple of days . . . Chris Sale will continue his rehab stint in Portland on Tuesday. Cora said he will pitch three or four innings. “If it was up to Chris, he would go seven tomorrow, to be honest with you,” Cora said. “He feels that good. But we got to be patient, like I said, and just stay with the process. We’ve been very patient throughout and we’re not going to deviate from that.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:23:08 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams @byjulianmack · 5h Chris Sale will throw 3 or 4 innings tomorrow at Portland
Jarren Duran has the home run ball. But MLB can't authenticate it because the camera didn't see it the entire time.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:26:10 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 9h Certain athletes, the moment isn't too big. Tools translate. Confident presence.
Kind of like this kid. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:27:48 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Vazquez said postgame Sunday the #RedSox needed to be a little cocky. Show more confidence. They were leading the AL East, not someone else.
Cora -- 'I read the quote. We talked a little bit about that. Where we're at right now, we're not going to surprise people.'
Cora -- 'They love playing the game.'
'They don't get down on themselves. They don't get too high, either. They just show up and work.'
'It was a good start. Now we have to finish it.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:29:44 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Cora on the home run cooler in Buffalo replacing the typical laundry cart -- 'There are some places there are no carts.'
'We'll get back to it when we get home.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'In the middle of the game yesterday I wrote it down. We haven't been great offensively since we went to Oakland. I just felt like moving people around would probably relax a few guys.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'That was a great first inning. The at-bats were really professional today.' #RedSox
Cora on Duran's first homer -- 'He doesn't try to pull it. He goes the other way. That's what's so impressive about him.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'We made a lineup change and they made me look good, I guess.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:31:04 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Nick Pivetta on Zoom -- 'It sets the tone for the series and who we are and what we want to accomplish here.' #RedSox
Pivetta on pitching 6 2/3 innings and saving the bullpen some work -- 'Did a good job after that fourth inning. Just kind of kept moving forward from there.' #RedSox
Nick Pivetta on Zoom -- 'It sets the tone for the series and who we are and what we want to accomplish here.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:32:09 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Danny Santana on Zoom -- 'I felt pretty good. A lot different than the first half of the season.'
'Better selection. A little more aggressive in my swing.' #RedSox
Santana -- 'I just played one game in Worcester because of the weather. Everything I did was just in the cage.'
'I hit outside one time.' #RedSox
Santana -- 'I feel really good. I'm just working and working to try to find my spot. Finally I got it.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:34:15 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Jarren Duran on his first #MLB home run -- 'I got to work the count in my favor. I was hoping for a fastball and got a fastball.'
'It felt good. I didn't think I got it. I thought maybe over his head for a double.' #RedSox
Duran on Cora moving him to second -- 'He just said he was going to try some things out and move some pieces around.'
'Just staying on my toes.'
'I think he believes in me no matter where he puts me in the lineup.' #RedSox
Duran said he's still figuring out #MLB facilities. He kept trying to go to the batting cage at Yankee Stadium and wound up out by the team buses.
Duran did not play at Buffalo previously. There was no Triple-A -- or minor leagues at all -- in 2020. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:42:08 GMT -5
after jawing all day about this series Jeff Blair had one comment last night.....hahahahahaha
Jeff Blair @snjeffblair · 9h Sub-optimal.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:44:14 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 8h This is the first time the Red Sox have ever hit 3 or more HR in the 1st inning of a road game (h/t @eliassports ).
This is also the first time this season the Sox have hit 3 HR in any inning.
The Red Sox haven’t let bad losses/series linger.
Start season 0-3 >>> Win next 9
Lose 3 at HOU >>> Win next 5, sweep NYY
Lose to Jays 18-4 >>> Walk Jays off next day
Walk-off 1-0 loss at TB >>> Win next 8
Lose at NYY 9-1 >>> 8 1st-inning runs next day
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:50:20 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 7h Here is Duran's pitch chart, updated to include tonight. It's clear the book is to avoid down and in at all costs.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 3:50:57 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 6h JDM with a nice 4/4 2 2B, BB upgrade tonight
.296/.368/.554 .922 to
.305/.376/.565 .941
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 20, 2021 4:28:16 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Blue Jays Tuesday, 20th July 2021 7pm @ Sahlen Field
Richards 5-5/4.91
Garrett Richards yielded three runs in five innings Friday in a win over the Phillies. It's still hard to see any upside here with Richards' velocity and spin rate down, but at least he has kept the Red Sox in games his last two times out after struggling in his final four outings of June and he picked up a win tonight for the first time since May 19. It'd still be for the best if the Red Sox could replace him
Hatch 0-0/000
Hatch is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three career games, all in relief in 2020, against Boston.Hatch, who was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo, started the season on the 60-day IL because of an elbow impingement. He will take the place of right-hander Alek Manoah, who was scheduled to start Tuesday. Manoah slipped on the dugout steps during the weekend, sustained a back contusion and was placed on the IL. Hatch was 0-1 with a 2.15 ERA in eight starts covering 29 1/3 innings in Triple-A this year.
After shuffling lineup, Red Sox aim to down Jays again According to STATS
The visiting Boston Red Sox will be out to show that a revived offense on Monday night was a sign of things to come as they go for a series victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night in Buffalo.
The Red Sox hit six home runs -- including two by Enrique Hernandez and a grand slam by Hunter Renfroe -- to win the opener of the three-game set 13-4 on Monday.
It was the first of 10 games between the American League East rivals through Aug. 8. The Red Sox, who came into the series in a 2-6 funk, increased their lead over the third-place Blue Jays, who had won four in a row, to seven games.
Boston manager Alex Cora juggled his lineup Monday. The shift paid immediate dividends when Jarren Duran, moved to second in the batting order, hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot in the first inning against Ross Stripling.
Before the eight-run first inning was over, Renfroe hit his sixth career grand slam and Hernandez belted a two-run homer.
It was the first time in major league history that a team scored eight or more runs in the top of the first inning with all of them coming on home runs.
"That was a great first inning," Cora said postgame. "The at-bats were really professional today. We stayed in the zone, we did a lot of good things and hopefully we can continue (Tuesday)."
Boston slugger J.D. Martinez, who was dropped from third to fifth, had four hits and a walk. Alex Verdugo, who was moved from second to sixth, walked three times.
"I'm not saying this is the way we're going to go the rest of the season," Cora said, "but it just felt right today. And we'll see where it takes us."
Boston's Danny Santana, activated from the injured list for the game, hit a two-run double and a solo home run. His move coincided with Christian Arroyo (hamstring) going on the IL.
The Red Sox will start right-hander Garrett Richards (5-5, 4.91 ERA) on Tuesday against Toronto right-hander Thomas Hatch (season debut).
Richards is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts against Toronto this season. He is 3-5 with a 5.26 ERA in 11 career games -- nine starts -- against the Blue Jays.
Hatch is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three career games, all in relief in 2020, against Boston.
Hatch, who was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo, started the season on the 60-day IL because of an elbow impingement. He will take the place of right-hander Alek Manoah, who was scheduled to start Tuesday. Manoah slipped on the dugout steps during the weekend, sustained a back contusion and was placed on the IL.
Hatch was 0-1 with a 2.15 ERA in eight starts covering 29 1/3 innings in Triple-A this year.
"For right now, he's throwing in Manoah's spot," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said after the Monday game. "We'll go from there and see how Manoah is doing. We'll see how he does, of course, but for right now, he's starting (Tuesday). That's all we know right now."
Toronto also put infielder Breyvic Valera on the family medical emergency list and recalled outfielder Jonathan Davis from Triple-A. Right-hander Anthony Castro (right ulnar nerve irritation) went on the IL.
--Field Level Media
Red Sox at Blue Jays Tuesday, at 7:07 PM EST Rainy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 72° F with a 37% chance of rain and 10 MPH wind blowing left to right in Toronto at 7:07 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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