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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 7, 2021 16:43:36 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb · 5m Alex Cora said bench coach Will Venable -- who tested positive for COVID -- "will be out for a while." Cora said Tom Goodwin was the only one considered a close contact.
Alex Cora said the Red Sox "got tested throughout the game."
He does not yet have the results for Duran and Martinez.
"For now, yeah," Cora said when asked if Goodwin was the only close contact with Venable.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 7, 2021 16:48:54 GMT -5
Game 2 7pm Houck vs Berrios
1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 2. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 3. Xander Bogaerts (R) DH 4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 5. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 6. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 2B 7. Christian Vazquez (R) C 8. Franchy Cordero (L) 1B 9. Jonathan Arauz (S) SS
1. George Springer (R) DH 2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B 3. Marcus Semien (R) 2B 4. Bo Bichette (R) SS 5. Teoscar Hernandez (R) RF 6. Corey Dickerson (L) LF 7. Randal Grichuk (R) CF 8. Breyvic Valera (S) 3B 9. Reese McGuire (L) C
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Aug 7, 2021 19:22:22 GMT -5
28 runs in 11 games. I'm waiting for tomorrow's articles about the bad RS pitching. I'm hoping maybe Pete or Lou clue in the RS writers. We not only need Schwarber, we need Arroyo. Neither Dalbec nor Duran are contributing anything.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 2:23:02 GMT -5
28 runs in 11 games. I'm waiting for tomorrow's articles about the bad RS pitching. I'm hoping maybe Pete or Lou clue in the RS writers. We not only need Schwarber, we need Arroyo. Neither Dalbec nor Duran are contributing anything.
why? Can either of those guys pitch? u do realize that other than the dead bats, dumb as usual base running, shoddy defense that coming into yesterday that the SP era since around the deadline was hovering around an 8 ERA?
Up here we call that shit.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 2:52:44 GMT -5
'Special' Houck helps Sox to DH split vs. Jays Sale slings scoreless rehab start as rotation begins to shape down stretch 12:34 AM ADT Megan Garcia
Megan Garcia @garciamegan_
The Red Sox have desperately wanted to turn over a new leaf on their recent shortcomings. The starting rotation and offense have struggled mightily as Boston has faltered in the American League East race, as well as atop the Wild Card.
But Saturday’s seven-inning doubleheader at Rogers Centre may have signaled several new leaves for the Red Sox moving forward. The starting pitching turned things around with 9 2/3 combined strong innings in the twin bill and the offense supplied enough runs to come up with a win.
After being shutout in Game 1, the Red Sox pushed across two runs in a comeback win to beat the Blue Jays, 2-1, in eight innings in Game 2. The Sox lost the first game of the twin bill, 1-0, when Marcus Semien clubbed a walk-off homer off closer Matt Barnes.
Franchy Cordero was the automatic runner at the start of the eighth inning and promptly scored when Jonathan Araúz broke through the shift with a grounder to an unmanned shortstop. The Red Sox finally had their first lead of the series and didn’t look back.
No. 2 hitter Alex Verdugo, who went 3-for-4 in Game 2, tied the game in the sixth inning as he crushed a 2-2 curveball that was over the middle of the plate and parked it 410 feet to center field, per Statcast.
“Anything can really change momentum,” Verdugo said of the homer changing the mood of the dugout. “It's a matter of how my teammates are reacting in the dugout -- if they're loud, if you're vocal, people making good defensive plays. Momentum can come and go at any point.
“Just to get that run, tie the game, get the zeros off the board -- it was just big.”
Right-hander Tanner Houck impressed on the mound, albeit being the shortest start of his young career at 3 2/3 innings. Houck, who was the 27th man on the roster for the doubleheader, looked strong as he commanded the strike zone with his fastball, backed up with his slider and sinker.
“Going into the outing, I felt pretty good physically. Mentally, I'm really happy with where I've been. The slider command was iffy at best today,” Houck said. “I call it a grinder day; went out there with some OK stuff, not my best, but gave what I can to the team.”
The 25-year-old struck out four of the first five batters he faced, ultimately ending his night with six among the 74 pitches (43 strikes) he fired. Houck probably could have stayed in the game longer, but he is expected to be in the rotation forging ahead as Martín Pérez was moved to the bullpen.
“He was good. He was really good. That's a tough lineup,” manager Alex Cora said. “He's special, man. He seems like he's under control, he doesn't show emotion … he's going to help us for the rest of the season.”
With Nick Pivetta flirting with perfection in four of his six frames during Game 1, coupled with Houck’s promising performance, it was a vast improvement from the 9.19 ERA Boston starters compiled in their previous eight games.
Boston’s starting rotation is shaping up to be in better form with less than 50 games left in the season.
"We pitched well the whole day, so that's a positive for us,” Cora said. “What Nick did in the first game, and then what Tanner and the rest of the crew did in the second one, that's good. Tomorrow we got Garrett [Richards] and hopefully we can continue doing that. That's a good start of what we're trying to accomplish, getting better pitching-wise.”
It also helps that Chris Sale looked to be in pristine shape while on the mound for Triple-A Worcester in what was possibly his final rehab start. Cora said Sale’s limit for the start was going to be five to six innings with a 90-pitch limit.
The left-hander wasn’t able to get out of the fifth inning against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as he reached 89 pitches with two outs in the frame, but he was able to strike out eight hitters while allowing three walks and two hits in the scoreless start.
"We'll see how it feels tomorrow, as always," Cora said. " just told the line and the workload, all of that, which is positive. So hopefully tomorrow he gets up and he feels great.”
With the Game 2 win, the Red Sox reclaimed a one-game lead atop the AL Wild Card race.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:01:29 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 7h Pivetta - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB Houck - 3 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB
Say this about letting Chris Sale having one more stint in the minors today: He wouldn't have made a difference Saturday. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:02:15 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 6h That was Marwin Gonzalez's eighth out on the bases this season. Adolis Garcia and Austin Meadows led the AL with eight entering the day.
Gonzalez has only played 73 games and has a .280 on-base, which makes that a heck of a trick. #RedSox
"I can't tell you what Marwin Gonzalez was thinking. That made no sense at all." -- Dave O'Brien
A diplomat, he. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:03:30 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 6h Forget calling up Munoz. Just relegate the #RedSox and give Worcester a shot at this point.
As momentum-less a team as you could possibly imagine. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:12:55 GMT -5
‘The scuffle has been real,’ but Alex Verdugo helps Red Sox salvage doubleheader split with Blue Jays in extras By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated August 7, 2021, 5:07 p.m.
The second game of the Red Sox’ split doubleheader Saturday needed extra innings. But it ended in relief.
Jonathan Aráuz helped the Red Sox pull out a win on what was an otherwise forgettable day.
Leading off the eighth inning, Aráuz punched a single on the ground toward the left-center field gap, scoring automatic runner Franchy Cordero from second base to give the Red Sox a 2-1 victory.
Alex Verdugo provided a spark for the Sox when he belted his 11th homer of the season in the sixth off Blue Jays starter José Berríos, their first run of the day.
“The scuffle has been real,” Verdugo said.
The Red Sox had dropped eight of their previous nine games before rallying from a 1-0 deficit to win the nightcap.
“It’s just big, man, to come out here and win a game like that,” Verdugo said.
Adam Ottavino closed the game out in the eighth, striking out Teoscar Hernandez on a fastball on the outer half to end it. The potential tying run, Vladimir Guerrero. Jr., was stranded at third. The Sox, for a moment, had a huge weight lifted off their shoulders after losing Game 1 of the doubleheader, 1-0, on Marcus Semien’s walkoff home run.
In Game 2, Rafael Devers slammed his bat in disgust after he waved at a Berríos changeup off the plate in the top of the fourth inning. It was a reflection of the Sox’ feelings as of late. Feelings that had made their way over the Canadian border, where frustration only continued to mount.
Much like the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Red Sox had no answer offensively against this Blue Jays squad, but they cashed in when they needed it most.
“It’s a big win for us,” manager Alex Cora said. “We grinded. Verdugo with a big swing and Jonathan finds a hole and we score. Adam did an amazing job.”
The Red Sox compiled just five hits off Berríos in his six innings of work. Despite Devers’s flyout in that fourth inning, the Sox still had a chance to score in what was still a 0-0 contest. A Hunter Renfroe single put runners at first and second with two outs. Marwin Gonzalez, the next hitter, however, struck out looking on a 95 mile-per-hour sinker at the top of the zone.
The Sox didn’t give any help to starter Tanner Houck, who was near-flawless in his 3⅔ innings of work, striking out six.
“He’s special, man,” Cora said of Houck. “He seems like he’s under control. He doesn’t show emotion. We talked about him the whole season, saying that he’s going to help us and today he helped us. The next time it’s his turn, he’ll be ready.”
Despite his production, Houck said he didn’t feel as if he had his best stuff.
“You’re not going to wake up every day and feel your best or have your best stuff,” said Houck, who was returned to Triple A Worcester after the game. “I call it a grinder day. I went out there with some OK stuff, but just gave what I could to the team.”
In the fourth, Bo Bichette led the inning off with a single. With one out in the frame, Houck issued an intentional walk to Corey Dickerson. Houck then struck out Randal Grichuk. But that’s when Cora decided to pull the plug in what was a scheduled seven-inning contest, electing to go with reliever Josh Taylor.
Taylor quickly yielded a two-out RBI single to Breyvic Valera that brought across the first run of the game.
Following Verdugo’s one-out homer that tied it up at one apiece in the sixth, the Sox had runners on first and second in the seventh but blunders by both Gonzalez and Christian Vázquez ended the threat. Gonzalez was picked off second by catcher Reese McGuire with Cordero at the plate. Then Vázquez was doubled off after he attempted a delayed steal following a Cordero strikeout.
But Cora didn’t want to focus on that afterward. It had been a long day for the Sox manager.
“l talk to them tomorrow,” Cora said with a smile. “You know, let’s celebrate this one. I promised myself that I’m not going to look back at that one.”
As for the Game 1 loss? For the second time in as many days, it happened quickly.
With Matt Barnes in to pitch the seventh and final inning, Semien blasted a walkoff solo shot on the first pitch he saw to deep left field.
Game.
The Sox lost, 1-0. In a contest that featured just a combined four hits (two from each team), Semien’s proved to be a deadly blow.
“For Barnes it was simple,” Cora said. “He’s been attacking the zone and Semien put a good swing on it. He’s our guy.”
The Red Sox finally got a quality performance from one of their starting pitchers, as Nick Pivetta allowed only one hit and one walk over his six innings while striking out five.
The only problem: The Blue Jays pitching was even better. Robbie Ray allowed two hits and two walks in his six innings with five strikeouts, and reliever Jordan Romano struck out two in his scoreless seventh. Barnes was not as fortunate.
The Red Sox failed to record a hit against lefthander Ray through four innings. The only baserunner that reached was a leadoff walk to Kiké Hernández to start the game. It wasn’t until the fifth that the Red Sox scraped together their first hit, a Kevin Plawecki single through the left side. With one out in the frame, though, Vázquez grounded into a double play to end the inning.
“Overall, we haven’t been able to do much,” Cora said. “It’s tough to lose 1-0. At some point, we’re going to hit. We just have to stay with our approach.”
It wasn’t until his fifth inning of work that Pivetta allowed his first base runner on a two-out single by Dickerson that fell in the left-center field gap.
Pivetta was dominant with his fastball through much of the game, topping out at 97 m.p.h.. He drew nine swing-and-misses on it and 13 called strikes.
“I just commanded the strike zone with my fastball,” Pivetta said. “These guys were really aggressive, so I got a lot of early contact. You just have to be at your best against that team.”
He provided a significant boost to a struggling Sox rotation, his recent failures being a big part of that. Pivetta had a 6.75 ERA in his previous six starts heading into Saturday.
The Sox looked like they had something cooking in the sixth when Ray surrendered a leadoff walk to Bobby Dalbec and Araúz followed with a single. A fielder’s choice moved Dalbec to third with two out, but Ray got Xander Bogaerts to foul out down the right field line to end the threat.
“He’s a tough one,” Cora said of Ray. “We know that.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:15:31 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox add J.D. Martinez to COVID-related injured list after he reports not feeling well By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated August 7, 2021, 1:23 p.m.
The Red Sox added J.D. Martinez to the COVID-related injured list ahead of Saturday’s split doubleheader against the Blue Jays in Toronto as a precautionary measure. Martinez had COVID-like symptoms and was undergoing extensive testing to see if he had the virus as of early Saturday afternoon.
“I’m always concerned,” manager Alex Cora said before the opener, a 1-0 Red Sox loss. “This is something we’ve been talking about from the get-go. It’s where we’re at. Obviously there are guidelines and protocols. But there’s the human element, right? You have to take care of not only those players but the rest of the players. I think it’s the right thing to do.”
The Sox still haven’t received word on Jarren Duran’s test after he was added to the COVID-related IL on Friday.
The Red Sox still haven’t reached the 85 percent threshold implemented by Major League Baseball that categorizes a team as fully vaccinated. When Cora, who is vaccinated, was asked if that made him even more frustrated considering the Sox’ circumstances, he reiterated that everyone has a choice not to get the vaccine.
“It’s a topic that I haven’t thought about in a while,” Cora said. “This is where we’re at as a group. The group has been very responsible, as far as doing the right things, taking care of themselves, keeping their trust circles very small.”
Canada has its own COVID-19 protocols, as do the Blue Jays. Contrary to many places in the US, players are required to wear masks in the clubhouse and on the team bus. Players were also spotted wearing masks in the dugout.
The Red Sox have lost eight of their last nine after dropping the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader. Martinez has been in a funk, batting just .218 with a .654 OPS since the All-Star break. Yet losing a hitter of Martinez’s caliber, even for a day and particularly against the Jays’ pitching staff, certainly is a blow. Cora said it will be a chance for others to step up.
“We have to maximize the lineup,” Cora said. “That’s the way I see it. [COVID] is something that is going around the league. It’s part of it. We knew that.” Bench coach Venable tests positive
Red Sox bench coach Will Venable tested positive for COVID-19. “He’ll be out for a while,” Cora said. “I think what makes it difficult is where we’re at right now.” First base coach Tom Goodwin also was considered in close contact, which is why he wasn’t coaching first base Saturday. Rámon Vazquez took over Goodwin’s duties instead. Venable is in his first year with the Red Sox, coming over from the Chicago Cubs, where he was a part of their staff for three seasons and served as the club’s third base coach in 2020. Cora said his Sox team had to go through testing throughout that first game Saturday . . . Matt Andriese (hamstring) was scheduled to toss one inning Saturday for Triple A Worcester. Ryan Brasier was set to throw a live batting practice. Also, Danny Santana (groin) and Christian Arroyo (hamstring) are now hitting and doing baseball activity.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:19:13 GMT -5
Chris Sale takes care of business in what could be his final rehab start By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated August 7, 2021, 8:24 p.m.
MOOSIC, Pa. — A Red Sox team in need of reinforcements seems like it’s on the verge of getting a significant one.
Lefthander Chris Sale, in what will likely be his final minor league rehab start in his return from Tommy John surgery, threw 4 2/3 shutout innings for the Triple A WooSox against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Sale allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out eight. Does he feel ready to pitch in the big leagues?
“Absolutely. I felt like what I did tonight, I could have gone and done that in a big league game. I would say my last my last two starts, I’ve felt normal,” said Sale, who noted that he is pain-free (a proclamation that came with a search for wood to knock) and concerned only with pitch execution and normal in-game mechanical adjustments rather than how his elbow feels.
“I’m thrilled with what happened today. I had fun. I loved it,” he added. “I’m just appreciative that I can do that again. And I’ll show up tomorrow and do what I got to do then and whenever I throw next is whenever I throw next.”
The lefthander delivered a controlled performance at PNC Field, working mostly at 91-96 miles per hour with his fastball. He emphasized location over power against the Yankees’ Triple A affiliate. He generated 16 swings-and-misses, most of which came on his sweeping slider.
The performance was not overpowering. Sale put baserunners on in each of the first four innings, allowing a nine-pitch walk in the first, a two-out double in the second, a two-out triple in the third, and a pair of walks to open the fourth inning.
But each time, he quickly carved the opposing lineup to avoid any damage. Sale was particularly pleased with how he recovered from the back-to-back walks in the fourth inning. After a brief conference with WooSox catcher Chris Herrmann, Sale struck out lefthanded hitter Socrates Brito and then got a comebacker and flyout to end the frame.
“Big moment. I completely lost it for basically two hitters,” said Sale. “That was the perfect timing for [Herrmann] to come out and say, hey, let’s reset. I even said that to him after, ‘Man, you, you got me back on track right there.’”
Sale returned to the mound for the fifth inning against a pair of lefties, inducing a groundout and then closing his outing by striking out Estevan Florial. With his pitch count at 89 (59 strikes), he was lifted just shy of the Sox’ goal of five to six innings for the lefty.
As Sale departed a scoreless game that Worcester went on to win, 2-1, he received a standing ovation from a road crowd that featured a heavy contingent of Red Sox fans wearing paraphernalia emblazoned with the pitcher’s name.
“For them to come and support us that way, I just really appreciate it,” said Sale.
Over his five rehab starts (one in the Florida Complex League, two with Double A Portland, two with Triple A Worcester), Sale allowed three runs in 20 innings (1.35 ERA) with 35 strikeouts and five walks.
As long as Sale responds well to the physical demands of his fifth and final rehab start, he could make his return to the big leagues in the coming days — almost exactly (or, perhaps, exactly) two years removed from his last big league start on Aug. 13, 2019.
In the roughly 16½ months since his surgery, there were times when his rehab process felt interminable. Yet for Sale, the deliberate steps have taken him to the right place — one where he can help his team in a pennant race.
“I couldn’t be any more happy with it [the rehab process],” said Sale. “There were times I wanted to be back sooner [and when] I’m sure they wanted me to be back sooner, but they stuck to the plan.”
That willingness, in turn, has Sale positioned to return to the big leagues at a time when the Red Sox have been sinking quickly in the standings. Sale is aware of that development, but his excitement to get back to the big leagues and compete is not simply a matter of the Red Sox’ recent struggles.
“I want to get back there and help my team, not because of where we’re at right now, but because it’s what I’m supposed to do,” said Sale, who will take the bus back to Worcester with his teammates on Sunday afternoon. “I was built for this. This is what I’ve been supposed to do. And I’ve missed out on it for a couple of years now.
“And now,” he added, “it’s time to go.”
Sale is not concerned about whether his return to the Red Sox rotation comes on four days of rest (Thursday) or more. He’s simply looking forward to what comes next.
“Hand me the ball,” he said. “I’m gonna throw until you take it.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:21:48 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams @byjulianmack · 6h Christian Vázquez is a brutal baserunner. Too many plays like that this season. Just terrible. That half inning was an embarrassment on the bases for the Sox.
The Red Sox made three outs in one at-bat that wasn't a triple play.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:22:36 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb · 6h Still not COVID test results have returned for Jarren Duran and J.D. Martinez
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:23:10 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams @byjulianmack · 5h The Red Sox sent Tanner Houck back down to Triple A Worcester following tonight’s game
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 8, 2021 3:25:13 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 6h I didn't have that top of the 7th on the bad baseball bingo card. Yikes. #RedSox
#RedSox announce Tanner Houck has been returned to the Triple-A roster after serving as the 27th man for Saturday's doubleheader.
I'd expect Boston to recall him again when it requires a fifth starter. Some upcoming days off could allow for the rotation to be manipulated.
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