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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 3:00:46 GMT -5
Red Sox Nation Stats
@rsnstats
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7h
#RedSox Nathan Eovaldi earlier today on the significance of ALDS Game 3: "Huge. If we win tomorrow then we need one more and we're going to be at home…You saw the atmosphere that we had when the #Yankees were in town, the electricity in the stadium…it was awesome."
#RedSox Eovaldi on Xander Bogaerts: "He's always healthy, he's always on the field, and I think that says a lot about a player if they're able to stay healthy and stay as consistent as he's been the entire team he's been up in the big leagues…he's one of our biggest leaders."
#RedSox Nathan Eovaldi on Bogaerts: "He's a great teammate to have. You always pull for him and he's always pulling for you."
#RedSox Eovaldi: "We put in so much work to be here at this point. Everybody works on their craft all day. We come to the field, it's nutrition, it's studying the game, studying your mechanics…I don't want to take anything for granted so I put everything I got out there."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 3:05:17 GMT -5
Rays @ Red Sox
ALDS Game #3
Sunday, 10th October 2021
4pm @ Fenway Park
Rasmussen 4-0/2.44
Eovaldi 11-9/3.75
Red Sox carry momentum into Game 3 vs. Rays
According to STATS
Don't call it a comeback.
The Boston Red Sox sent a clear message that they weren't going to roll over in Friday night's 14-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays to even their American League Division Series at one game apiece.
Boston will look to keep its offensive momentum rolling as the series shifts to Fenway Park for Game 3 in the best-of-five series on Sunday afternoon.
"I think we lead the league in comeback wins this season. We did it all season; why not do it now?" Boston outfielder Enrique Hernandez said after the Red Sox overcame a poor start from Chris Sale and an early three-run deficit on Friday.
Boston led the majors with 47 come-from-behind victories during the regular season. Tampa Bay ranked second with 46.
"We've had a lot of those ballgames here (at Fenway)," Rays manager Kevin Cash said Saturday. "Kind of the back-and-forth, high scoring on both clubs."
Hernandez went 5-for-6 with a solo homer and three RBIs as Boston collected 20 hits and smashed a franchise-playoff-record five home runs to even the series after looking lifeless in a 5-0 loss in Game 1 on Thursday.
J.D. Martinez (4-for-5) added a three-run homer in the Red Sox's offensive onslaught. Martinez got the start as the designated hitter after not playing in Game 1 as he recovered from a left-ankle sprain.
Tampa Bay lost Game 2 despite topping its offensive output from Game 1 with six runs on eight hits. Jordan Luplow slugged a grand slam off Sale to cap the Rays' four-hit, five-run first inning, but their only run after that came on Ji-Man Choi's sixth-inning solo shot.
The AL East-champion Rays were also outhit 9-6 in their five-run victory in the series opener.
"There are no surprises, there are no secrets on either end," said Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, who will start Game 3 for the Rays in a planned bullpen game. "It's going to be a dogfight (Sunday); we already know that. That's a quality team, and at the end of the day it just comes down to executing."
Rasmussen, who will make his first career postseason start, was 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA in five games (three starts) against Boston this season.
Boston will counter with right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts in a 6-2 win over the New York Yankees in Tuesday's AL wild-card game.
Eovaldi boasts a career 1.63 ERA in the postseason and went 2-1 with a 2.39 ERA in four starts against his former Rays' team during the regular season.
"Game 3 is huge. If we win (Sunday), then we need one more and we're going to be at home (in Game 4 Monday)," Eovaldi said. "You saw the atmosphere we had when the Yankees were in town, the electricity in the stadium. ... Having them to push us along the way, it's going to be great."
--Field Level Media
Rays
at
Red Sox
Sunday, at 4:07 PM EST
Rainy
According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 62° F with a 30% chance of rain and 8 MPH wind blowing right to left in Boston at 4:07 PM EST.
Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by Kimmi on Oct 10, 2021 7:49:17 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats
@redsoxstats
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5h
The Red Sox would tell anyone that would listen in spring training that they were a good team. They were right; they are good, not great, not bad. What they failed to mention is they have a bunch of fight and a big ol pair. |
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Post by Kimmi on Oct 10, 2021 8:07:24 GMT -5
Houck 'perfect' and more: 30 up, 30 down
Righty mows down 30 straight batters over 4 appearances, helps Sox even ALDS1:54 AM ADT Bryan Hoch ST. PETERSBURG -- Tanner Houck seemed to have something special going in his final start of the regular season, having mowed through 15 consecutive Nationals, but the Red Sox right-hander seemed to understand why he handed the baseball off to the bullpen. There would be a more important October assignment ahead, he was promised. That moment arrived early in Friday’s Game 2 of the American League Division Series, with Houck summoned after starter Chris Sale surrendered five runs in the first inning. The 25-year-old Houck restored order with five strong frames of relief, picking up his first postseason win in Boston’s 14-6 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field. “I definitely had a little butterflies at first, but once I got out there and threw my warmup pitches, I felt like I was pretty comfortable,” Houck said. “I live for those moments where you’re in a different stadium, people yelling at you, all that stuff. I love that environment, and I love going out there and competing with my brothers.” Houck’s performance had a gem tucked inside: His fourth-inning strikeout of Manuel Margot marked his 27th consecutive out recorded, a hidden perfect game scattered across four appearances. Houck retired three more batters before his “perfecto” was broken up by a Wander Franco single with two outs in the fifth inning, ending at 30 consecutive batters. “I had no idea, to be honest,” Houck said. “I was more just focused on getting outs and just putting the team in the best place to win.” Houck began that string on Sept. 28 at Baltimore, retiring Pat Valaika on a pop fly for the last out of the eighth inning. He retired all 15 Nationals faced in the penultimate game of the regular season on Oct. 2 at Washington, striking out eight. Houck then appeared in relief during the AL Wild Card Game against the Yankees, working a clean seventh inning. “Great decision taking him out of the perfect game, right, so we could use him later?” manager Alex Cora said, with a chuckle. “He has been amazing. The fastball, the slider, the split -- he doesn’t panic. We’ve been using him a lot, and we have to be careful with that, but today was the perfect day for him to go out there and help us win a ballgame.” Ji-Man Choi hit a sixth-inning homer off Houck, who tossed 61 pitches (44 for strikes), striking out five. “Tanner Houck was really tough,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “It looked like he had all of his stuff working. He looked like he had a great breaking ball. He just kept us off balance. He came in and did a tremendous job for them.” According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Houck is the fifth Red Sox pitcher in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to retire at least 27 batters in a row within a single season (regular season and postseason). The last was Koji Uehara, who retired 37 straight batters from Aug. 17-Sept. 13, 2013. Mike Timlin (28, Sept. 22-Oct. 15, 2003), Hideo Nomo (31, May 25-31, 2001) and Pedro Martinez (30, Sept. 10-15, 1999) also achieved the feat. Have the latest news, ticket information, and more from the Red Sox and MLB delivered right to your inbox. “What [Houck] did was unbelievable,” said Kiké Hernandez, whose four extra-base hits set a Red Sox postseason record. “He kept us in the game and gave us a chance to come back.” Houck’s performances -- combined with abbreviated outings from Eduardo Rodríguez and Sale in the first two games of this ALDS -- present an argument for him to rejoin the rotation later in this series, or should Boston advance. “He’s getting better and better,” Cora said. Houck made three starts in September, then shifted to the bullpen as Boston transitioned into a four-man rotation for the stretch drive. Houck’s highest pitch total in September was 71, on Sept. 15 at Seattle. He tossed a season-high 90 pitches in back-to-back starts on Aug. 24 vs. Minnesota and Aug. 29 at Cleveland. “I’ve always trusted A.C. with his game plan and his vision,” Houck said. “He is, it always seems, 10 steps ahead of everyone. You’ve got to trust him. … I was more than willing to come out of the perfect game and just be ready for a bigger moment. I’m truly blessed to have him trust me enough to put me in those moments.” I know Kimmi will yell at me for this, and I am not 100% sure by any means, but I am going to be a little disappointed when/if Houck and/or Whitlock join the rotation. How many games have these guys locked up for us? And sure, yesterday was an outlier, but is there even a single guy in BB that could've come in and did what Houck did?
Secondly, I'm not going to yell at you for this post. I kind of feel the same way. I really, really like having these guys as options out of the pen. Rationally, I know that having these guys as effective starters is more valuable than having them as relievers, but do we really know how they will perform as starters over an entire season? Whitlock has never started a game at the major league level, but we know how good he is out of the pen. Houck, in a very small sample, has performed better out of the pen than he has as a reliever. A lot depends on what pitching pieces are added this offseason, but I would not be disappointed if Houck and/or Whitlock remained in the pen. |
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Post by Kimmi on Oct 10, 2021 8:11:57 GMT -5
'I love it': Eovaldi set for crucial Game 3 start1:29 AM ADT Ian Browne Ian Browne @ianmbrowne BOSTON -- For what could be the biggest “swing game” in this American League Division Series, there’s no one the Red Sox would rather have on the mound that Nathan Eovaldi, their October-tested veteran right-hander. It will be Eovaldi’s stage for Sunday afternoon’s Game 3 tilt against the Rays, with the winner just one victory away from advancing to the American League Championship Series. "I love it," said Eovaldi. "It's my favorite time of the year." |
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 8:26:47 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox notebook: Nick Pivetta likely will start Game 4 of ALDS, J.D. Martinez will keep hitting sixth against righties; Chris Sale remains in rotation mix
Updated: 4:40 a.m. | Published: 4:40 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Red Sox righty Nick Pivetta threw 73 pitches in relief Thursday night, but that’s not stopping manager Alex Cora from penciling Pivetta in to start Game 4 of the ALDS against the Rays
After Nathan Eovaldi pitches Game 3 on Sunday afternoon, Pivetta “most likely” will get the nod to pitch Monday night on three days’ rest, according to Cora. Things could change if the Sox need to use Pivetta in relief of Eovaldi in Game 3.
“We’ll do our thing tomorrow and then go from there,” Cora said Saturday. “Most likely it’s going to be Nick. We’ll see. We have to make sure we win tomorrow, and if we have to use certain guys tomorrow, we’ll do it. We’ve got capable guys to pitch Game 4 too.”
Needless to say, Cora’s plans for the Red Sox’ rotation haven’t gone as scheduled so far against Tampa Bay. Eduardo Rodriguez (1 ⅔ innings in Game 1) and Chris Sale (1 inning in Game 2) each received quick hooks, forcing Pivetta (4 ⅔ innings, 73 pitches Thursday) and Tanner Houck (5 innings, 61 pitches Friday) into long relief duty. According to Cora, all four pitchers -- Rodriguez, Sale, Pivetta and Houck -- should be available in relief in Game 3. Houck and Pivetta would obviously be used in short stints.
Martinez likely to stick in No. 6 spot
Cora used a new-look lineup in Game 2, with J.D. Martinez hitting sixth for the first time all season. With Martinez nursing a left ankle sprain, Cora said, he didn’t want to have to shake up the middle of the batting order if the designated hitter had to come out of Game 2.
Martinez had four hits (including a 3-run homer) and Boston exploded for 20 hits as a team in Game 2. The newly constructed lineup looks like it’s here to stay.
Against right-handers, Kyle Schwarber will lead off with Kiké Hernández hitting second, Rafael Devers hitting third, Xander Bogaerts in the cleanup spot and Alex Verdugo hitting fifth ahead of Martinez. The structure allows the Red Sox to alternate between lefties and righties through the first two-thirds of their order.
“I loved it,” Cora said. “I thought about it this morning, and I’m like that’s pretty good right there. That’s good balance, a bunch of athletes in front of him, guys that they’re getting on base at a high rate, including Alex, who’s been amazing against righties throughout the season.
“So we’ll keep it like that,” Cora said. “Against righties, that’s going to be our alignment.”
Cora expects Martinez to be at full strength for Game 3.
Sale to remain in rotation mix
Sale, like the other starters, may pitch out of relief in between starts, but Cora said the Sox aren’t considering moving him to a full-time bullpen role “for health reasons.” The lefty has had two consecutive poor starts, lasting just 2 ⅓ innings in Sunday’s season finale against the Nationals before giving up five runs on four hits in a single inning Friday.
Cora said Sale and the team’s pitching department are working tirelessly to get things fixed.
“There’s a lot of people looking at video from now and a few years ago and all of that,” Cora said. “He’s the first one to admit it, he needs to be better, and he’s working at it. We’ll get him right, and he’ll be ready for whenever we need him.”
Cora is trying to balance respecting Sale’s track record while putting the Sox in the best position to win important games in October.
“He’s the first one to say that he needs to get better,” Cora said. “We’ll keep doing that. We have no issues taking guys out here because they understand that at this point it’s not about who you are, it’s about who we are, and he’s the first one to say it.”
Brasier, Robles among most trusted relievers
Hansel Robles (who had a 7.94 ERA in his first 12 appearances with the Red Sox) and Ryan Brasier (who was optioned to Triple-A on Sept. 17) have -- somewhat shockingly -- become two of Cora’s most-trusted relievers in the late innings. Both pitchers tossed scoreless innings late in the Game 2 win; they combined for five strikeouts.
“Both have been amazing,” Cora said. “They made some adjustments throughout the season. I think Hansel has thrown more strikes, and he settled down. Like I said before, his stuff has always been great. It’s just a matter of throwing more strikes and then use certain pitches in certain situations.
“With (Brasier), I do believe him getting sent down for one day kind of lit a fire on him. He came back to prove to us that we made the wrong decision, and I’m glad that it’s going this way.”
Matt Barnes’ struggles have caused Cora to rethink the back end of his bullpen. Adam Ottavino has been inconsistent and Josh Taylor ended the season on the injured list, so Brasier, Robles and Garrett Whitlock appear to be the top three relievers at the moment. Pivetta and Rodriguez both pitched late in the season finale as well.
“I’m glad we have more weapons now,” Cora said. “That’s the nature of the sport. That’s why I said 162 (games) is real, and there’s certain guys that they’re going to have a great first half and they’re going to struggle, other guys are going to come in, but then at the end, as a group, I think we’re clicking at the right time bullpen-wise, and there’s a lot of guys who are throwing the ball well over there.”
Brasier had a 1.04 ERA in 8 ⅔ innings during the 2018 playoffs and is off to a hot start (1 ⅔ scoreless innings, 3 strikeouts) this October.
“Everybody wants the ball, and so far whoever has got it, whatever the situation is, go out and perform,” he said. “It’s that next-man-up mentality that you always hear about in sports. Not just baseball, but every sport. I think just that’s kind of how we go about it in the bullpen. Nobody really cares where or when they throw.”
Barnes’ struggles continue
Before Game 2, reliever Garrett Richards pulled his left hamstring while doing conditioning drills, causing the Sox to take him off the ALDS roster and activate Barnes. Barnes pitched the ninth inning with an eight-run lead Friday, allowing a hit and issuing two walks before securing the blowout win.
Barnes is not a candidate to pitch high-leverage innings at this point.
“I think mechanically he’s a little bit off,” Cora said. “He’s pulling his fastball. The breaking ball still plays. He got the lefties out, which is something that we took into consideration when we decided to add him because he’s one of those guys that he’s a neutral split and he can get the righties out. So that’s why we added him.”
Eovaldi ready for Game 3
Eovaldi, who allowed one run on four hits in 5 ⅓ innings in Tuesday’s Wild Card Game win over the Yankees, will pitch on regular rest Sunday. The righty owns a career 1.63 ERA in 27 ⅔ postseason innings (all with the Red Sox in 2018 and 2021).
“It’s my favorite time of the year,” Eovaldi said. “For us to be in this situation, we’ve had to fight and battle the whole time to be able to get here and be in this situation. We’ve had a lot of guys step up to be able to help us out, and I want to be able to continue that and help the team any way I can.
“I love pitching in these moments and against teams like the Rays,” he continued. “It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be fun.”
Eovaldi faced the Rays four times during the regular season and pitched well, holding Tampa Bay to seven earned runs in 26 ⅓ innings (2.39 ERA). He said he plans to combat Tampa Bay’s aggressiveness with a careful plan.
“I don’t want to tip my hand too much,” Eovaldi said. “I’ve got a pretty good plan of attack. I feel like the first two games they’ve come out swinging definitely. They kind of set the tone right away.”
Game times announced for rest of series
Game 3, which is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET, might be the only afternoon game of the Rays-Red Sox series. Game 4 is slated for 7:07 p.m. ET at Fenway Park and Game 5 most likely will be played at 8:07 p.m. ET back in St. Petersburg.
As of now, Game 5 is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. ET, but will be moved to 8:07 if the Astros-White Sox series is wrapped up. Houston currently leads Chicago, 2-0, and could close things out as soon as Sunday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 8:30:09 GMT -5
After a night of big performances, Sox can swing series on Sunday
Bill Koch
The Providence Journal
In truth, Friday night was a fine representation of how the Red Sox conducted their business throughout most of the 2021 regular season.
Dominating the Yankees in the American League Wild Card game felt a bit unusual. Backs against the wall suited Boston over six months, and its 47 come-from-behind wins stand as more than enough evidence.
Chris Sale lasting just one inning? The Rays set to take a hammerlock on the A.L. Division Series with a home sweep at Tropicana Field? The Red Sox had Tampa Bay right where they wanted all along.
Friday night's 14-6 shellacking squared the series and assured an epic Monday in the Back Bay. The city will host a rescheduled Boston Marathon and a Game 4 all at once — a three-game winning streak would give the club a chance to sweep its latest berth in the A.L. Championship Series. But that would only be possible if the Red Sox win Game 3 on Sunday afternoon and take a commanding 2-1 lead in the best-of-five ALDS.
Boston hands the ball to Nathan Eovaldi at 4:07 p.m. He allowed just one run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings in Tuesday's win over the Yankees. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.63 ERA in seven career postseason appearances, including three starts.
A win on Sunday gives the Red Sox two chances to clinch the series and face either the Houston Astros or Chicago White Sox for the American League crown. But first, here's a look back at how Boston escaped Florida tied (1-1) with the A.L. East champion Rays.
Relief pitcher Tanner Houck was pivotal in helping the Red Sox steady the ship Friday night after starter Chris Sale lasted just one inning and allowed five runs against the Rays.
Tanner Houck to the rescue
Tanner Houck saved Red Sox bacon with more superb work out of the bullpen. He spelled Sale with five brilliant innings, allowing just two hits and a lone earned run. The right-hander's superb performance gave Boston’s bats time to awaken.
Houck seemed primed for this sort of performance thanks to five perfect frames against the Nationals in Game 161 and a routine 1-2-3 inning in the 6-2 win over New York on Tuesday. But to actually deliver on this sort of stage cemented his status as a Red Sox hero. His effort prevented what could have been a grim buildup to Sunday afternoon’s Game 3 at Fenway Park.
Back from an ankle injury, Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez blasts a three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning of Friday's Game 2 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field.
Martinez was a difference-maker
There was a good reason manager Alex Cora waited until the last minute to submit his Game 2 lineup. J.D. Martinez took batting practice on his balky left ankle and pronounced himself fit to play. He slotted in as the designated hitter after missing the 5-0 loss in Game 1.
Martinez crushed the go-ahead three-run homer to snap a 5-5 tie. He enjoyed a 4-for-5 night with a run scored and three RBI. Boston had the luxury of lengthening its attack by placing a three-time All-Star with the Red Sox in the sixth spot.
'We believe there’s more'
That’s been the party line from Cora regarding Kiké Hernandez since Boston signed the former Dodgers utility player to a two-year deal in the offseason. Hernandez proved to be a man for the moment with a historic effort on Friday.
Lining up in center field and batting second, Hernandez ripped off a five-hit game that included a home run and three doubles. This performance alone was worth the $14 million the Red Sox will spend on him over a 24-month period. It might just have been the sort of spark Boston needed to bolster a run deep into October.
Who steps up after Eovaldi
What to make of the Red Sox starters going forward? Eovaldi takes the ball on Sunday, but his mates are suddenly looking shaky. Sale recorded just three outs one night after Eduardo Rodriguez managed five in a Game 1 defeat.
The Red Sox bullpen has proven relatively reliable thus far, surrendering four earned runs in 14 1/3 frames. That’s a 2.51 ERA — plenty good enough for an offense that now looks ready to slug. But nobody will complain if Eovaldi blisters his way through seven scoreless in what is now a pivotal swing game in this series.
Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts hits a single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning on Friday night.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @billkoch25
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 10:00:08 GMT -5
Nate Eovaldi takes the ball to try and give the Red Sox the series lead over the Rays | ALDS Game 3By Amin Touri Globe Staff,Updated October 10, 2021, 15 minutes ago After snatching home-field advantage with a remarkable 14-6 win on the road on Friday, the Red Sox can push the American League Division Series to the brink at Fenway Park on Sunday. Nate Eovaldi will take the ball for Game 3, looking to consolidate Boston’s advantage in the series. The righthander is coming off a brilliant outing in the Wild Card Game, holding the Yankees to just one run in 5 ⅓ innings to bring the Red Sox into the ALDS. Eovaldi will try and stabilize things for a Sox rotation that had a tough go of it in Tampa. Drew Rasmussen will throw for the Rays, making his second career postseason appearance. Rasmussen was acquired from the Brewers in May, and has been excellent since a move to the rotation in mid-August — he’s 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in eight starts. Lineups
RAYS (100-62): 1. Brandon Lowe (L) 2B 2. Wander Franco (S) SS 3. Austin Meadows (L) LF 4. Nelson Cruz (R) DH 5. Ji-Man Choi (L) 1B 6. Randy Arozarena (R) RF 7. Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF 8. Mike Zunino (R) C 9. Joey Wendle (L) 3B Pitching: RHP Drew Rasmussen (4-1, 2.84 ERA) RED SOX (92-70):1. Kyle Schwarber (L) 1B 2. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 3. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 6. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 7. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 8. Kevin Plawecki (R) C 9. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B Pitching: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-9, 3.75 ERA) Time: 4:07 p.m. TV, radio: MLB Network Rays vs. Eovaldi: Arozarena 1-11, Brosseau 1-2, Choi 5-19, Cruz 2-14, Díaz 2-10, Franco 1-8, Kiermaier 3-13, Lowe 5-19, Lowe 1-1, Luplow 0-1, Margot 2-7, Meadows 7-21, Mejía 2-7, Phillips 0-2, Wendle 6-17, Zunino 1-9 Red Sox vs. Rasmussen: Araúz 1-3, Bogaerts 0-2, Cordero 0-1, Dalbec 0-1, Devers 2-7, Duran 0-3, Hernández 1-4, Martinez 2-9, Plawecki 0-2, Renfroe 1-6, Schwarber 1-6, Verdugo 3-6, Vázquez 2-5 Stat of the day: Eovaldi has a 1.63 ERA in 27 ⅔ career postseason innings. Notes: Boston led the majors with 47 come-from-behind victories during the regular season, and had another in Game 2. Tampa Bay ranked second with 46 ... Kiké Hernandez went 5-for-6 with a solo homer and three RBIs as Boston collected 20 hits and smashed a franchise-playoff-record five home runs to even the series ... Rasmussen, who will make his first career postseason start (and second appearance), was 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA in five games (three starts) against Boston this season ... Eovaldi went 2-1 with a 2.39 ERA in four starts against his former team during the regular season. Song of the Day: The Clash - Rudie Can't Fail www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEK9oK02D1M&list=OLAK5uy_kMTdJM7YXwpBdUMxtqHb6q46RGaQRdj3o&index=11
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 12:28:44 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
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2h
#RedSox have switched up their decision and will use Chris Sale in relief if needed, at least for today.
Also, Alex Cora is very excited because he got some texts from Bill Belichick wishing the Sox well.
Cora said texting with Belichick was the "highlight of the year."
If you're hoping the Sox will wear the yellow jerseys tomorrow. there's a bit of an issue. Some were autographed for charity and given away. But I'd guess if they want them Nike could make it happen.
For all the cranks who don't want the yellow jerseys, they yellow and blue is a tribute to the Marathon finish line and the Marathon is tomorrow and going back to '13 [and beyond] the Sox are tightly connected to the event.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 12:30:05 GMT -5
Bill Koch
@billkoch25
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2h
Alex Cora pregame #RedSox notes:
- Chris Sale and all other pitchers available out of the bullpen
- Received a couple texts from Bill Belichick wishing him luck. That's the highlight of his day so far
- Has spoken to his brother, Joey, since he was let go by the Pirates
Cora on #Patriots coach Bill Belichick -- 'I got a text from him finally. Bill texted me the other day. So I’m in the club.
'I was so excited – it was amazing. He wished me luck for the Wild Card game and then he congratulated us after the Wild Card game. That’s huge.' #RedSox
Since the #RedSox seem open to using Chris Sale out of the bullpen in Game 3, some worthwhile matchups against the Rays -- good and bad:
Cruz 12-35, 2 HR, 10 K
Diaz 7-13, K
Franco 5-7, HR
Arozarena 2-6, 4 K
Kiermaier 6-20, HR, 6 K
Zunino 0-15, 9 K
Meadows 0-5, 2 K
Lowe 0-1, K
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 12:32:33 GMT -5
Alex Speier
@alexspeier
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2h
Alex Cora said Chris Sale will be available out of the bullpen today. Team has changed course and is willing to use him out of the bullpen. Cora said Sale is on board. He wouldn’t say if Sale would or would not be considered as a starter moving forward.
Kevin Plawecki on catching Eovaldi: "He's been dominant pretty much the whole season."
Plawecki said that he and Eovaldi lived together in spring training, something he thinks may have helped build their pitcher-catcher rapport.
Alex Cora on home field: ‘If it’s going to be like the Wild Card, it’s going to be fun.’
Cora on the Rays: ‘It’s a great program. There’s a reason why they’re in this position.’
More Cora on Rays: ‘I don’t think it’s a window. They’re going to be here for a lot of years.’
Cora says Christian Arroyo has been ‘great at second base,’ something that transformed him from versatile role player to a more clearly defined role. He says that Arroyo’s at-bats are showing quick, steady improvement since he returned to lineup.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 10, 2021 20:29:09 GMT -5
That was one hell of a ball game
one more win Red Sox
one more.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Oct 10, 2021 21:59:23 GMT -5
That was one hell of a ball game
one more win Red Sox
one more. This one wore me out. That was a long, long game. |
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 11, 2021 2:22:11 GMT -5
Ground Rule Trouble: Red Sox bounce Rays in 13 on odd call
By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) Kevin Kiermaier's line drive sailed over right fielder Hunter Renfroe's head and bounced off the short wall in front of the Boston bullpen and back onto the warning track. It ricocheted off Renfroe and into the air.
The Red Sox right fielder waved at it desperately -- and unsuccessfully -- to keep it from going out of play.
It's a good thing he couldn't.
Saved by an obscure rule and a bounce that was weird even for quirky Fenway Park, the Red Sox staggered Tampa Bay 6-4 Sunday night on Christian Vazquez's 13th-inning walk-off homer to move one victory from eliminating the 100-win Rays from the AL Division Series.
"I was speechless," said center fielder Kike Hernandez, who had come over to back up Renfroe. "I don't know if you guys have seen that before. I've never seen that before in my life.
"I wasn't sure what was going to get called. I wasn't sure if the runners had to return. ... Like, I had no idea," he said. "Luckily, it went our way. And you call it home-field advantage if you want - call it whatever you want - but we won."
The wild-card Red Sox took a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five matchup. Game 4 is Monday at Fenway -- Marathon Day in Boston -- with Game 5 in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Wednesday, if necessary.
Tampa Bay rallied from a 4-2 deficit to tie it in the eighth inning and it was still 4-all when Yandy Diaz singled with one out in the 13th.
Then came the play that had the umpires scurrying for the rulebook and the Rays scratching their heads.
Diaz was halfway from second to third when Kiermaier's ball bounced over the 5-foot-high wall, and he easily would have scored had it remained in play. But the umpires conferred and went to the headsets before awarding Kiermaier a double and sending Diaz back to third.
Baseball Rule 5.05(a)(8) states: "Any bounding fair ball is deflected by the fielder into the stands, or over or under a fence on fair or foul territory, in which case the batter and all runners shall be entitled to advance two bases."
"If I stayed at second, that's fine," Kiermaier said. "But I was hoping to see that Yandy scored, because he would have scored obviously. . It's incredible that it worked out to their advantage just like that."
Rays manager Kevin Cash said he watched the replay and it was obvious Renfroe didn't knock it over the wall on purpose.
"That's just the rule. That's the way it goes. It was very unfortunate for us," he said. "I think it was fairly obvious that K.K. or Yandy was going to come around to score, but it didn't go our way."
Said umpire crew chief Sam Holbrook: "It's in the rulebook. It's a ground-rule double. There's no discretion that the umpires have."
"There's no, `He would have done this, would have done that.' It's just flat-out in the rule book, it's a ground-rule double," he said.
When play resumed, Nick Pivetta struck out Mike Zunino to end the inning and came bounding off the mound in celebration.
Renfroe walked with one out in the bottom half, then Vazquez hit the first pitch from Luis Patino over the Green Monster to end it.
Hernandez and Kyle Schwarber each had three hits, including a homer, for Boston.
Hernandez singled in the first, singled in the third and homered in the fifth to give him seven consecutive hits in the series. He went 5 for 6 with a home run and three doubles in Boston's Game 2 win, becoming the first Red Sox player ever with four extra-base hits in a postseason game.
Red Sox ace Nate Eovaldi allowed Austin Meadows' two-run homer in the top of the first, but Schwarber led off the bottom half with a home run. Hernandez's fifth-inning homer gave Boston a 4-2 lead, but the Rays tied it in the eighth when Wander Franco hit a solo homer and Meadows and Randy Arozarena doubled.
Garrett Whitlock struck out Zunino to end the inning.
LATE THREATS
With a runner on first in the 10th, J.D. Martinez fouled off five pitches with two strikes and then hit one to straightaway center, where Kiermaier pulled it in right in front of the 379-foot marker. (The wind was blowing in.)
In the 11th, Arozarena stole second and was caught in a rundown on his way to third, but he scrambled back to the bag safely. But he was stranded there when Pivetta struck out Zunino and Jordan Luplow to end the inning.
Boston had a runner on first in the 11th when Hernandez hit a chopper into the hole between short and third. Franco went to his right to field it, then made a long throw that first baseman Luplow picked out of the dirt for the third out.
SCHWARBER TIME
Schwarber, a star of the Cubs' 2016 World Series title who homered in the wild-card game against the Yankees, also singled and scored in the third, when Boston scored a pair of runs to chase Drew Rasmussen and take a 3-2 lead. He singled in the ninth before leaving for a pinch-runner.
But it was Schwarber's play in the field that endeared him to the Fenway fans.
After earning an error when he lobbed the ball over pitcher Nathan Eovaldi's head on a grounder in the third inning, Schwarber was tested on a similar play made a more accurate toss in the fourth.
He celebrated by raising both arms in the air and giving a fist pump, then tipping his cap to the cheering fans. Schwarber turned toward the dugout and laughed.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: Arozarena slipped on his way to second base on his eighth-inning double, then limped into the dugout while the Red Sox changed pitchers. But he remained in the game.
Red Sox: RHP Hansel Robles appeared to be experiencing discomfort after striking out Diaz for the second out in the eighth. He winced and stretched his shoulder, then gave up Arozarena's double to tie it 4-4.
UP NEXT
The teams play again on Monday night, with the starters to be announced. Nick Pivetta had been expected to start for Boston and Patino for the Rays, but both pitched in Game 3. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said it would most likely be Eduardo Rodriguez.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 11, 2021 2:47:16 GMT -5
Vázquez's walk-off HR ends thrilling classic
1:00 AM ADT
Ian Browne
Ian Browne
@ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- The Red Sox are now holding the hammer in this American League Division Series against the Rays.
And all it took for them to get there was a five-hour, 14-minute classic on Sunday that included wild swings of momentum, a quirky, game-saving ground-rule double you might never see again, a gritty relief pitching performance from Nick Pivetta and an unlikely walk-off home run hero.
It was Christian Vázquez who ended the madness when he unloaded for a two-run rocket that landed in the first row of the Monster Seats with one out in the 13th inning against Luis Patiño.
The final at Fenway Park in Game 3 was Red Sox 6, Rays 4. It is a game nobody will forget anytime soon.
In particular, Vázquez won’t forget picking the perfect time to hit his first home run in 85 plate appearances dating back to Sept. 1.
Vázquez was sitting fastball, and he jumped on Patiño’s 96.1 mph first pitch and ripped it out of the yard, setting off delirium at Fenway.
“I saw the first two at-bats of J.D. [Martinez] and [Hunter] Renfroe, and he was starting with fastball. It was 97, 98. I was looking to hit that velo in front and get a good swing,” said Vázquez, who started the game on the bench and entered as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Seven innings later, Vázquez came through when his team needed him most.
“Christian, he works so hard on his craft,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “He cares so much about this organization that for him to be in that spot and put a good swing and hit the ball out of the ballpark, I know it means a lot to him. It means a lot to us. It was a big swing, but we're up 2-1. We've still got work to do.”
After pulling off the 13th walk-off postseason win in team history, the Sox can punch a ticket to the AL Championship Series with a win on a big Monday for Boston sports, as the first Marathon since 2019 will take place during the day followed by Game 4 at night.
In postseason history, the Game 3 winner in any best-of-five series that was tied 1-1 has gone on to win the series 39 of 54 times (72 percent).
The Red Sox would rather not chance it in a winner-take-all Game 5 at Tropicana Field. And thanks to this grind-it-out special, they might not have to.
It looked like the Rays were about to take the lead in the top of the 13th when, with two outs and Yandy Díaz on first, Kevin Kiermaier ripped one to deep right-center. The drive hit the wall on the fly, then deflected off of right fielder Renfroe and into the bullpen. It was ruled a ground-rule double, so Díaz was held at third.
That type of ground-rule double is about the rarest you can possibly see. However, the rule book was very clear on the play, the umpires correctly called it as such and the Red Sox certainly were thankful for that.
Aside from Renfroe, nobody was closer to the play than center fielder Kiké Hernández, but even he had no idea how it would turn out for his team.
“When that happened, I was speechless because I don't know if you guys have seen that before,” said Hernández, who is having a monster series. “I've never seen that before in my life. I wasn't sure what was going to get called. I wasn't sure if the runners had to return. I wasn't sure if it was going to be like an errant throw where the runner would get two bags. I had no idea. Luckily, it went our way. And you call it home-field advantage if you want, but we won.”
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If anyone deserved some fortune, perhaps it was Pivetta. Pitching on two days of rest after throwing 73 pitches in a 5-0 loss in Game 1, Pivetta came back for another 67 in Game 3. He tossed four shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out seven.
If you didn’t notice, Pivetta was fired up, and completely caught up in the moment.
“I just gave it my all, to be honest with you. I just competed with the strike zone, competed with those guys, and my energy just shows what this means to me and means to our team,” said Pivetta. “It's really exciting. It's fun to be here. It's a moment in time for me and for our team.”
There was a time when it looked like it might wind up as a gut-wrenching loss. Entrusted with a 4-2 lead in the eighth, Hansel Robles gave up a solo homer to the fearless Wander Franco and a game-tying RBI double to October specialist Randy Arozarena. It was a tough way for Robles to see his streak of 17 consecutive outings without allowing a run come to an end.
But the Red Sox, who have shown their resilience many times over the last few weeks, did it again when it mattered most.
Before those 12 huge outs from Pivetta, stud Rule 5 Draft pick and rookie Garrett Whitlock got Robles out of the eighth and mowed through the Rays in the ninth.
Finally, in the 13th inning, the big hit was delivered by Vázquez and it put the Rays -- a 100-win team during the regular season compared to 92 for Boston -- on the brink of elimination.
“I have the confidence at about 10,000 percent that this team is going to come back and bounce back like we normally do,” said Díaz.
The Red Sox will go for the knockout so they don’t have to board that plane back to Florida.
“It puts us in a really good situation, but it's not over,” said Kyle Schwarber, who led off the first inning with a homer. “Yeah, it’s a great win. It's not over. We need to go out there tomorrow and take care of business.”
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