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Red Sox Move Start Time for Sunday

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official Team News Release) – The Red Sox have moved the start time of their game to be played on Sunday, September 13, against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park from 1:35 p.m. to 3:05 p.m.

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The change was made in consultation with Major League Baseball due to a forecast for an extended period of rain throughout the morning and early afternoon.

The 3:05 p.m. start time corresponds with a projected window of improved weather conditions later in the afternoon and provides the best opportunity to play the game on Sunday.  The game will be televised on NESN and will be broadcast in English on WEEI 93.7 FM and in Spanish on WESX 1230 AM/WCCM 1490 AM.

Suarez Tosses a Gem vs. KC

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FENWAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Ranger Suarez tossed his second straight seven-inning start and the Red Sox scored in their final three at-bats en route to a 5-1 win over the visiting Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon in Boston.

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Suarez (7-4) struck out eight, scattered five hits and allowed one run while completing his seven frames in 96 pitches as Boston (81-68) snapped its three-game losing streak.

Roman Anthony, Adley Rutschman and Nick Sogard each had multiple hits while Wilyer Abreu hit a two-run double that gave the Red Sox a sixth-inning lead they would not relinquish.

Carter Jensen’s 24th home run of the season marked the only scoring for Kansas City (66-83), which opened the series with a win Friday.

The Red Sox took the lead with two runs on three straight hits in the sixth. After Mickey Gasper and Rutschman knocked back-to-back singles to right to chase Royals starter Randy Dobnak (3-4), Abreu drove them home with a two-out double to deep center off reliever Anthony Gose.

The lead grew in each of the next two frames, beginning with Sogard hitting a leadoff double and scoring on Caleb Durbin’s RBI single off the Green Monster in the seventh.

After Garrett Whitlock struck out the side in the Royals’ eighth, Trevor Story and Sogard posted back-to-back doubles to plate another run.

Aroldis Chapman followed with a scoreless ninth to tab Suarez with the victory.

The teams plowed through three scoreless innings with just one baserunner: Bobby Witt Jr.’s one-out single in Kansas City’s opening frame. Suarez stranded him on third after recording back-to-back outs, including an inning-ending strikeout of Vinnie Pasquantino.

Suarez retired the Royals 1-2-3 on 10 pitches in the second and third innings while Dobnak faced the minimum, striking out three batters through the first third of the game.

In the fourth, Anthony turned a leadoff single through the right side into the opening run. After moving to second on Gasper’s grounder, Anthony scored when Rutschman knocked a single into center.

After finishing the fourth around Pasquantino’s two-out double, Suarez retired five straight before Jensen’s one-out solo homer inside Pesky’s Pole in the sixth. The southpaw stranded runners in the next two frames, including back-to-back strikeouts to cap the seventh.

–Field Level Media

Royals Take First of Three vs. Sox

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Kansas City scored three runs over the first three innings and let its pitching do the rest as the Royals held on to beat the host Boston Red Sox 3-2 in their three-game series opener on Friday night.

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Carter Jensen (two doubles) and Salvador Perez each went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Royals (66-82), who were just 3-7 in their previous 10 games.

Seth Lugo (7-8) scattered seven hits and struck out seven across five innings of two-run ball for the victory. Steven Cruz finished off his seventh save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Mickey Gasper hit his ninth homer of the season and Wilyer Abreu went 2-for-4 with an RBI double for the Red Sox (80-68), who were held to just one hit over the final four innings. They have lost three straight since a five-game winning streak.

The Royals jumped ahead with a pair of first-inning hits off Sonny Gray (17-5), who went six frames. After Jensen crushed a leadoff double off the wall in deep center field, Perez knocked a two-out RBI single inside the third base line to open the scoring.

After Gray responded with a 1-2-3 second, Isaac Collins and Jensen started the third with back-to-back doubles, extending Kansas City’s lead to 2-0. Jensen’s wall-ball double high off the Green Monster brought in the run. Two batters later, Vinnie Pasquantino’s single through the right side made it a three-run game before a double play ended the inning.

After Adley Rutschman walked immediately following the homer, Wilyer Abreu’s RBI double high off the Monster brought the hosts within 3-2. Lugo stopped the threat there, striking out back-to-back batters.

Nolan Hoffman and Connor Thomas relieved Lugo with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings, and Nate Pearson stranded Trevor Story on second base following a one-out double in the eighth. Story eluded second baseman Michael Massey’s tag to reach safely.

The Royals had a chance to extend their lead after Perez and Massey started the eighth with back-to-back singles, with Rutschman catching pinch runner Tyler Tolbert stealing second in between. Jovani Moran stranded two to end the inning before striking out two in the ninth.

–Field Level Media

A.J. Brown Out Four+ Weeks

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FOXBOROUGH – (Wire service Report) – The New England Patriots will put wide receiver A.J. Brown on injured reserve because of a high-ankle sprain sustained in a season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, according to multiple media reports.

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Brown walked off the field with the injury to his right ankle on New England’s opening possession of the second half in the Patriots’ 13-10 road loss on Wednesday. An MRI confirmed the high-ankle sprain.

He must miss at least four games before the Patriots can activate him. The earliest Brown could return would be New England’s Week 6.

The injury occurred when Brown was targeted by a third-down pass from Drake Maye, but Seahawks nickel cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett deflected the pass to force a punt. Pritchett’s knee landed on the outside of Brown’s ankle, which twisted inward as he went to the ground.

Brown removed his right cleat and entered the blue medical tent on the sideline as the Patriots added a field goal to go ahead 10-0 in the third quarter.

 

Rested, Sox Face Royal Challenge

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Following back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Angels and a much-needed day off from their American League playoff race, the Boston Red Sox look to right the ship with Sonny Gray on the mound in their three-game series opener against the visiting Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

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Boston (80-67) won five straight to reach a season-high 15 games above .500 before dropping the series to the lowly Angels, concluding a stretch of 14 games in 13 days with a 6-4 loss in Wednesday’s rubber game.

“We talked about two other gauntlets, with this being the last one where you can finally reach the three off-days over the next 10 days,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “It’s helpful from the standpoint of rest for everybody that’s active and also for the guys we’re trying to get back.”

The Red Sox allowed six runs and double-digit hits in their last two losses and seven of their last 12 games. Outfielders Ceddanne Rafaela and Eli White and catcher Adley Rutschman have been sidelined in recent days, while others are on the way back from injury.

Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu homered to highlight Wednesday’s game for Boston, but three home runs off starter Jake Bennett helped Los Angeles build a 6-0 lead that was too much to overcome.

Anthony’s two-run shot was his third since returning from injury on Aug. 30. Abreu is tied for the American League lead with 13 since the All-Star break.

“I’m very proud of myself for what I’ve been doing,” Abreu said. “Hopefully I can hit a couple more before the season ends.”

Gray (17-4, 2.69 ERA) has pitched scoreless ball in three of his last six starts, including seven innings of three-hit ball last Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.

Gray defeated the Royals on May 18 — striking out nine and allowing one run over six innings — to improve to 10-2 with a 1.74 ERA in his career against them. The Red Sox swept that three-game set in Kansas City.

The Royals (65-82) are just 3-7 in their last 10 games, but they bounced back from a pair of extra-inning losses for a 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, avoiding their 11th series sweep this season.

Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning to provide the winning runs. Before going deep twice on Kansas City’s recent nine-game home stand, the three-time All-Star was homerless in 50 straight at-bats.

“Three-pointers are nice,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “I know he’s felt like he’s left some runs out there, and he feels a lot of responsibility for that. That was a huge swing of the bat for him and for us.”

“Hunt the pitches and be able to do damage on the ones you’re looking for. And not miss them,” Witt added. “Take it one pitch at a time, and once you get those pitches, be able to capitalize on them.”

Carter Jensen hit his 23rd homer, tying Jac Caglianone for the team lead and marking the second-most ever by a Royals rookie. The catcher is on a 14-game on-base streak, and each of his last nine hits have gone for extra bases.

Seth Lugo (6-8, 5.04) gets the ball on Friday in search of his first win in his fifth career start against the Red Sox. He is 0-5 with a 5.61 ERA in seven head-to-head appearances, but allowed just two runs over six innings in his May 18 clash with Gray.

Lugo has allowed 12 runs on 17 hits over his last two starts (8 2/3 innings), though his five-inning appearance Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays was his eighth out of the last 10 without allowing a homer.

–Field Level Media

Seahawks Rally to Defeat Patriots, 17-10

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SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – Josh Jobe intercepted Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining as the Seahawks beat New England 13-10 in a Super Bowl rematch Wednesday night.

Seattle picked off Maye on New England’s final three possessions to overcome a 10-0 deficit and the early exit of starting quarterback Sam Darnold.

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Well within the field-goal range of Andy Borregales, who connected on a 50-yarder earlier in the game, the Patriots went for the win in the final minute rather than taking the game to overtime. New England converted on fourth down twice on the final drive. Maye hit wide receiver Mack Hollins for 11 yards on fourth-and-9 on the first play after the two-minute warning to move the chains, after the QB ran for 5 yards on fourth-and-2 earlier in the possession.

His third-and-5 toss was underthrown, and Jobe was in front of Hollins one step into the end zone.

Backup quarterback Drew Lock helped save the day for Seattle. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.

The Seahawks turned the tide in the fourth quarter with three interceptions and three sacks of Maye, who was rarely pressured in the first half. His first gamble of the game early in the fourth quarter was a deep pass intended for Romeo Doubs that was tipped in the air and intercepted by Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett.

Seattle turned the first takeaway of the game into points when Lock hooked up with Smith-Njigba on a short fourth-down completion. A play-fake froze the Patriots’ defense, and Lock fired to Smith-Njigba for a short gain, and the receiver turned upfield to open turf to do the rest for a game-tying 45-yard touchdown with 11:28 to play.

On the ensuing possession, Maye tried to go deep over the middle, but safety Julian Love leapt in front of wide receiver DeMario Douglas for another pick. The play came after Doubs dropped a pass for what would have been a clear first down on a crossing route.

The Seahawks drove inside the New England 5, but two incompletions and a delay-of-game penalty led to Seattle settling for a chip-shot field goal from Jason Myers with just under six minutes left in the game.

The Patriots lost wide receiver A.J. Brown to a right ankle injury early on their first drive in the third quarter.

Five plays into their title defense, Seattle had its script shredded. Darnold left the game with a hip injury after being dragged down for a sack by Dre’Mont Jones and didn’t return.

Seahawks first-time play-caller Brian Fleury was caught in the whirlwind with Lock, who played 38 total snaps last season, pushed into the primetime spotlight. Fleury was hired after Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak left to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

With the Seahawks trailing 10-0 and 5:30 left in the third quarter, Lock floated a pass down the right sideline to Cooper Kupp for the longest gain of the game to that point, a 24-yarder. Kupp adjusted to the underthrown pass and hauled it in with his right arm. Three plays later, Lock zipped a quick slant pass to his left and found Kupp for an apparent 7-yard TD, but it was negated by an illegal shift.

The Seahawks settled for a 30-yard field goal by Myers and trailed 10-3 with 3:13 left in the third quarter.

Maye finished 23 of 33 for 178 yards, one touchdown and the three picks.

–Field Level Media

Streaking Down the Wrong Street

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Zach Neto, Jose Siri and Denzer Guzman homered as Los Angeles started a rare winning streak with a win at Boston.

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The Angels earned two wins in the three-game series, and they logged back-to-back victories for the first time since beating the Texas Rangers on Aug. 12-13. Los Angeles starter Ryan Johnson (4-8) pitched six innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Ben Joyce yielded a run in the ninth inning but earned his fourth save.

Roman Anthony hit a two-run homer for Boston, which also received a solo home run from Wilyer Abreu. Jarren Duran amassed two hits and two runs.

–Field Level Media

Detmers, LA Angels Shut Down Sox

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FENWAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Reid Detmers pitched six scoreless innings and Zach Neto hit a two-run homer to help the visiting Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1.

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Detmers (5-8) limited Boston (80-66) to one hit, a first-inning single by Wilyer Abreu. He struck out nine and walked one. Detmers was pulled after throwing 112 pitches (73 strikes).

Neto went 4 for 5 in the win. Los Angeles (55-90) received two-hit games from Vaughn Grissom, Christian Moore, Moises Ballesteros and Travis d’Arnaud.

The Angels, who collected 15 hits in the win, entered Tuesday’s game with two victories in their last 14 games.

Boston starter Patrick Sandoval (1-5) allowed four runs on 10 hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

 

Henderson to Sit for Pats’ Opener

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SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots ruled out running back TreVeyon Henderson for the NFL season opener Wednesday against the host Seattle Seahawks.

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Henderson did not practice all week due to a lingering ankle injury he suffered Aug. 24, when he slipped on a run play during practice.

Henderson, 23, led the Patriots in his rookie season with 911 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. He had six attempts for 19 yards and added three catches for 26 yards in New England’s 29-13 loss to Seattle in Super Bowl LX, but now won’t be available for the rematch.

That will mean more work for Rhamondre Stevenson as the Patriots’ lead ball-carrier. Stevenson enters his sixth season in the league, all with the Patriots, after gaining 603 rushing yards and scoring nine touchdowns (seven rushing, two receiving) last year.

The Patriots had already ruled out offensive lineman Ben Brown (knee), who did not make the trip west. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore (knee) is cleared to play.

On the other side, the Seahawks ruled out safety Ty Okada (hamstring) and deemed fellow safety Nick Emmanwori (ankle) questionable. Wide receiver Tory Horton (hamstring) is also questionable. Offensive lineman Josh Jones (knee) carries no game designation.

Emmanwori was limited on the Seahawks’ practice report all three days this week. Tuesday’s was an estimation, as the defending champs only held a walkthrough.

Emmanwori, 22, had a standout first season in the NFL and was runner-up for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. He had 81 tackles (nine for loss), 2.5 sacks, 11 pass breakups and one interception.

He played through multiple ankle sprains during the season, including a low sprain suffered days before the Super Bowl, and had an arthroscopic procedure during the offseason.

–Field Level Media

Patriots’ Gonzalez NFL’s Top $ Corner

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Completing protracted negotiations, the New England Patriots agreed to a contract extension that makes Christian Gonzalez the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback, multiple media outlets reported late Monday night.

The four-year, $135 million extension reportedly includes $102 million in guaranteed money.

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The pact moves Gonzalez ahead of the Seattle Seahawks’ Devon Witherspoon, who agreed in mid-August to a four-year, $132 million extension with $101 million guaranteed.

The Gonzalez deal comes two days before the Patriots and the Seahawks will clash in a season-opening Super Bowl rematch at Seattle.

Gonzalez, 24, missed two weeks of training camp action in August due to a leg injury, but he has been back at full strength for two weeks.

A 2023 first-round draft pick out of Oregon, Gonzalez played just four games for New England that year due to a right shoulder injury. He returned the following year to log two interceptions, 11 passes defensed, one fumble recovery and 59 tackles in 16 games, all starts.

Last year, Gonzalez recorded 10 passes defensed and 69 tackles in 14 games, all starts. During the Patriots’ postseason run that ended in a Super Bowl defeat, he registered one interception, one sack, one forced fumble, seven passes defensed and 19 tackles in four games.

–Field Level Media