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Jin Young Ko Leads FM at Boston

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NORTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jin Young Ko shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds at the inaugural FM Championship at TPC Boston.

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The South Korea native bookended her day with birdies on the first two holes and the last two holes and added two more against a single bogey to take control at 11 under heading into the final round Sunday.

“I just wanted to have good golf this week in Boston,” Ko said. “I mean, a lot of Korean fans out there, so they are cheering me so much. I feel really loved. Yeah, one more round to go. I will focus myself tomorrow.”

Lauren Coughlin sits alone in second place after carding her third straight 69, putting her at 9 under for the tournament.

“Still trying to go play my game, stay in my bubble, do what I could do, hit good shots, and try to make some putts,” Coughlin said.

Three golfers are within three strokes of Ko at 8 under: Spain’s Carlota Ciganda (67), Allisen Corpuz (67) and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul (69).

“I just felt really comfortable with the putter this week. Been seeing a lot more putts go in,” Corpuz said. ” … Been able to get a few close and make the birdie putts.”

South Korean Haeran Ryu had shot a 10-under-par 62 on Friday to take a commanding six-stroke lead, but she had a Saturday to forget, suffering two double-bogeys among her first four holes and carding another five bogeys on her way to a 6-over 78.

Still, Ryu is tied for sixth with Germany’s Alexandra Forsterling (67) at 7 under despite the disastrous round and lurks within striking distance of her second career win.

At the other end of the spectrum, an impressive 8-under 64 vaulted China’s Ruixin Liu into contention. Her day included an eagle on the par-4 10th and eight birdies to go along with a pair of bogeys. That put her in a tie for eighth with Yealimi Noh (73).

“For me the biggest difference is I was able to hit more fairways compared to the first two days, so I gave myself more opportunities for birdies,” Liu said.

“I don’t have any expectation today because I barely made the cut … I’m just very grateful I’m able to play today, so I think that’s the most important reason why I’m able to shoot this low.”

Marina Alex, who led after one round, posted a 4-over 76 to fall into a tie for 46th at even par.

–Field Level Media

Rich Hill to the Rescue

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox are activating 44-year-old left-hander Rich Hill, multiple outlets reported. Hill signed a minor league deal on Aug. 15 and made one scoreless, two-inning appearance at Triple-A Worcester.

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Hill has played for 13 franchises since making his MLB debut in 2005, including three previous stints with his hometown Red Sox.

Once activated, Hill will surpass 41-year-old Justin Verlander as the oldest player in the majors.

Hill last played in the big leagues in 2023 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres, going 8-14 with a 5.41 ERA in 32 games (27 starts).

He is 90-73 with a 4.01 ERA in 382 games (248 starts) with the Chicago Cubs (2005-08), Baltimore Orioles (2009), Red Sox (2010-12, 2015, 2022), Cleveland (2013), Los Angeles Angels (2014), New York Yankees (2014), Oakland Athletics (2016), Los Angeles Dodgers (2016-19), Minnesota Twins (2020), Tampa Bay Rays (2021), New York Mets (2021), Pirates (2023) and Padres (2023).

The Red Sox optioned right-hander Josh Winckowski to Worcester on Tuesday morning. Winckowski, 26, is 4-1 with a 4.37 ERA in 30 games (six starts) this season for Boston.

–Field Level Media

Two for Two

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With their American League playoff hopes continuing to fade like the lazy days of Summer turning to the chilly evenings of September, the Boston Red Sox will look to bounce back from a series-opening, day-night sweep when they continue a rare five-game set against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays tonight.

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Much-needed wins were not in the cards for the Red Sox on Monday, as 4-1 and 7-3 losses dropped them to 5 1/2 games back of Minnesota, which currently holds the third and final wild-card spot.

“It’s not happening right now, to be honest with you,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It’s been going on for a while here, right? Most of (the players) haven’t been in this situation before, right? Every pitcher matters, every at-bat matters. We just gotta make sure we slow it down. … We’re better than this. We know that.”

Every team goes through such rough patches over the course of the 162-game season, but Boston’s four straight losses and six in eight games have come at a less-than-ideal time and immediately following a 4-2 stretch.

Center fielder Jarren Duran was a major bright spot for the Boston offense, hitting home runs in both Monday games while doubling twice in the nightcap.

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“It’s nice to come up with those productive days, but we didn’t get the wins,” Duran said. “I think we’ve just got to get back on the horse … and believe in ourselves again.”

Four errors were too much for the Red Sox to overcome, and Toronto’s five-hit showing with runners in scoring position was key to the latter Monday victory, its season-high fifth straight.

“We were ready to go, and that’s a testament to the leaders of the team,” Blue Jays shortstop Ernie Clement said.

Boston’s Cooper Criswell (5-4, 4.41 ERA) is due to make his second straight start after throwing 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball last Wednesday at Houston.

Criswell has a 3.88 ERA in 14 starts and a 7.30 ERA in six relief outings this season. He has a 5.68 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Toronto.

The Blue Jays had an outfield star of their own on Monday in Connecticut native George Springer, who also homered in both Monday games and has four over his last six games.

“It’s been a weird year for George,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “He’s been so consistent in the clubhouse, and he’s done such an amazing job to keep these young kids under wraps. It goes without saying, we need George to be George, and he’s been that for a good while now.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a two-hit game, giving him a .415 average since the All-Star break.

Yariel Rodriguez (1-5, 4.40) is slated to make Tuesday’s start for Toronto. The 27-year-old rookie has allowed nine runs in 9 1/3 innings across his last two starts, both no-decisions, against the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds.

Rodriguez has failed to finish five innings in three of his last five starts, including Wednesday against Cincinnati when he let a 5-0 lead slip with five runs allowed in 4 1/3 frames.

Rodriguez’s first and only career start against Boston was made official on Monday with the completion of a June 26 suspended game. He pitched a scoreless first inning before inclement weather halted play.

Boston’s Danny Jansen began that game as Rodriguez’s catcher, but was traded to the Red Sox last month. When play resumed Monday, Jansen became the first player in MLB history to appear for both teams in the same game.

–Field Level Media

D-Backs Make It Six in a Row

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – It was only one run, but when Boston’s DH Masataka Yoshida tried to stretch a stand-up double into a triple and was thrown out by seven feet, it stopped the Red Sox rally to be.

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Aside from the inexcusable Little League level mistake, the poor base-running with none out and a four run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning seemed harmless even when Sox catcher Connor Wong doubled immediately after the miscue. But, the damage was done, as Yoshida was the rally killer.

Two innings later, Arizona’s 3B Eugenio Suarez hit a three-run home run to help the visiting Diamondbacks take a 6-4 lead which led the Diamondbacks to complete a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 7-5 victory Sunday. The win extended Arizona’s winning streak to seven.

The Diamondbacks trailed 4-3 until Suarez hit his 20th home run of the season in the sixth against Boston starter Tanner Houck. Suarez, who had four hits Sunday, collected eight hits and 10 RBIs in the series.

The Diamondbacks also received a solo home run from Geraldo Perdomo (No. 3 of the year) in the ninth as the victory stretched Arizona’s winning streak to six games. All six victories have come on the road.

Houck (8-9) allowed six runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked four and struck out two. Boston is winless in Houck’s last seven starts.

Triston Casas, Rafael Devers and Tyler O’Neill each homered for Boston, which led 4-0 after four innings.

Casas, who struck out four times in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Arizona, hit a solo home run in the first inning, Devers hit a three-run homer in the fourth and O’Neill struck for a solo home run against Justin Martinez in the ninth. Devers’ home run was the 200th of his major league career.

After allowing the home run to O’Neill, Martinez retired the next three batters to collect his sixth save.

Arizona starter Merrill Kelly (4-0) earned the win despite allowing Boston’s first two home runs. He gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings and recorded five strikeouts.

The homers by Casas (No. 8) and Devers (No. 28) handed Boston a 4-0 lead, but Arizona scored three times in the fifth. Adrian Del Castillo scored on Perdomo’s bases-loaded groundout, Suarez scored on Corbin Carroll’s sacrifice fly and then Jake McCarthy’s RBI single drove in Luis Guillorme to make it a 4-3 game.

Pavin Smith singled and Del Castillo walked before Suarez belted the three-run homer that put the Diamondbacks in front 6-4. Perdomo’s home run extended the lead to 7-4 before O’Neill’s 23rd homer capped the scoring.

Boston, now on a three-game losing skid, slipped to 29-35 at home.

–Field Level Media

Diamondbacks Ride Win Streak

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The visiting Arizona Diamondbacks can complete a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a victory Sunday. Arizona won the opener, 12-2, on Friday night and posted a 4-1 victory on Saturday. The Diamondbacks enter Sunday’s matchup on a five-game winning streak, all on the road.

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Saturday’s win gave the Diamondbacks their 11th series victory in the last 12 tries. The only exception came last weekend, when Tampa Bay swept a three-game series as Arizona began its nine-game trip. The Diamondbacks are 25-8 since the All-Star break.

Arizona’s starting pitchers — Ryne Nelson on Friday and Zac Gallen on Saturday — combined to allow two runs on seven hits in 12 innings.

“Those guys (the Diamondbacks) are really good,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “What they do is not just against us — it’s against everybody. It’s a different type of pitching, too. Different angles, they change speeds, they don’t give in. You have to be very stubborn in the zone.

“They’re really good at what they do. They’re probably one of the best teams in the big leagues right now. They’re athletic, they run the bases well, they put good at-bats — it’s a complete team.”

Arizona’s Eugenio Suarez has four hits and seven RBIs in the series. He collected five RBIs — including a grand slam — on Friday and had a two-run double in Saturday’s win.

Boston’s pitchers walked six on Saturday, including four in the seventh when Arizona scored two runs without getting a hit.

“When the pitcher has good stuff or he’s attacking and we’re not getting hits, I think our patience will pay off,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’re going to get some baserunners and create some run-scoring opportunities. That’s what we did today.”

A walk forced in the first run in the seventh, and the second scored on a wild pitch by Brennan Bernardino.

“At this level we cannot do that, obviously,” Cora said. “We had the right matchups. It just didn’t work out.”

 

 

Sunday’s pitching matchup has Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (3-0, 3.63 ERA) facing Boston righty Tanner Houck (8-8, 3.01).

Kelly has made two starts since returning from the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury. He gave up two runs in five innings to beat the Phillies in the first start, then allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings during an 8-7 loss to Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg on Aug. 18.

Kelly has faced the Red Sox twice in his career and has a 1-1 record with a 1.26 ERA. He has 19 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings against Boston, and struck out 10 in 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox last season.

Houck has made three straight quality starts, and gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings of a 5-4 loss to Houston on Monday. He made his only career start against Arizona last season — opposing Kelly in that 10-strikeout game — and took a loss after surrendering four runs on six hits in four innings. Arizona’s Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo each homered against Houck.

The Red Sox are expecting outfielder Tyler O’Neill to play Sunday after he missed the last three games because of a swollen finger on his left hand.

“He should be in the lineup,” Cora said.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Jacoby Brissett to Start

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Quarterback Jacoby Brissett will start the Patriots’ preseason finale against the Washington Commanders on Sunday before being replaced by rookie Drake Maye, New England first-year head coach Jerod Mayo announced.

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Mayo also noted on Friday that quarterbacks Joe Milton III and Bailey Zappe will draw into the game as well.

“Jacoby is going to start the game off,” Mayo told reporters. “Drake will play as well. Joe will play as well. Now, you guys can sleep. Bailey will play. We do have some players dealing with small things that probably won’t play and get ready for the regular season — some of our proven players.”

Mayo has yet to announce which quarterback will start the Patriots’ season opener against the host Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 8.

Brissett, 31, is in his ninth NFL season and second go-round with the Patriots after stops in Indianapolis, Miami, Cleveland and Washington. He has appeared in 79 games and is 18-30 as a starter, completing 61.3 percent of his passes for 10,574 yards with 51 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Maye, who turns 22 next week, was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft in April. He was a two-year starter at North Carolina.

–Field Level Media

High Octane D-Backs Drub Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Arizona Diamondbacks will attempt to extend their winning streak to five games Saturday afternoon when they face the host Boston Red Sox in the middle contest of a three-game series.

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Arizona entered the series having scored the most runs in the majors and showed why during a 12-2 triumph on Friday. The Diamondbacks collected 16 hits in the victory, including a grand slam by Eugenio Suarez that put Arizona in front 9-2 in the seventh inning.

It was the majors-best ninth grand slam hit by Arizona this season and the fifth that Suarez has belted during his 11-year major league career.

“Cutter in the middle of the zone,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He’s a dead-pull hitter, and he’s gonna look to do damage with something close to him. He got a cutter in the middle, and he didn’t miss it.

“He’s one of these guys that you look at the numbers … average and all that stuff he’s not usually up there, but RBIs — that’s what he does. He got a good pitch to hit and drove it.”

Suarez and Josh Bell each had three hits in the win. Suarez also scored three times and had five RBIs.

Ryne Nelson pitched six innings to earn the win. This came hours after Arizona manager Torey Lovullo announced that Nelson would remain in the rotation and Jordan Montgomery would move to the bullpen.

Patriots Release Mike Purcell

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots released veteran defensive tackle Mike Purcell after signing him on Aug. 1 for depth on the line.

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Purcell, 33, started 10 of his 16 games played with the Denver Broncos last season and recorded 25 tackles, five quarterback hits and one fumble recovery. In eight seasons for the San Francisco 49ers (2014-16) and Broncos, he has 208 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, as well as three fumble recoveries in 90 games (45 starts).

Undrafted out of Wyoming, Purcell also spent time on several teams’ practice squads from 2013-18, including two separate stints with the Patriots in 2017.

–Field Level Media

Reds Sign Sox Castaway

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CINCINNATI – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Cincinnati Reds signed first baseman Dominic Smith to a major league contract, according to multiple media reports Thursday. Smith was released by the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, four days after he was designated for assignment. The former first-round draft pick became expendable when Boston reinstated first baseman Triston Casas from the 60-day injured list last week.

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The reported addition of Smith will help the Reds address the loss of versatile infielder Jeimer Candelario, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a fractured left big toe.

Candelario, 30, has made 53 starts at third base, 32 at designated hitter and 26 at first base this season.

Smith, 29, batted .237 with six home runs, 34 RBIs and a .706 OPS in 83 games for the Red Sox.

Boston signed Smith on May 1 after he opted out of a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, who had released him one day earlier.

The New York Mets selected Smith with the 11th overall pick of the 2013 MLB Draft. Smith played for New York from 2017-22, finishing 13th in the National League MVP voting in 2020 when he posted career bests by slashing .316/.377/.616.

Houston to Start Verlander

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Ttart HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – As Houston’s right-hand pitcher Ronel Blanco labored for 3 2/3 innings in the Astros’ 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, the return of veteran right-hander Justin Verlander gained an additional measure of significance.

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Verlander will make his first start since June 9 when host Houston and Boston meet on Wednesday afternoon for the rubber match of a three-game series.

Neck discomfort landed Verlander (3-2, 3.95 ERA) on the 15-day injured list back on June 18. With his arm back in the fold, the Astros will utilize a six-man rotation for the immediate future, a strategy that should lighten the workload for Blanco and rookie Spencer Arrighetti, both of whom are in uncharted waters as big-leaguers.

“It’s big getting JV on the mound. It’s getting one of the best back in there,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “We know what he means. We know he’s part of this winning culture and getting him back is a big boost for our team, especially down the stretch.”

The Astros did not announce a pitch count for Verlander against the Red Sox, but they will exercise caution. Verlander, 41, has worked only 57 innings this season after tossing 162 1/3 for Houston and the New York Mets in 2023, his lowest total in a 162-game season since he threw 133 1/3 innings for the Detroit Tigers in 2015.

“We’ll see how the outing goes and how efficient he is,” Espada said. “I don’t want to put a number because he can surprise us. But we’re going to keep a close eye on his workload for sure.”

Verlander is 6-6 with a 2.74 ERA over 20 career starts against the Red Sox.

Right-hander Cooper Criswell (5-4, 4.56) will start for Boston in the series finale on Wednesday.

It will be the first start since July 23 for Criswell, who is 1-0 with an 8.10 ERA and a blown save over his past five relief appearances. Criswell made 12 consecutive starts before his most recent stint out of the bullpen and went 4-3 with a 3.99 ERA during that stretch. The start against the Astros will mark his fourth consecutive road appearance.

Criswell will be making his first career appearance against Houston.

The Red Sox pulled out all the stops to even this three-game series on Tuesday, needing a monster 4-for-4 performance from center fielder Jarren Duran atop the order plus a 2-for-3 showing from first baseman Triston Casas, who homered, walked twice and drove in three runs.

Mix in a bullpen that allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings, and Boston found a successful formula to defeat the Astros for the first time in five games this season to set the table for a potential series victory.

“We knew we were gonna have our hands full coming into the week, with this series (against Houston),” Casas said. “We’re playing good baseball, and (Tuesday) was a full team effort.”

The Red Sox have won three of their past five games, while the Astros have won 11 of their past 13, with four of those victories coming against Boston.

–Field Level Media