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Red Sox Look to Eovaldi for Bounce-Back

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ARLINGTON – Boston Red Sox emerging ace Nathan Eovaldi and Texas Rangers newcomer and former Japanese baseball star Kohei Arihara are hoping for bounce-back performances when the Red Sox play the Rangers for the second of their four-game weekend series tonight.

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Boston right-hander Eovaldi (3-2, 3.77 ERA) allowed only four runs over his first three starts of the season, but has given up at least four in back-to-back starts while allowing seven or more hits in each outing. Eovaldi chalked up his struggles in last Saturday’s 8-2 loss to Seattle, in which he allowed a season-high five runs (four earned) on seven hits over five innings, to his inability to locate his pitches.

Only 64 percent of Eovaldi’s 87 pitches landed in the strike zone.

“I just felt like I had a hard time finishing my pitches,” Eovaldi said. “If I’m not finishing my pitches, they tend to stay middle and they’re not as sharp as they usually are. I think that’s what got me in trouble.”

Eovaldi is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two prior starts against the Rangers. He pitched a gem in his lone career start in Texas, allowing just two hits and striking out six over seven scoreless innings on April 25, 2016, as a member of the New York Yanks.

Texas right-hander Arihara (2-2, 4.03) lasted only two innings in the Rangers’ 8-4 loss at the Chicago White Sox
last Sunday. After allowing zero runs in 11 1/3 innings over his prior two starts, Arihara posted season highs of five runs allowed and four walks.

Arihara said he may have been tipping his pitches after placing a season-low 57 percent of his 70 pitches in the strike zone.

“I do feel like they may have been expecting it,” Arihara said through an interpreter via The Dallas Morning News. “But I’m not aware of anything. I think the biggest thing was that my fastball wasn’t riding (Sunday). I just wasn’t able to pitch as effectively as I’d like to do it.”

The 28-year-old rookie will be making his second start at Globe Life Field and his sixth overall. Arihara gave up three runs — two earned — on five hits while walking one and striking out one in four innings in a 3-0 home loss against San Diego on April 9.

Texas handed Boston just its second road loss of the season in the series opener Thursday, winning 4-1. Although the Rangers remain four games under .500 for the season, they improved to 7-4 against AL East opponents in 2021.

The status of Boston designated hitter J.D. Martinez for Friday’s game is up in the air after he was pulled for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning on Thursday due to migraine symptoms. Martinez went 0 for 1 with two walks in the opener.

– Staff and Wire Service Report

Red Sox Take Two from Mets

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FLUSHING – Boston Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta out-pitched Mets Cy Young Award winner and MVP candidate Jacob deGrom Wednesday night, when the Boston pitching staff combined for a two-hit shut-out and earned the win as the visiting Red Sox edged the New York Mets, 1-0.

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Sox Backstop Christian Vazquez had an RBI double in the second inning for the Red Sox, who swept the two-game interleague series against the National League New Yorkers.

Three runs in two games were enough for the Boston Red Sox to defeat the Mets often-anemic offense but the Red Sox will need to generate more offense when they continue their short six-game road trip, visiting Arlington, Texas and the Texas Rangers Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Left-hander Martin Perez (0-1, 5.71 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for the Red Sox against right-hander Kyle Gibson (2-0, 2.30).

The Sox two wins over the Mets improved Boston’s surprising record to an AL East-leading, 16-9. The Sox started the season 0-3, but have now won three straight and four of their last five games. Boston next 11 games against a combination of Texas (10-15, .400), Detroit (8-16, .333) and Baltimore (10-14, .417) will be a key indicator for the rest of their 2021 season.

Boston, AL East last place finishers a season ago, recorded a disappointing (24-36, .400) record and finished 16 games back of Tampa Bay in the COVID-19 shortened 60-game 2020 season.

Red Sox End Home-stand with a “W”

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox concluded their season-long 10-game home stand with a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners Sunday at Fenway Park. Boston finished a season-long 10 game stretch at Fenway with a disappointing 5-5 record but are 14-6 in their last 20 games and 3-0-3 in their last six series.

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Trailing 1-0 after the first half of the 1st inning, utility man Marwin Gonzalez and right fielder Hunter Renfroe each worked bases-loaded walks in the Sox’ half of the 1st inning and 2B Christian Arroyo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. It marked the time the Red Sox have scored four (or more) runs on two hits or fewer in the 1st inning since August 11, 2018 vs. TB (4 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 E).

Boston starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R) struck-out a season-high eight over his season-high 7.0 innings. Rodriguez retired his final nine batters faced on 29 pitches after allowing 3 straight hits and two runs to begin the 5th inning. It was Rodriguez third career start with no walks over 7.0+ innings pitched.

Boston begins a six-game road trip in New York on Tuesday when they face the Mets in a pair of night games before heading to Arlington, Texas to take-on the Texas Rangers in a four-game set. The Sox return to Fenway Park on May 4th to start a three-game series against Detroit.

Inconsistency Plagues the Red Sox

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BOSTON – It’s nowhere near as bad as Scripture’s calling “idle hands being the Devil’s work shop, but for a Major League Baseball team, inconsistency – especially at home – can lead a club to places even worse than hell. Inconsistency can lead to idle time in October.

Here’s a snapshot at the 2021 Boston Red Sox season:

  • April 1 – Boston hosted Baltimore for Opening Day – Postponed
  • April 2-4 – Boston lost three straight to the Orioles – (0-3)
  • April 5-14 – The Red Sox strike back and won nine in a row (vs. combo of TB, Balt, and Minn) – (9-3)
  • April 15-18 – Sox lost three-of-four (Chicago White Sox)
  • April 19-20 – Boston took two straight games (CWS and Toronto)
  • April 21-24 – Boston dropped three-of-four (Toronto and Seattle) – (13-9)
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In Spring Training, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora hoped for a better record (and some consistency), at least at Fenway Park. Boston is 4-5 through the first nine games of the current home stand, but maintain a 13-6 record in their last 19 games. Entering Sunday’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners, the Red Sox are (7-8) at Fenway but (6-1) on the road.

On Saturday, the Sox fell victim to Seattle’s starter Chris Flexen (2-1) – (7.0 IP, 4 H, R, BB, 7 SO) who pitched a career-high 7.0 innings, the Mariners’ longest road start of the season. Flexen’s pitching was backed up by Mariners’ 3B Kyle Seager’s bat as Seager went 3-for-5, with two runs scored, a double, triple and three RBI). He came a HR shy of the cycle but his RBI single in the 1st, a 2=two-run triple in the 2nd and a double in the 5th inning made the difference in Seattle’s 8-7 victory.

Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi (3-2) took the loss. He pitched five innings, allowing, seven hits, five runs (four earned), with a walk and three strike-outs. Eovaldi had extended his streak of consecutive batters faced without a walk to 73 before issuing the four ball pass to Evan White with two outs in the 5th inning.

 

Bogaerts, Martinez Lead Sox to 6-5 Win

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BOSTON – Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts went 2-for-4, with a run scored, a home run and  3 RBI to match his season high in RBI with his  2-run homer in the 1st to lead the Red Sox to a 6-5 win over the Seattle Mariners. Bogaerts has homered in three of the last four games and the Sox are 4-4 in their current eight-game home stand.

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J.D. Martinez followed for Boston and hit a solo home run down the right field line in the 3rd inning. to extend the Sox’ lead to 3-1. It was Martinez’ seventh homer of the season, matching his (60-game) 2020 season total.

Boston reliever Hirokazu Sawamura earned his first MLB win after entering in the 4th inning, leading 3-2 with two outs and runners on 1st and 2nd. Sawamura struck out Seattle OF Mitch Haniger to strand both runners. Overall, Sawamura has stranded each of his four inherited runners this season and seven of his nine appearances have been scoreless (1.80 ERA, 2 ER/10.0 IP).

Garrett Whitlock spelled Sawamura and extended a streak of 25 consecutive batters retired before allowing a two-out single to Sam Haggerty in the 6th inning. The string of scoreless innings marks the longest streak by a Red Sox pitcher since Chris Sale retired 25 consecutive batters in June 2019. Whitlock was credited with a hold.

The Mariners allowed six runs after holding opponents to five runs or fewer in each of their previous eight games, including 3 runs or fewer in 7 of those 8 games. Tonight’s 6-5 loss was their 10th one-run game of the season, the most in the majors.

The teams meet again at 1:10pm on Saturday at Fenway Park.

 

Seattle Defeats Boston in 10th Inning

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BOSTON – Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners rallied to defeat the Boston Red Sox in the first game of a four-game series at Fenway Park.

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The Mariners managed only three hits, including doubles by Ty France and Sam Haggerty, but capitalized despite only one hit through the first nine innings. Mariners right-hander Rafael Montero (2-0) earned the victory after retiring the side in order in the ninth.

Red Sox right-hand pitcher Nick Pivetta didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning, when France tied the game with a two-run double with two outs. Pivetta went six innings, allowing the two runs on one hit with three walks and four strikeouts. Boston’s Rafael Devers had two hits and a homer.

Sports TV: Class is in Session with Doug Glanville on Marquee Sports

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CHICAGO – Regional Sports Networks are upping the ante each and every year and Chicago’s Marquee Sports Network is leading the trend of RSN’s producing original “network quality” programs.

Class is in Session with Doug Glanville is a monthly show that explores the sports industry within the larger lens of its effect on society. It premieres its newest episode this Friday, April 23, on Marquee Sports Network. Presented by UI Health, this month’s episode focuses on the decision by Major League Baseball to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta to Colorado and how the Players Alliance is giving a voice to minority players and providing outreach in communities across the country.

To view a trailer, click below:

https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/doug-glanville-discusses-mlb-all-star-game-and-players-alliance-on-newest-episode-of-class-is-in-session/

Guests for this episode include:

Jason Heyward – Chicago Cubs outfielder, 12-year major league veteran and member of the Major League Player Committee for The Players Alliance
Curtis Granderson – 16-year major league veteran and President of The Players Alliance
Ken Rosenthal – Senior writer for The Athletic and MLB Network insider
Doug Glanville, the show’s host, creator and one of its executive producers, was nominated for a 2021 Sports Emmy Award for his “Enough” video essay and draws on his experience as a veteran MLB player, baseball analyst, writer, and college professor of sport and society as he interacts with this distinguished panel of guests.

“Having the opportunity to learn and engage with true insiders and their knowledge of the impact and motivation around MLB moving the All-Star Game is unique,” said Glanville. “Between Curtis, Jason and Ken, we get an education on all the factors at play and why it was so significant for MLB to take a stance. The conversations are deep and examine historical context through current player insight.”

During the wide-ranging discussion, Glanville and the panel of guests discuss what led to MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game, the role of players in that decision and how The Players Alliance is going above and beyond to impact all communities, including Atlanta.

Jason Heyward, a native of the Atlanta area, shared his support for moving the game out of Atlanta, while acknowledging that he remains committed to his hometown.

“It’s cool to know that the Players Alliance will still be going to Atlanta, and will still be reaching out in these communities … I’m looking forward to being a part of that any way I can,” said Heyward.

Glanville, a nine-year MLB veteran, is a Marquee Sports Network analyst and the host of “Class is in Session with Doug Glanville” presented by UI Health, a half-hour panel show exploring the intersection between sports and larger society. Glanville was selected by the Cubs in the first round of the 1991 MLB draft and made his major league debut with Chicago in 1996.

After spending five-plus seasons with Philadelphia and Texas, he returned to the Cubs in 2003 and hit a go-ahead triple in the 11th inning of Game Three of the NLCS against the Marlins. He was the first African American Ivy League graduate to play in the MLB.

MLB Legacies Take It to Red Sox

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BOSTON – MLB legacies Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – batting one-two-three – in the Toronto Blue Jays’ order, combined to go 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI over the opening two innings of the game to lead Toronto to a 6-3 win over Boston at Fenway Park.

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Toronto snapped their three-game losing streak while the Red Sox dropped to 3-3 on their current home stand but 12-4 overall. Boston remains tied with the Oakland A’s for the best record in the AL (12-7, .632), and trail only the LA Dodgers (14-4, .778) for the best record in MLB.

Biggio and Guerrero are the sons of Baseball Hall of Famers Craig Biggio and 16-year veteran Vladimir Guerrero while Biggio is the son of former MLB outfielder Dante Bichette.

Toronto utilized seven pitchers with Trent Thornton getting the start, his first of the season. Thornton allowed an Alex Verdugo single and a Rafael Devers double over 2.0 scoreless innings to maintain his record of holding opponents scoreless in his last four outings (7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 SO).

Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki was credited with the win and Anthony Castro earned a save.

Boston Starter Garrett Richards (0-2) took the loss after going 4.2 innings and throwing a season-high 92 pitches. He allowed four runs on four hits and was hurt by six walks.

Boston SS Xander Bogaerts went 1-for-4 with a home run in the 8th inning, his second homer in two nights.

 

 

Red Sox Win 12th of Last 15 Games

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BOSTON – After a day off to rest, Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run home run to provide Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez with some run support in his first start at Fenway Park since 2019. That combination gave the Boston Red Sox their second consecutive win and 12 wins in their last 15 games, by way of  a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

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Rodriguez (3-0), who missed last season due to COVID-19 complications, allowed two runs on three hits over six innings and struck out six for AL East-leading Boston. The Boston bullpen was strong, as Matt Andriese, Adam Ottavino and Matt Barnes each worked a scoreless inning in relief. Barnes earned his third save.

Toronto Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu (1-2) pitched five innings, giving up eight hits, four runs and striking out two.

Rodriguez received a warm greeting from the COVID-19 protocol-limited Fenway faithful  crowd of 4,728.

Boston 2B Christian Arroyo and OF/DH J.D. Martinez singled ahead of Bogaerts’ blast to left-center in the bottom of the inning. Red Sox utility man Marwin Gonzalez doubled later in the fourth and 1B Bobby Dalbec drove him in with a triple.

It Was Patri-HITS Day for Sox at Fenway

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox celebrated the annual Commonwealth of Massachusetts holiday, Patriots’ Day, by turning it into “Patri-HITS” Day, clocking 17 hits and scoring 11 runs, six coming in a first inning bat-around barrage against Chicago White Sox starter and All-Star pitcher Lucas Giolito. Ultimately, the Red Sox registered an 11-4 victory to counter the sweep at the hands of the White Sox on Sunday.

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Boston’s strong offensive output supported the efforts of their starter, Nathan Eovaldi, who pitched 6.1 innings, allowing nine hits and four earned runs while striking out 10 batters and walking none. Eovaldi is now (3-1) and has emerged as the Sox ace starter in this young 2021 season when the Red Sox have surprised the American League East with an 11-6 record, after starting the season 0-3.

Eovaldi has not walked any of his last 51 batters he’s faced (beginning in the 7th inning on April 7 game vs. TB) and has not allowed a home run in his last six starts. Dating back to last season, he is 6-1 with a 2.01 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over his last 8 starts (44.2 IP, 29 H, 10 ER, 6 BB, 49 SO). He has started four games for Boston this season and leads the team in wins.

Boston has now scored 10+ runs for the third time (14 on 4/11 at Baltimore, and 11 on 4/5 vs. Tampa).. The Sox offense came alive after a semi-dormant weekend, homering three times for their 2nd-highest single-game total (six HRs on 4/11 at Baltimore). Six Red Sox players had multiple hits, including each of the “one” through “five” hitters. Three players – Alex Verdugo, J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers – had 3+ hits.

Chicago surrendered 10+ runs for the first time in 2021, with the previous occurrence coming last September 27th against their cross-town rival Cubs. The six runs allowed in the 1st was their most in the opening frame since August 31, 2019 vs. Atlanta (6 runs, 11-5 loss).

As the game became out of hand, catcher/DH Yermín Mercedes (7th) and Danny Mendick (8th) each made their first career pitching appearances to mark the first time a position player has pitched for the White Sox since Yolmer Sánchez last September.

The Red Sox will next face the Toronto Blue Jays for a two game series, starting Tuesday night, and then the Seattle Mariners will be at Fenway Park for a four-game set from Thursday through the weekend.