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Red Sox: Five in a Row and Here They Go

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By TERRY LYONS

BALTIMORE – In 2018, the Red Sox lost their opening day game and nearly all of Boston hit the panic button. Fast-forward past 2019-20 and the Sox lost their first three games of this young 2021 season and all of the New England skies were falling. Now, five games later, the Red Sox are riding a five-game winning streak and fans are checking their 2018 schedule results for comparisons to a team that went 108-54.

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Taking it to that extreme so early in the 2021 season is certainly nonsensical, but for the shear fun of it, the 2021 Sox will need to win another four straight to mirror the nine-game win streak manager Alex Cora enjoyed to start the title season after the disappointing opener.

To earn the fifth straight victory, it took 10 innings and a Rafael Devers home run in the 6th inning, a game tying series of singles and grounding into fielder’s choices in the top of the 9th, and Michael Chavis scoring a run in the top of the 10th inning on a wild pitch to seal the win. An RBI single by Christian Vázquez added an insurance run and extended Boston’s winning streak to five games with a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night, April 10.

“It’s a good vibe,” Cora said. “A lot of people don’t feel like we have any superstars. This is a good baseball team. They did everything right toward the end of the game.”

For Baltimore ,outfielder Trey Mancini hit his first home run since his return from cancer surgery that caused him to miss the 2020 season. It was Mancini’s first homer since Sept. 28, 2019.

 

MLB: Red Sox Continue to Roll

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Red Sox Jump to First Place Tie with Four-Game Win Streak

BALTIMORE – The Boston Red Sox scored a grand total of five runs during their three-game, season-opening losing streak. Since their last loss, an 11-2 thrashing by these Baltimore Orioles on April 4, Boston scored 33 runs in four straight wins to go from last place to a tie for first in the American League East. After a rare Friday off-day, the Sox and Orioles will break that tie with their next game scheduled at Camden Yards Saturday evening at 7:05pm EDT.

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Red Sox SP Eduardo Rodríguez won in his return from a year-long absence from the mound. He has returned to active duty after a 2020 bout with COVID-19 and heart inflammation that sidelined him indefinitely in the abbreviated 60-game season. In his return, Rodriguez allowed three runs over five innings Thursday to lead the Boston Red Sox over Baltimore, 7-3, spoiling the Orioles’ home opener.

Rodriguez, 28, was placed on the 10-day injured list to start this season, citing left elbow inflammation (retroactive to March 29). After missing the entire 2020 season due to myocarditis, the left-hander made four starts in spring training and went 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA (4 ER/13.2 IP), 15 strikeouts, and two walks. In 127 career games (122 starts) with the Red Sox, Rodriguez is 51-31 with a 4.03 ERA (313 ER/699.0 IP). In 2019, he finished sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting.

Thursday’s Boston victory over Baltimore came after the Sox had evened their record at 3-3 (.500) with a three-game sweep over divisional rival Tampa Bay. During the series, the Sox recorded a +17 run differential (26-9), batted .339 with a .903 OPS, posted a 2.10 ERA and .194 opponent AVG, committed 0 errors, and allowed 0 HR.

Of the 20 seasons in which the Red Sox started 0-3, this season is only the second time they rebounded to win their next three games and move to 3-3. The previous occurrence was back in 1951.

 

 

MLB: Red Sox Drop First Three Games

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox lost their third consecutive game to begin the season, an 11-3 thrashing by the Baltimore Orioles. It marked the 20th time the Red Sox have lost three consecutive games to begin a season, the first time since 2012. It marked the second time the Sox lost their first three at home, dating back to 1948.

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Baltimore earned their sweep of the Red Sox in a three-game series for the first time since 2017, a series which also came at Fenway Park. The Orioles scored seven runs in the 3rd inning to break the game open and post a 10-0 lead. For the O’, it marked the most runs scored in a single inning against the Red Sox since scoring seven runs in the 5th inning of a 16-3 win on August 25, 2017 at Fenway Park…That was also their most recent time scoring at least 7 runs in an inning on the road.

Centerfielder Cedric Mullins went 5-for-5 with a walk, while hitting three doubles and scoring three times. He set career highs in hits (five), 2B (three), extra base hits (three), and times reaching base safely (six). Mullins is just the fourth Orioles leadoff hitter to reach base safely six times in a game, joining Brady Anderson (6, 1992), Bob Boyd (6, 1958), and Cal Abrams (6, 1954).

For Boston, utility man Marwin Gonzalez (LF, 2B, 3B) and outfielder Alex Verdugo (CF, RF, LF) became the first players in franchise history to start each of the Red Sox’ first three games at three different defensive positions.

 

Baltimore Means Business vs Red Sox

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BOSTON – Baltimore Orioles ace pitcher John Means threw 7.0 innings of one-hit, scoreless baseball and the Orioles scored two runs in the 6th inning and one in the 8th to earn a 3-0 Opening Day victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The opener was delayed one day because of inclement weather on Thursday, April 1. It was the first time the Boston Red Sox were shut-out on their MLB Opening Day since 1976.

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Means retired 18 consecutive batters with the only blemish being a lead-off single by Boston’s Kiki Hernandez and the Orioles’ 3B Maikel Franco allowing Xander Bogaerts to get on board with a fielding error. Otherwise, it was all command, control and an effective change-ups by Means that baffled Boston batters all afternoon long.

Baltimore earned its victory when Ryan Montcastle doubled in two runs in the 6th inning and an Anthony Santander RBI single to score Cedric Mullins in the 8th inning.

Orioles closer Cesar Valdez relieved Tanner Scott and retired the Red Sox with only a DH J.D. Martinez double in the 9th.

Boston SP Nathan Eovaldi (5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO) made his 2nd straight Opening Day start. He took the loss.

The teams will return to Fenway Park for 1:10pm EDT starts on both Saturday and Sunday.

 

 

Red Sox Opening Day: “Take Two”

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BOSTON – After a rain-out on April Fools Day, the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles will try it again today with clear skies but brisk 39-degree temperatures at 2:10pm EDT at Fenway Park. Boston begins its 121st American League season and the Red Sox are 59-60-1 all-time on Opening Day (excluding G2 of doubleheaders in 1903, 1948, and 1982). This is the 44th time that the Red Sox have opened the regular season at home (25-18), including the 41st at Fenway Park (22-18).

The Sox have won each of their last four Opening Day games at Fenway Park (2009, ’10, ’17, ’20).

Boston’s Opening Day roster features 14 players born in the United States, three from the Dominican Republic, three from Venezuela, two from Puerto Rico, one from Aruba, one born in Canada, one in China, and one in Japan.

The oldest player on the Sox roster for Opening Day roster is Adam Ottavino (35) while the youngest is 24-year-old Darwinzon Hernandez. Other Boston 24-year olds are: Alex Verdugo, Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck, and Rafael Devers.

As planned for yesterday, the long-time tradition of a flyover on Opening Day will be maintained, but with three different aircrafts flying out of three New England states, a first for a Red Sox Opening Day ceremony. This year’s flyover will include an F-15 from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, an F-35 from Vermont’s Air National Guard (the Green Mountain Boys), and a Tanker plane from Pease Air National Guard Base in New Hampshire.

The singing of God Bless America in the middle of the 7th inning will be performed by the Boston Fire Department A Capella Quartet.

The Red Sox will welcome over 100 healthcare heroes to the ballpark for Opening Day. Through a partnership with Dell Technologies, 10,000 tickets will be distributed to healthcare workers throughout the 2021 season.

Red Sox Opening Day, including the ceremony, will be broadcast live on NESN beginning with their pregame show at 12:20 p.m. WEEI’s Opening Day broadcast begins at 1:10 p.m.

Fenway Park gates open two hours before the game for all fans on Opening Day (12:10 p.m.) and 1½ hours for all other regular season games.

 

Red Sox Lose to ATL on Last Day of Spring Training

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FORT MYERS – The Boston Red Sox (16-11) dropped a 5-3 decision to the Atlanta Braves (15-13) in the final Spring Training Grapefruit League game for both  teams today at jetBlue Park. The Red Sox will now pack-up the gear and head north to Fenway Park for Thursday’s home opener against the Baltimore Orioles. Although today’s forecast in Boston was for a perfect spring day, Thursday’s weather calls for afternoon showers and an 80% chance of rain. First pitch is schedule for 2:10pm Thursday.

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Braves reliever Drew Smyly earned the win and Boston RP Martin Perez took the loss while Braves ace Mike Soroka earned a save in the seven inning game. OF Jarren Duran homered off Soroka in the 7th. Perez allowed four runs on four hits in 5.0 innings pitched. He walked two and struck-out five Braves but allowed a two-run homer to Ozzie Albies in the 5th inning.

On Monday, Boston defeated Atlanta, 4-0, behind three long-balls in the 3rd inning and solid pitching. With one out and no base runners, infielder Enrique Rodriguez homered to left field, J.D. Martinez solo homered to left-center and after a Xander Bogaerts single, utility man Marwin Gonzalez homered to right to complete the scoring.

Tanner Houck went 4.1 innings to start for the Sox and he was relived by Kaleb Ort (0.2 inn), Austin Brice (1.0 inn) and Darwinzon Hernandez (1.o inn) to complete the four-hit shutout in a 7 inning game. The Braves used six pitchers and a total of 21 players in the home loss.

 

Red Sox: Coming Down the Stretch from Spring Training to Opening Day

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FORT MYERS – The Boston Red Sox won each of their last two games following a two-game losing streak. Boston has not lost more than two consecutive games at any point this spring.

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Today marks the eighth of nine scheduled Grapefruit League meetings between the Red Sox and Braves (Red Sox lead, 4-3). The teams will close out their spring training schedule against each other today in North Port and tomorrow at jetBlue Park.
The Sox and Braves will play each other 4 times in the regular season, with 2 games at Fenway Park (May 25-26) and 2 at Truist Park (June 15-16). The Sox went 2-4 vs. ATL in 2020, finishing the season by taking 2 of 3 games in Atlanta from September 25-27.

Sox Manager Alex Cora announced that SP Nathan Eovaldi will start the Red Sox’ Opening Day game against the Orioles on April 1. Eovaldi’s 1st career Opening Day start came last year against BAL, when he allowed 1 run in 6.0 IP. In his final 4 starts of 2020, Eovaldi posted a 0.86 ERA (2 ER/21.0 IP) with 25 SO and 2 BB, allowing 0 runs in his final 13.0 IP. On the season, he averaged a career- best 9.68 SO/9.0 IP and ranked 7th in the majors in SO/ BB ratio (7.43), walking only 7 of his 199 batters faced.

 

Spring Training: Red Sox Snap Two-Game Skid with Win Over Pirates

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BRADENTON – The Boston Red Sox snapped a two-game skid with a 7-4 win at Pittsburgh, to continue their trend to not lose more than two consecutive games at any point this spring. Boston went 3-5 in their first eight Grapefruit League games but have since gone 11-5-1.

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Since March 10, Boston’s 11 wins rank second in MLB behind only the Oakland A’s (12-4-1). The only teams with more than 14 wins this spring are Toronto(15) and Oakland (15).

Sox 1B Bobby Dalbec leads the majors in runs scored (15) and RBI (16) and is tied for the lead with seven HRs (also Joc Pederson). Dalbec ranks No. 2 in SLG (.822) and No. 3 in OPS (1.214). He also leads the Red Sox in Batting Average (.311) while Kiké Hernández ranks eighth in the majors in OBP (.442) and has recorded more walks (9) than strikeouts (8).

Utility man Michael Chavis ranks in a tie for third in the majors with six HRs (tied with Corey Seager and Josh Bell).

Chavis’ 36 total bases rank 5th in MLB spring training.

Red Sox Spring Training Update (Mar 25)

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FORT MYERS – The Red Sox defeated the Orioles last night at jetBlue Park, 2-0, as newly acquired Hunter Renfroe drove in the game’s only runs with a 2-run Home Run in the 3rd inning. Red Sox pitchers retired their final 13 batters faced after SP Nathan Eovaldi allowed four hits in 5.2 IP.

Hirokazu Sawamura (1.1 IP), Adam Ottavino (1.0 IP), and Josh Taylor (1.0 IP) each recorded perfect outings in relief.

The Red Sox have won their last three games and are 6-2 in their last eight, and 10-3-1 in their last 14. The Red Sox entered today leading the Grapefruit League in runs scored (130), HR (34), doubles (41), AVG (.270), OBP (.351), and SLG (.485).

Entering today, only the Toronto Blue Jays (14-8-1) had more wins than the Sox. and the only other teams with 13 wins are the KC Royals, NY Yankees, and Chicago Cubs.

The 2021 Chairman’s Cup between the Red Sox and Twins continues today, with the Red Sox leading 3-1-1…The Twins lead, 14-12-2, in the yearly series, with an 81-76-2 edge in games. The Red Sox and Twins will face each other 7 times during the 2021 regular season, with 4 games scheduled for 4/12-15 at Target Field, and 3 games set for 8/24-26 at Fenway Park. The Red Sox hold a 316-314 edge since the Twins moved to Minnesota prior to the 1961 season.

Boston has six games remaining in spring training before opening the regular season at home on Thursday, April 1, against the Orioles.