RED SOX V REDS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2017, 1 PM AT GREAT AMERICAN BALL PARK
TV: NESN
BOSTON, (90-64).............................................................................................CINCINNATI, (66-89)
BOSTON:
DOUG FISTER, RHP, 5-8, 4.86 ERA, 59K
The sinkerballer was on a a roll until struggling mightily in his last two
starts, giving up 11 runs over six innings. Fister has thrived against the
Red in his career, going 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts.
CINCINNATI:
JACKSON STEPHENS, RHP, 2-0, 4.80 ERA, 13K
Stephens retired is first 10 batters in a row vs the Cardinals before it all
went wrong in a five-run fourth inning that included two homers and his
exit. He struggled to locate his fastball and paid for it.
Fister vying for Sox playoff roster in Reds finale
Mark Sheldon
With an eye on the scoreboard at what the second-place Yankees are doing in Toronto, the first-place Red Sox will try to move closer to locking up the American League East when they play the finale of a three-game series against the Reds at Great American Ball Park on Sunday.
Boston is four games up on New York with eight games remaining, leaving a magic number to clinch at five. Sunday also marks the Reds' final home game of the season.
Right-handed veteran Doug Fister will get the nod for the Red Sox, and he will need a good start to help bolster his fading chances at being in the postseason rotation. Fister was on a roll from Aug. 22-Sept. 6, pitching to a 1.50 ERA and completing at least seven innings each of his four starts.
But in his past two starts, Fister has been roughed up for 11 earned runs and 10 hits over a combined six innings. He lasted two innings and walked five in his previous outing vs. the Orioles in a no-decision won by the Red Sox in extra innings.
The Reds will counter with rookie Jackson Stephens, who is making his third big league start and pitching in his sixth game overall. Stephens did not fare well on Tuesday vs. the Cardinals, allowing five earned runs and five hits -- including two homers -- over 3 2/3 innings for a no-decision in an 8-7 loss in 10 innings.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME
• Mookie Betts was out of Boston's lineup Saturday due to a left knee contusion he sustained after fouling a ball off his foot on Friday. The Red Sox are hoping Betts can be back in the lineup for Sunday's series finale.
• Dustin Pedroia's troublesome left knee acted up again during Friday's game, and he got a down day on Saturday. The plan is that he will start Sunday.
• Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton was given a planned day off from the lineup on Saturday, but he will return on Sunday. Hamilton returned Friday from a fractured left thumb he sustained on Sept. 6 and wore a protective mitten when he ran the bases. Few current Reds have a large track record vs. Fister, but Hamilton is 0-for-9 with a sacrifice fly.
"He's fine. He came out of it good," Reds manager Bryan Price said Saturday of Hamilton's game on Friday.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170923255736122/fister-vying-for-sox-playoff-roster-in-reds-finale/?game_pk=492419
RESERVED
GAMES LEFT
7
MAGIC NUMBER
5
Red Sox v. Stephens:
Bogaerts SS,
Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Moreland 1B,
Devers 3B,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Leon C,
Fister RHP.
Fister is doing it all.
1-0 Reds.
Offense hasn't shown up as yet.
The offense seems to be taking Sunday off. Fister is pitching well. As I type this Devers hits a hr to tie the game up.
Raffy has no problems with the bat.HR #10
Go SOX, thy all count from here on in !!! thumb_u rofl
Yanks down 5-1 bottom 4.
Fister falling apart in the 5th as the Reds score 2. 3-1
We aren't playing very well today. Fister was good until the 5th.
I think there was too much celebration in Cincinnati yesterday.
We need to win this game as the yankees are down 5-1.
9-1 Toronto.
Wake up our offense.
The 1st 5 guys in the Sox order are taking the day off so far. Just a walk between them. Pedroia needs to sit if he can't run. Where is Nunez? Was supposed to do some running but have heard nothing since.
Important IMO that they sign Nunez as we have 4 more years of the part-time Pedey.
Sox with a mind-boggling 2 hits thru 7.
What was that? Stupid, sloppy play just cost them a run. WTF are they doing out there?
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 02:14:31 PM
Important IMO that they sign Nunez as we have 4 more years of the part-time Pedey.
If he's going to be a part time guy then he needs to go.
Thanks to Pedeys E it's now 4-1.
Quote from: Schloicka on September 24, 2017, 02:24:02 PM
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 02:14:31 PM
Important IMO that they sign Nunez as we have 4 more years of the part-time Pedey.
If he's going to be a part time guy then he needs to go.
Pedeys hard nose play style is his worst enemy and being 34 doesn`t help.
I find it hard to imagine that the Sox get rid of him but in sports, anything can happen.
That's why they need a very good utility guy to help out
if he or I should say
when he hits the DL again.
Bases loaded, one out. GIDP coming up.
Love it when I'm wrong. Betts ties it up. Very cool.
Betts with heads up running gives the Sox the lead.
Let's go Reed & Kimbrel.
Thanks to the Yankees power they are inching closer .9-5 going to the 8th .
Reed did his part now let's score a run to get Kimbrel a little cushion.
Reed doing the job n more consistent.All in all, he has been pretty good.Other than 2 brutal outings where he gave up 7er he has been pretty damn good.
Now that was a great win. They came back when they needed to. Very sweet.
Unreal how this team NEVER QUITS 5-4 W
Looks like Robbie Scott with the win with a 1/3 of an inning of work and Kimbrel with the save. The pen did another fine job today.
Another unbelievable win. I didn't think we'd make it today.
Not sure if the yankees lost, we should have Magic Number of 3
Incredible 8-1 ROAD TRIP when needed the most.
Quote from: Bear on September 24, 2017, 03:26:38 PM
Another unbelievable win. I didn't think we'd make it today.
Not sure if the yankees lost, we should have Magic Number of 3
Yanks lost. Magic number is now 3.
Magic # is 3 8)
This must be the first time a team that managed 18 hits in 3 games has swept another team in the 162 game era. But, if it's working why fix it. thumb_u
THIS Red Sox team does not quit!
Comeback WIN 5 - 4!
27 games over .500
MAGIC NUMBER IS 3 to clinch the AL EAST!!
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:28:35 PM
Incredible 8-1 ROAD TRIP when needed the most.
Absolutely!
YAHOOOO!
(So does Farrell get the credit for the team winning 14 of their last 17 games?
Just kidding, but the team is playing well! And the bullpen is terrific.)
Quote from: BoSoxFanNY on September 24, 2017, 03:41:18 PM
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:28:35 PM
Incredible 8-1 ROAD TRIP when needed the most.
Absolutely!
YAHOOOO!
(So does Farrell get the credit for the team winning 14 of their last 16 games?
Just kidding, but the team is playing well! And the bullpen is terrific.)
Cmon Bo
no manager gets credit when teams win.
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:23:44 PM
Unreal how this team NEVER QUITS 5-4 W
What's come over our guys Rob? I can't believe we are seeing the same team I saw in July and on and off in August and early September. They make mistakes, do dumb things on the bases, and their hitting is sometimes near freezing temperature but there is always someone ready to pick up the slack and move the line along...like Betts today. Heck we now have 91 wins, something I thought was impossible a month ago. To boot the Yankees lost and we are now five games up with seven to go. That's what I call moving the line along.
No Nunez no problem 10 -3 since he went down.
Sox have SWEPT the last two series!
6 wins in a row.
9-1 in their last 10 games.
AND come from behind wins!
NOW, they go home 5 games up on the Yankees.
Quote from: BoSoxFanNY on September 24, 2017, 03:41:18 PM
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:28:35 PM
Incredible 8-1 ROAD TRIP when needed the most.
Absolutely!
YAHOOOO!
(So does Farrell get the credit for the team winning 14 of their last 16 games?
Just kidding, but the team is playing well! And the bullpen is terrific.)
What's fair is fair....Farell is making great use of the bullpen and the facts speak for themselves. HOWEVER, we need to put Price back into the rotation because Fister and Porcello just aren't cutting it. We could keep one of them in there but not two. Just my opinion, but I have to put a word of caution in there somewhere, don't I? What another great comeback for the Red Sox. Things are really starting to look up.
Quote from: SeaBeachFred on September 24, 2017, 03:44:56 PM
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:23:44 PM
Unreal how this team NEVER QUITS 5-4 W
What's come over our guys Rob? I can't believe we are seeing the same team I saw in July and on and off in August and early September. They make mistakes, do dumb things on the bases, and their hitting is sometimes near freezing temperature but there is always someone ready to pick up the slack and move the line along...like Betts today. Heck we now have 91 wins, something I thought was impossible a month ago. To boot the Yankees lost and we are now five games up with seven to go. That's what I call moving the line along.
At seasons start I thought after looking at this team 85-88 Ws. So much for that.
Fred, you heard me say this many times during the season. Bad times and good times .That is why I never get down when they look terrible at times.
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:28:35 PM
Incredible 8-1 ROAD TRIP when needed the most.
Absolutely, I was worried about this trip, especially Baltimore but likely would have been pleased with 6-3. Not the Yanks lose and we can hopefully wrap up the math side of this in the next 3 games. Then 4 days of Houston and Boston trying to figure each other out before 5 that count.
Strange end of the season -
playing against Houston.
Hope to wrap up the AL EAST by this final series -
then, I would be satisfied with a split the last series.
DO you show Houston all our pitchers??
OR do you hold back because we should be playing
them the in the postseason.
Something to think about . . .
(AND Houston has the same predicament.)
As DAD would say, "SON, its not HOW you win, its that you WIN" !!! thumb_u rofl
Quote from: BoSoxFanNY on September 24, 2017, 04:31:06 PM
Strange end of the season -
playing against Houston.
Hope to wrap up the AL EAST by this final series -
then, I would be satisfied with a split the last series.
DO you show Houston all our pitchers??
OR do you hold back because we should be playing
them the in the postseason.
Something to think about . . .
(AND Houston has the same predicament.)
Good points. I'd rather be in a situation in which we don't have to worry about clinching the division and just really not give any clues to Houston. Rest people up. Give the younger bats and arms - and the struggling ones (ahem, HanRam) - that series to work on their game.
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:45:58 PM
No Nunez no problem 10 -3 since he went down.
Perhaps so but we will need Nunez very very soon---and I'd like to see it tomorrow. I think our team would have hit better had we had him the past road trip even though the club played top notch winning baseball. We face two lefties in a row on Monday and Tuesday and I do NOT want to see our lineup stripped down any more and we would do if we were forced to put Chris Young in the lineup. That guy is an automatic out and Nunez most certainly is not. Most importantly I do not want to start losing games and take this race down to the final day or two. The sooner we continue this good run and win our games to move the line along the sooner we can get our pitching rotation and roster ready for the tough post season. Keep this in mind. Last year we won the AL East and then went flat losing six of our last seven regular season games and went into the ALDS flat as a board. I don't want that this season and the way we are currently playing we don't deserve to have that happen. Let's get to the ALDS as not only AL East champions but with a little momentum as well.
Well said Freddie, thumb_u
Quote from: SeaBeachFred on September 24, 2017, 07:08:57 PM
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 24, 2017, 03:45:58 PM
No Nunez no problem 10 -3 since he went down.
Perhaps so but we will need Nunez very very soon---and I'd like to see it tomorrow. I think our team would have hit better had we had him the past road trip even though the club played top notch winning baseball. We face two lefties in a row on Monday and Tuesday and I do NOT want to see our lineup stripped down any more and we would do if we were forced to put Chris Young in the lineup. That guy is an automatic out and Nunez most certainly is not. Most importantly I do not want to start losing games and take this race down to the final day or two. The sooner we continue this good run and win our games to move the line along the sooner we can get our pitching rotation and roster ready for the tough post season. Keep this in mind. Last year we won the AL East and then went flat losing six of our last seven regular season games and went into the ALDS flat as a board. I don't want that this season and the way we are currently playing we don't deserve to have that happen. Let's get to the ALDS as not only AL East champions but with a little momentum as well.
Yep, it seems like they have some good momentum going now, let's hope they keep the hot hand. Of course beating up on TB, Bal and Cin is different than Houston in a playoff series.