A'S V RED SOX
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017, 7 PM AT FENWAY PARK
TV: NESN, ESPN, (OUT-OF-MARKET ONLY), NBCSCA
OAKLAND, (63-81)......................................................................................BOSTON, (82-62)
OAKLAND:
JHAREL COTTON, RHP, 7-10, 5.82 ERA, 96K
Cotton matched his season high in runs allowed in his last start vs the Astros.
He surrendered three homers and seven runs in five innings. The rookie has allowed
12 long balls over his past 33 2/3 innings.
BOSTON:
DOUG FISTER, RHP, 5-7, 3.01 ERA, 65K
The sinkerballer has been the surprise of the season for the Red Sox. Plucked
off waivers in June, Fister has been tremendous while filling in for David Price in
the rotation. In his last seven starts, he is 5-2 with a 2.79 ERA.
Fister riding hot streak into matchup vs. Oakland
Jane Lee
Red Sox right-hander Doug Fister will look to maintain his momentum when he takes the bump against the A's for Wednesday's middle matchup of a three-game set at Fenway Park.
Fister, who will be opposed by A's rookie right-hander Jharel Cotton, is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in his past four starts, having tossed at least seven innings with no more than two earned runs allowed in each of them. Only three other American League pitchers have enjoyed such a stretch this season: Teammate Chris Sale, Houston's Dallas Keuchel and Indians ace Corey Kluber.
"I love the way he sets the tone on the mound," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "The body language, mound presence, conviction. All of that is exuded while he's on the mound, and we feed off of it. We have a lot of confidence when he runs to the mound right now."
With an 11-1 win in Tuesday's series opener, Boston (82-62) expanded its lead in the American League East to four games over the Yankees.
Cotton, meanwhile, has been bit by the long ball of late, allowing three of them in each of his past two starts and 27 on the season, spanning 119 innings. This will be his first career start against Boston.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME
• Fister is 8-7 with a 2.88 ERA in 17 career starts against Oakland.
• Cotton is 1-7 with an 8.00 ERA in 11 starts at night, compared to 6-3 with a 4.02 ERA in 11 starts during the day.
• A's slugger Khris Davis is 4-for-13 (.308) against Fister in his career, while teammate Jed Lowrie has managed eight hits in 28 at-bats against him for a .286 average.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170912253862614/fister-riding-hot-streak-into-matchup-vs-oakland/?game_pk=492280
Red Sox v. Cotton:
Bogaerts SS,
Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Moreland 1B,
Ramirez DH,
Devers 3B,
Leon C,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Fister RHP
We should be in good shape tonight, with our ACE 1-A on the hill !! thumb_u rofl
The way we're playing Bill, I never feel safe...no matter who is pitching.
That's just the way it is for me this season. iono
Quote from: Bill-806 on September 13, 2017, 11:48:40 AM
We should be in good shape tonight, with our ACE 1-A on the hill !! thumb_u rofl
Bill, my friend, too often this season you have come out and said we should be in good shape in a given game or series and it has turned boxcars for us. It is good to be upbeat but you have not been that careful with what you say with the kind of team we have this season. Nothing is easy for them, NOTHING!!!!!! Every game is a challenge and should be looked at that way. Yes, one would think that tonight if Fister pitches as he has recently we ought to be in pretty good shape, but that doesn't take into account the fact that our hitters could go ice cold on a moment's notice. Bear thinks the same as I do if you read her missive. Nothing comes easy for this team at all.....nothing!!!!!
Let's not take Fister's good run for granted. Cotton has some bad numbers and we need to jump on him early.
Yanks won. Sox need to do the same.
Quote from: markj on September 13, 2017, 05:39:51 PM
Yanks won. Sox need to do the same.
B I N G O dat !!!!
DAMN - the old Fister returned.
Top of the first inning, 1 out
A's 4 - Sox
OK....JF....I think we have seen enough.
Don't you love it when we give up crooked numbers in the first inning? Amazingly the Sox are just middle of the pack, even though it seems that this happens a lot. It does seem to be a Red Sox signature though - get behind early and then everyone will swing for the warning tracks the rest of the way.
DANG IT -
Bottom of the third inning
A's 6 - Sox 2
The Sox had bases loaded and one out
and Moreland grounds into a DB.
May not be our night.
Have had a couple chances but can't get the big hit.
AND the Sox LOSE 7 - 3.
The Yankees won this afternoon.
YUCK!
We are consistently inconsistent. Won't get to the playoffs this way.
Quote from: Bear on September 13, 2017, 09:52:54 PM
We are consistently inconsistent. Won't get to the playoffs this way.
If they do make the playoffs and face Tito's boys, they'll only get swept again anyway.
I just hope I don't have to hear anybody say we've got it made tonight because a win is almost a sure thing. T hat is pure BULLSHIT with this team. There is no sure thing with any game we play because this very unlikable team is capable of stinking up the ballpark on a moment's notice. For the fourth time in the last two weeks we have failed to go 21 games over 500 and Fister still has trouble in the first inning and our pitching coach must have his finger up his ass to not be able to work out that kink. Tomorrow we have to worry about Farrell screwing around with the lineup again. He MUST play Pedroia tomorrow and to hell with a day game after a night game. WE NEED HIS BAT BAT AND EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP, and he must bench Hanley at long last because he is not going to catch fire this season because it is too far gone and he looks absolutely horrid at the plate. Why Leon?????? He is hitting 75 point less than Vazquez and, frankly, I'm sick and tired of this personal catcher bullshit. We need to play our best nine me and be done with it. I still think Farrell is going to blow this thing for us, and while tonight is Fister's fault, the fact that Ramirez and Leon got an 0 for 7 between them didn't help. Get those two out of the lineup.
I posted earlier not to take Fister for granted. THIS is the Fister to expect in every game; the previous 4 starts are just gravy. The fact that they couldn't jump on a guy, Cooper, with 5.82 ERA coming into the game says more than Fister imploding on himself.
Tito's team will sweep these guys as an afterthought if we make it to the ALCS or ALDS. Sale vs Kluber neutralizes itself and then advantage Tribe for all other match-ups. I just don't see it.
Quote from: Bill-806 on September 13, 2017, 11:48:40 AM
We should be in good shape tonight, with our ACE 1-A on the hill !! thumb_u rofl
As DAD would say, "SON, you were wrong again" !!! thumb_d rofl
Quote from: markj on September 13, 2017, 10:27:17 PM
Quote from: Bear on September 13, 2017, 09:52:54 PM
We are consistently inconsistent. Won't get to the playoffs this way.
If they do make the playoffs and face Tito's boys, they'll only get swept again anyway.
TITOS boys may not lose another game this season !! thumb_u rofl
So the real issue is do they win tonight. If they win 2 out of 3 the rest of the way they'll be fine.
Even if they play 500-ish ball the rest of the way, the Yanks have to play 700 ball to overtake. It could happen, but the Sox would really have to tank now.
If Tito's crew keeps it up and doesn't suffer injuries, I can't see them losing the pennant.
Quote from: markj on September 14, 2017, 08:54:25 AM
Even if they play 500-ish ball the rest of the way, the Yanks have to play 700 ball to overtake. It could happen, but the Sox would really have to tank now.
If Tito's crew keeps it up and doesn't suffer injuries, I can't see them losing the pennant.
I'm worried about the end of the season when we're facing Houston who may be fighting for home field advantage versus the Yankees who will play TB. Joe Torre will probably declare them all Yankee wins and send Tampa Bay home.