GAME #21, NEW YORK YANKEES AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

YANKEES V RED SOX

THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017, 7:10 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, YES, MLBN

NEW YORK 12-7......................................................................BOSTON, 11-9

NEW YORK:

MASAHIRO TANAKA, RHP, 2-1, 6.00ERA 19K

Backed by four home runs in his last start vs. the White Sox, Tanaka pitched a gem,
allowing one run on six hits, his splitter was the best it's been all season

BOSTON:

CHRIS SALE, LHP, 1-1, .091 ERA, 42K

Sale has come as advertized.  Since joining the Red Sox, he's had
at least ten strikeouts in three of his four starts and gone at least seven
innings in all four.  He allowed four hits in eight innings vs the Jays in his
last start, striking our 13.

Aces high when Sale, Tanaka meet at Fenway

Quinn Roberts

One word comes to mind when describing Chris Sale's first four starts as a member of the Red Sox: Dominant. Sale is 1-1 with a 0.91 ERA and has struck out 42 batters.

Sale will get his first taste of the Sox-Yankees rivalry on Thursday at Fenway Park against fellow ace Masahiro Tanaka, who's coming off his best start of the season.

Sale turned in perhaps the most dominant performance of any starter this season his last time out vs. Toronto, striking out 13 and walking just one over eight scoreless innings. Sale was relentless against the Blue Jays, throwing strikes on a staggering 78.4 percent of his pitches. That's the highest single-game strike percentage for any starter this season, and also the highest single-game percentage of Sale's career (min. 80 pitches).

"He was outstanding, powerful, a lot of strikes," Red Sox manager John Farrell said after the game. "It was something unheard of, nearly 80 percent strikes on the day. All three pitches were working. He had such good swing-and-miss to his fastball up and away, up to his arm side against right-handers."

Tanaka allowed just one run on six hits in seven innings against the White Sox last Wednesday for his second straight win. The right-hander said his splitter was the best it's been all season.

"He's a workhorse," Yankees catcher Austin Romine said. "He knows how to pitch. He's very smart, very talented. He has four pitches that he can use at any time, and I mean at any time. There's really no situation that he doesn't believe he isn't going to get out of, nor do I."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi expects nothing less than a battle between two of the best pitchers in the Majors.

"It's a great matchup," Girardi said. "Chris Sale has been extremely tough on us. It looks like he's off to another pretty good start this year, the way he's throwing the ball. Obviously it's a very good matchup."

Three things to know about this game

• Dustin Pedroia was kept out of Boston's starting lineup on Wednesday with lingering soreness in his left knee and ankle, but it's the team's hope that he can return for Thursday's series finale.

• Sale is 4-1 with a 1.17 ERA in 10 career games (seven starts) vs. New York, which -- according to Elias -- is the lowest ERA (min. 50 innings) by any pitcher against the Yankees since earned runs became an official stat in 1912.

• A slew of Red Sox players have struggled against Tanaka. Mookie Betts is 3-for-18, Jackie Bradley Jr. is 2-for-17 and Hanley Ramirez is 2-for-13.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170426226592166/aces-high-when-sale-tanaka-meet-at-fenway/?game_pk=490424

[Bear]

RED SOX LINEUP:

Red Sox vs. NYY:

Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Ramirez DH,
Moreland 1B,
Bogaerts SS,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Leon C,
Hernandez 3B,

Sale LHP

TWITTER

[Bill-806]

  Rain rain go away, come again another day !!!   Please score some runs tonight !!

[longgame]

I figure Sale goes 8, leaves with a run or two, unearned on a throw by Bogey and then a missed cutoff by JBJ.  Then the pen comes in and gives up 3 more.  Sox score 1 with a solo shot by someone, who is quickly benched for making the rest of the team look bad.  5-1 Yanks.

[SeaBeachFred]

I figure Sale goes 8, leaves with a run or two, unearned on a throw by Bogey and then a missed cutoff by JBJ.  Then the pen comes in and gives up 3 more.  Sox score 1 with a solo shot by someone, who is quickly benched for making the rest of the team look bad.  5-1 Yanks.

Gonna watch the NFL Draft.   This team of ours makes me sick to my stomach, and my anger and ill feeling for the worst manager in the league knows no limit.  I despise that man.

[ipot]

I figure Sale goes 8, leaves with a run or two, unearned on a throw by Bogey and then a missed cutoff by JBJ.  Then the pen comes in and gives up 3 more.  Sox score 1 with a solo shot by someone, who is quickly benched for making the rest of the team look bad.  5-1 Yanks.

Sounds about a likely scenario.  Sale will lead the AL in ERA, Ks, WHIP for all starters with 200+ innings and have 3 Ws to show for it at the end of the season - the greatest disparity in MLB history.  Sad - because he's off to an AMAZING start.

[Bear]

We are as close to regular lineup tonite;
I'll watch the game.

[longgame]

Seriously I can't think of any greater waste of time than watching the NFL draft.  First the idiots boo the commissioner (not that he is doing a good job, but the booing is stupid, it's HIS show!)  Then you get to sit around and wait 20 minutes before they announce that some guy you never heard of is going to a team you don't follow. 

The best thing about the draft is the fact that it stops all the mock draft BS!

 

[Rob from Mass]

As much as this team is playing bad I can`t think why I would not watch .If that would be the case I probably would go to another teamand that will NEVER BE THE CASE.As the saying goes" to each his own".

[Rob from Mass]

And yes Pedey will play tonight.

[SeaBeachFred]

Seriously I can't think of any greater waste of time than watching the NFL draft.  First the idiots boo the commissioner (not that he is doing a good job, but the booing is stupid, it's HIS show!)  Then you get to sit around and wait 20 minutes before they announce that some guy you never heard of is going to a team you don't follow. 

The best thing about the draft is the fact that it stops all the mock draft BS!

Normally I'd agree with you Ted but the way the Red Sox are playing, or rather, not playing, that would be an improvement to watching our team slumber and stumble for another probable loss.  And if the team stays in the running tonight there is always the fear that Farrell will do something to blow the contest.  No, I will watch the draft or go to the movies.

[SeaBeachFred]

As much as this team is playing bad I can`t think why I would not watch .If that would be the case I probably would go to another teamand that will NEVER BE THE CASE.As the saying goes" to each his own".

Well maybe I'll change my mind and watch......or maybe not.  And your point is well taken.  I would never root for another team other than the Red Sox......not ever, but right now they are stinking up baseball, and I'm convinced that changes are needed and not just in the manager's chair.  Sandoval has to go for one.

[Rob from Mass]

As much as this team is playing bad I can`t think why I would not watch .If that would be the case I probably would go to another teamand that will NEVER BE THE CASE.As the saying goes" to each his own".

Well maybe I'll change my mind and watch......or maybe not.  And your point is well taken.  I would never root for another team other than the Red Sox......not ever, but right now they are stinking up baseball, and I'm convinced that changes are needed and not just in the manager's chair.  Sandoval has to go for one.

Fred  I am not busting stones but following this team, for 60 years I can`t think of a scenario where I would not watch this team.When it took so long to get to the promise land why would I not watch a game.I know everyone is different and the team sucks at the moment but for me, I will continue to watch and hope they somehow play to their capabilities.
.

[Rob from Mass]

Sale with a 2 K  6 pitch 1st inning.

[ipot]

4Ks in 2 inns for Sale.

Vegas odds of Sox spotting Sale a lead are 1500-1.