GAME #141, TAMPA BAY RAYS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

RAYS V RED SOX

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2017, 7 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, FOX SPORTS SUN

TAMPS, (70-71)..................................................................................BOSTON, (79-61)

TAMPA:

CHRIS ARCHER, RHP, 9-8, 3.76 ERA, 225K

Archer exited two batters into his last game vs the White Sox with tighness
in the back of his right arm.  He received a clean diagnosis and will aim for his
third career win against the Red Sox.  He is 2-11 with a 5.06 ERA in his career
vs Boston.

BOSTON:

DREW POMERANZ, LHP, 14-5, 3.36 ERA, 154K

The lefty had his first mishap in weeks last time out, giving up eight hits
and four runs over 5 1/3 innings to the Yankees in his first loss since June  11.
Pomeranz is 7-2 with a 3.26 ERA in 13 starts at Fenway Park this season.

Rays battle Red Sox as postseason races heat up

Connor Mount

The Rays return to Fenway Park on Friday for the first time since May, chasing an American League Wild Card spot as the Red Sox try to add to their four-game lead in the AL East.

Tampa Bay trails Minnesota by three games for the second Wild Card spot.

An eventful week for Chris Archer will culminate in him making his start Friday as originally planned. Archer exited Saturday's game against the White Sox with tightness in the back of his right forearm, and Austin Pruitt was lined up to start Friday instead. But a week of successful bullpen and catch sessions proved Archer is healthy enough to pitch.

His arm no longer a pressing concern, Archer will shift his focus to a Boston team that has beaten him often over his career. Archer defeated the Red Sox at Fenway on April 14, his first win over Boston since 2012. He's 2-11 with a 5.06 ERA in his career against the Sox.

Drew Pomeranz will start for the Red Sox, who have had trouble with their AL East foes in the past couple of weeks, as they were swept by the Orioles and lost three of four to the Yankees. They did sweep the last-place Blue Jays in between. Boston is 7-6 against the Rays this year, winning both games in the most recent series in St. Petersburg.

The Rays will take the field uncertain of what could be happening home in Florida as Hurricane Irma approaches the state.

"It's all over national news right now, so we'd be lying if we said we weren't thinking about it," Kevin Kiermaier said. "But at the same time, we're not going to let that affect right now what we have going on on the field, especially with our opposition through the end of our season. ... We have our work cut out for us, but we've just got to keep our focus."

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• With a flurry of Trade Deadline moves, the Rays have a different look than the last time they visited Boston. Their lineup that weekend in mid-May had Derek Norris at catcher and Rickie Weeks as the designated hitter. Since then, Wilson Ramos has returned from an ACL injury, and the Rays acquired Lucas Duda and a number of useful bullpen arms, including Steve Cishek, Sergio Romo and Dan Jennings.

• The Red Sox went 18-9 in August with the help of 37 home runs and 25 stolen bases, both their highest figures in any month this season.

• Kiermaier's 426-foot home run in the fifth inning on Wednesday tied for his fourth longest big fly of the past three seasons, according to Statcast. Of Kiermaier's eight homers projected at 425 feet or longer during that time, three have come since Aug. 20.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170906252804290/rays-battle-red-sox-as-postseason-races-heat-up/?game_pk=492215

[Bear]

Red Sox on Friday:

Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Ramirez DH,
Moreland 1B,
Bogaerts SS,
Devers 3B,
Vazquez C,
Bradley CF,

Pomeranz SP.

[ipot]

I wonder if 2 days off did anything for Hanley.  I wish Nunez was in the lineup - that's our hottest bat.

[markj]

Tampa Bay players will have their minds on Florida this weekend. Hope their homes and families are safe.

[Bill-806]

Tampa Bay players will have their minds on Florida this weekend. Hope their homes and families are safe.

B I N G O  dat !!!   I know, because my wife & I moved down here to Sarasota in February and I sort of feel a lot like how Davey Crockett must have felt at the ALAMO !!!  This global warming is coming home to roost !!! iono slap

[Bear]

Jerry Remy back in broadcast booth for NESN  on Friday.

Article posted

[SeaBeachFred]

Red Sox on Friday:

Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Ramirez DH,
Moreland 1B,
Bogaerts SS,
Devers 3B,
Vazquez C,
Bradley CF,

Pomeranz SP.

Why is a solid hitter like Nunez sitting while stiffs like Pukegaerts and Ramirez are playing??????  Oh yes, Farrell, who I'm starting to count the day before this bum is finally out of our lives....hopefully.  Tell me how can this guy be so damn stupid?  He raises stupidity to an arm form.

[SeaBeachFred]

Tampa Bay players will have their minds on Florida this weekend. Hope their homes and families are safe.

And I hope our players have their minds on the three games we have to play this weekend..

[Bear]

Nunez has back spasms.

[markj]

Good start to the game. Hope they can keep it up.

[Schloicka]

Good start to the game. Hope they can keep it up.

Need Pomerantz and Sale to come up big this series. Good start so far.

[longgame]

Jerry Remy back in broadcast booth for NESN  on Friday.

Article posted

That was a pleasant surprise to hear his voice!  As was the surprise of scoring 3 runs in the first.

[markj]

Betts still K'ing while looking at pitches over the plate.

[Schloicka]

Why does Betts take so many pitches down the middle? Makes no sense.

[Schloicka]

Nice inning for the Sox.