GAME #2 - SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2022 - BOSTON RED SOX @ NEW YORK YANKEES

[markj]

4:05PM Eastern

Red Sox

Nick Pivetta (R)

1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF
2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
4. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF
6. Trevor Story (R) 2B
7. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B
8. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) RF
9. Christian Vazquez (R) C

Yankees

Luis Severino (R)

1. Josh Donaldson (R) DH
2. Aaron Judge (R) CF
3. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
4. Giancarlo Stanton (R) RF
5. DJ LeMahieu (R) 3B
6. Joey Gallo (L) LF
7. Gleyber Torres (R) 2B
8. Kyle Higashioka (R) C
9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) SS

Gametime Temp: 54°F
Chance of Precip: 7%

[Sea Dog 23]

There's some rumblings that Bogey might be going on the IL today.  Downs is said to be in line for the call up.

[longgame]

Bogey in the posted lineup, let's see what happens by game time in a half hour.  Haven't looked for any updates so far.

[Sea Dog 23]

Yes, Bogey is in there. Batted in the 1st.

[markj]

Verdugo with a 2-run bomb.

[Sea Dog 23]

Story gets his first hit for the Sox, double in the 2nd.  Verdugo is on fire.

[MongoLikeSox]

That was not a good sign for Dalbec. Swinging at that never was a strike slider for strike-3.

That WAS a good sign to see Kike get into position on the Judge pop-up to the wall.

[MongoLikeSox]

I would not be surprised to learn that Pivetta took one for the team. They had Brasier warming up. I thought he would have been in after Rizzo. Pivetta was out of gas. But next thing we know, two other guys are warming up and he's left to face Stanton.

[Sea Dog 23]

You could say Cora had no faith in the bullpen, leaving Pivetta in to pitch to the top of the lineup especially Stanton's bat.  There are 10 bullpen guys, and I'm beginning to wonder if there is a solid guy in the group outside of Whitlock. 

As Ted pointed out, management did not really go looking for a closer or bullpen ace in the off-season.  Something we'll have to deal with against the Yanks, whose strength is in the bullpen.

[MongoLikeSox]

Yeah, that reminds me. How do you like the press questioning Cora on the no Barnes for Friday's game. They said it was a freak back ailment and could be back as early as today. Me? I'm thinking back to Barnes' history on that mound. Nope. Last resort, 19th inning and Arroyo and Arauz had already pitched.

[longgame]

Poor game by the Sox where they can't find offense with this lineup.  I don't like the slow power guy in the 2 spot. Maybe Verdugo would be better there if Cora is set on that being a lefty spot. 

The bottom of the lineup is as expected.  Bad.  Hernandez adds to it with nothing at the top of the lineup.  I think there are 3 hits in 2 game from 6-9 and 1 spots.

The good news is that holding this Yankee lineup to 4 runs is probably about as much as can be expected.  The bad news is this team should be scoring 6-7 runs per game, but I guess we're starting out in one of those team wide slumps. 

[MongoLikeSox]

I just remembered something else from one of those two games. The AB late in the game when Vasquez was pulling his human rain-delay stunt. The umpire gave him a very visible earful about it and then rung him up on an inside pitch that never was a strike. Rally dead.