GAME #70, BOSTON RED SOX AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS

[Bear]

RED SOX V ROYALS

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017, 8 PM KAUFFMAN STADIUM

TV:  NESN, FSKC

BOSTON, (39-30)..............................................................................KANSAS, (33-35)

BOSTON:

HECTOR VELAZQUEZ, RHP, 1-1, 6.48 ERA, 6K

Velazquez will be making his second start--and third appearance--of his
Major League career vs the Royals.  The righty pitched 3 1/3 innings of
scoreless relief against the Phillies on Wednesday when Brian Johnson left
the game injured.

KANSAS:

JASON HAMMEL, RHP, 3-6, 5.05 ERA 55K

Hammel has found a rhythm lately, having not allowed more
than three runs in any of his last three starts.  He has pitched at
least six innings in each of those and has walked just one batter
since May 29.

Velazquez, Hammel to clash in opener

Jeffrey Flannagan

Royals right-hander Jason Hammel will try to continue his dramatic turnaround when he takes on the Red Sox on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium. Rookie right-hander Hector Velazquez, who was recently added to the Red Sox's rotation, will start for Boston.

Hammel struggled through his first eight starts this season, posting a 1-7 record with a 6.20 ERA as opponents hit .320 off him. But after a tweak to his setup -- he now squares his shoulders to the plate from the stretch -- Hammel has been solid.

In his last three starts, Hammel is 2-1 with a 2.21 ERA while opponents are hitting .218 off him.
"He's really settled in," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He really looks good right now."

Velazquez, 28, was signed this spring out of the Mexican League. He made one start on May 18 and gave up nine hits and six runs in an 8-3 loss to Oakland. Since then, he has made one relief appearance -- 3 1/3 shutout innings against the Phillies. Velazquez posted a 1.29 ERA in nine starts at Triple-A Pawtucket.

"We're going to be going up against a team that is playing extremely well and they're swinging a lot of hot bats," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "So location will always be the key, particularly against a team that's swinging the bat like they are."

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Hammel will have to be careful with Red Sox designated hitter Hanley Ramirez and second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Ramirez is hitting .462 against Hammel with a double and a home run, while Pedroia is hitting .364, also with a double and a home run.

• The Red Sox haven't faced Hammel since 2013. He has a 4.61 career ERA against the Red Sox in 13 career outings.

• Lorenzo Cain has gone from having one home run on the season on the morning of May 23 to having 10 midway through June, and one of the Majors' hottest hitters has turned around his contact metrics this month. Cain's rate of "productive" contact (or the three batted ball types -- barrels, flares/burners and other solid contact -- that Statcast deems most favorable to the hitter), barrel count (from three combined in April/May to seven this month) and average exit velocity (88.5 mph in April/May to 91.7 mph in June) have all jumped up as the weather has gotten warmer.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170618237234586/velazquez-hammel-to-clash-in-opener/?game_pk=491145

[Bear]

RED SOX LINEUP:

1. Mookie Betts RF
2. Andrew Benintendi LF
3. Xander Bogaerts SS
4. Mitch Moreland 1B
5. Hanley Ramirez DH
6. Jackie Bradley Jr. CF
7. Josh Rutledge 2B
8. Pablo Sandoval 3B
9. Christian Vazquez C



Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was hit in the back by a pitch in Sunday's 6-5 road win over the Houston Astros, was taken to a nearby hospital for X-rays on his rib area.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said Pedroia's injury swelled up in the subsequent innings, limiting his range of motion.

"The pitch hit in the left lat area, left rib cage. It continued to swell and tighten up," Farrell said. "He was losing a lot of range of motion with the left arm, so we had to get him off his feet. We'll have a better read once he goes through the exam here at the local hospital."

[Bear]

Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals: NESN TV schedule, live stream, 5 things to watch (June 19-21)

Christopher Smith

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Red Sox pulled into a first-place tie in the AL East standings with the New York Yankees on Sunday.

It marks the first time the Red Sox have been in first place since April 18.

Boston opens a three-game series against Kansas City today.

The Royals are 33-35 (.485 winning percentage) and 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Indians as well as 1 1/2 games behind the second-place Twins.

But the thought around baseball is that Kansas City will be sellers at the trade deadline.

And the Royals have some players (Mike Moustakas, Mike Minor) who the Red Sox might pursue.

Kansas City is last in the American League in runs (269) and on-base percentage (.299). They are tied with the Angels for last in OPS (.701). The Royals pitching staff ranks eighth in ERA (4.24).

The Royals bullpen was a major strength when it advanced to the World Series in both 2014 and 2015, but KC relievers have combined for a 4.53 ERA this year.

AL East standings as of Monday morning:

1. New York 38-29 (.567)
1. Boston 39-30 (.565)
3. Tampa Bay 37-35 (.514) 3 1/2 games behind
4. Baltimore 34-34 (.500) 4 1/2 games behind
5. Toronto 33-35 (.485) 5 1/2 games behind

Monday, June 19, 8:15 p.m.: RHP Hector Velazquez (1-1, 6.48) vs. RHP Jason Hammel (3-6, 5.05)
TV: NESN
Radio: 93.7 FM (Boston) / 1440 AM (Worcester) / 105.5 FM (Springfield)

http://www.masslive.com/redsox/index.ssf/2017/06/boston_red_sox_vs_kansas_city_3.html#incart_river_index

[ipot]

Hoping Velasquez will surprise us and pick up where he left off against the Phillies.

[Bear]

Pedroia is not available tonite, wonder what the problem is this time.
He's having trouble staying healthy. iono

[Bill-806]

  GO SOX,  "victory goes to those ho want it the most, the longest !!!

[SeaBeachFred]

No Pedroia, yes on Sandoval and also on Velasquez.....That is a recipe for a poisonous disaster unless the team hits and hits well tonight because we all know Hecter V. is pure grade horseshit as a pitcher.  Even in ST he was getting the crap knocked out of him so we have to pray  that he is a real surprise tonight.  Sandoval?  We all know what that could mean and he is a walking plague to the team and everybody connected to the roster except Prune Face who just loves the guy.  No Pedroia!!!!!  Can't that guy stay healthy at all?  He is fast becoming a walking zombie, and we need him badly in that lineup.  How damn long is he going to be out this time?

My heart wants to believe we will find a way to keep going in a good way as we did against Philadelphia and Houston but the Royals are hot and we are not at full strength with Pedroia out and Sandoval in the lineup.  Velasquez, a Mexican League boob, is our hope tonight.  I would like to eat my words and salute Hecter after the game.  I would really want to do that.  I will try to keep the faith.

[MongoLikeSox]

What in the heck is JF.....  sigh! 

[markj]

Velazquez did ok. 5.1 innings, no BB, 2ER. Not bad for a spot fill.

[ipot]

Velasquez did fine. 

Hammel should be POed that he couldn't shut out the DeadBats which is what opposing starters do about 75 percent of the time.

[Schloicka]

Bad decision by JBJ to try to catch that ball. Turned it into a triple.

[ipot]

KC wins in the 7th. Our offense stinks to high heaven again.

[markj]

This game is going south fast.

[ipot]

No problem with Young pinch hitting. The splits bear it out. But how sad it is to sit your 20M fat guy?

[markj]

Bases loaded produces nothing again. Of course.