GAME #3, RED SOX AT DETROIT TIGERS

[Bear]

RED SOX V TIGERS

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017; 1:10 P.M. AT COMERICA PARK

TV: NESN, MLBN, FS-D

BOSTON, 2-0...................................................DETROIT, 1-1

BOSTON:

STEVEN WRIGHT, RHP, 0-0, -.-ERA

The knuckleballer is off to a breakthrough season which led to him becoming an
All Star for the first time.  Wright held opponents to a .235 average last season.
Wright was brilliant on the road last season, notching a 2.09 ERA in 11 starts.

DETROIT:

MICHAEL, FULMER, RHP, 0-0, -.-ERA

Fulmer's reward following his AL Rookie of the year campaign is the Tiger's
Home Opener to begin his sophomore season, though manager Brad Ausmus said
it was more about giving him more time to stretch out his arm in camp.

Fulmer opens Tigers' home slate vs. Red Sox

Jason Beck

Michael Fulmer got in his last warmup session with a hoodie and a winter cap on Thursday morning to brace him for the chilly wind swirling around Guaranteed Rate Field. He won't have the luxury of being that bundled up for his start Friday against the Red Sox.

The Tigers' home opener, the unofficial start of spring in Michigan, is going to have a parting gift from Old Man Winter, from blustery winds to the chance of snow on the ground.

Fulmer is bracing for it as best as he can, but for the reigning American League Rookie of the Year Award winner who pitched over his experience level so many times last year, it'll be a new challenge.

"Zero experience," Fulmer said. "It's going to be cold. Obviously throwing a [bullpen session] up here a couple days ago was a little different, a little challenging, but their guy has to do it. You can't really make any excuses about it. Just find a way to get it done."

Knuckleballer Steven Wright gets the start for the Red Sox, trying to replicate the first-half form that nearly made him an All-Star last season.
To some degree, Fulner's home-opener assignment is a reward for that success last year, manager Brad Ausmus acknowledged. He also knows the atmosphere around the opener, having been through plenty of them as a former Tigers catcher and current Tigers manager.
"Home opener in Detroit is a big deal," Ausmus said. "You want to feel good about your chances of winning, and he's the guy who won the Rookie of the Year Award. He's earned it."

The list of pregame festivities reflects the importance. Hall of Fame electee Ivan Rodriguez, a Tigers catcher from 2004-08, is scheduled to throw the ceremonial first pitch. The Wayne State University Quartet will perform the national anthem, and four A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" aircraft from the 107th Fighter Squadron and Selfridge Air National Guard Base are scheduled to do a flyover.

Once the real first pitch takes place, however, it's Fulmer's show. He feels better at this point physically than he did a year ago. As he begins his sophomore season, he believes he's a better pitcher.

"I feel like I'm more prepared," he said. "I feel like all the advice I've received over the past year has been a huge help. Just mentally, I'm a lot more prepared to come into a start now. I've refined my routine. I know exactly what needs to be done, what time it needs to be done at, how long I need to do it, this and that. That's the biggest part."

THINGS TO WATCH FOR THIS GAME

• All fans attending Friday's game will receive a "Mr. I" button in remembrance of late Tigers owner Mike Ilitch, who passed away in February. The Tigers are wearing "Mr. I" patches on their jerseys this season.

• Wright posted the second-lowest average velocity on his four-seam fastball last year (83.6 mph) among starters behind R.A. Dickey (min. 300 four-seamers). In spite of that, Wright allowed an average exit velocity of just 87.4 mph in 2016, ranking 10th-lowest among starters who induced at least 300 batted ball events.

Some of the other names on that top-10 lowest exit velo list: Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks, Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright

• The Tigers won five of seven against the Red Sox last season, but Boston split the four-game series in Detroit in August, including a win over Fulmer, who allowed six runs over five innings.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170406222512710/fulmer-opens-tigers-home-slate-vs-red-sox/?game_pk=490149

[Bear]

GAME #3, RED SOX V TIGERS

RED SOX LINEUP:

HOLT, DH
PEDROIA, 2B
BENENTENDI, LF
MORELAND, 1B
YOUNG, RF
BRADLEY, CF
LEON, C
SANDOVAL, 3B
HERNANDEZ,SS
WRIGHT, RHP

The flu has struck our beloved players.
In addition, Bogaerts and Barnes are on bereavement list.

Betts and Ramirez are out with the flu.

TWITTER

[Bill-806]

  Looking forward to seeing  Stevie Write.....  Hope he doesn't have to run the bases !!!

[Rob from Mass]

Chance of that happening to say is ZERO.

[Rob from Mass]

Watching this game down 1-0 in bottom5 with this lineup which resembles something like an ST lineup.
1 out with the flu and 2 out with bereavement time a W would be pretty damn good considering.

[ipot]

Yeah, pretty much a patchwork lineup.  Although Moreland blew a good chance with bases loaded.  Expect Moreland to K a lot with RISPs.  It's going to happen.

[Rob from Mass]

Pablo on 2nd with 1 out and stays there. Can`t up with the huge hit with runners in scoring position.

[Rob from Mass]

Wright out for 7th with only 86 pitches.

[Rob from Mass]

After a single McCann with a 2 run bomb.Still IMO no problem with Wright coming out for the 7th with only 86 pitches. 4-0 Tigers.

[ipot]

Tigers win in 7 inns.  A formality to play the last 2.

[Rob from Mass]

Pablo with a big bomb to LCF  and the Sox are up 5-4. The thin man comes up BIG.

[elktonnick]

Four walks in the eighth, the red Sox bullpen sucks!!!

[markj]

Losing on a walkoff walk after coming back the previous inning. How gut wrenching. Hope we don't see too many of those this season.  thumb_d thumb_d sigh

[Muggah]

Four walks in the eighth, the red Sox bullpen sucks!!!

Problem for sure.

[Rob from Mass]

Losing on a walkoff walk after coming back the previous inning. How gut wrenching. Hope we don't see too many of those this season.  thumb_d thumb_d sigh

What bothered me wad how GOOD Hemnree looked with the 1st 2 batters then totally lost it with the next 2.
Pen needs Thornburg back ASAP.