GAME #39, BOSTON RED SOX AT ST LOUIS CARDINALS

[Bear]

RED SOX V CARDINALS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2017, 8:15PM AT BUSCH STADIUM

TV:  NESN, ESPN, FSM

BOSTON, (20-18)........................................................................ST LOUIS, (21-16)

BOSTON:

RICK PORCELLO, RHP, 2-5, 4.01ERA, 52K

Porcello stumbled a bit his last time out, allowing nine hits and five runs
(three earned) in six innings against the Rays.  Still the reigning AL Cy Young
Award winner has looked fairly sharp this season, striking out more than a
batter per inning.

ST LOUIS:

MIKE LEAKE, RHP, 4-2, 1.94ERA, 32K

Leake has produced a quality start each time out this season, though
he has been bitten by the long ball recently.  After not allowing a home run
in his first 40 innings, Leake has served up three in his last seven.

Red Sox, Cards close series in spirit of '67

Ian Browne

A golden season for the Cardinals and Red Sox is being recognized in this two-game Interleague series, which concludes Wednesday night at Busch Stadium. The teams are wearing 1967 throwback uniforms to commemorate the Fall Classic of 50 years ago that lasted seven games, with a loaded St. Louis squad prevailing over Boston's fabled Impossible Dream team.

The Sox and Cards have met in the World Series four times, with St. Louis winning the first two matchups (1946 and '67) and the Red Sox emerging victorious in 2004 and '13.

The current Red Sox and Cardinals clubs both have plenty of talent, making another World Series meeting a possibility.
"There's a lot of history, obviously," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. "I don't have a whole lot of good memories of playing against Boston. The whole thing with Interleague Play, it does create some challenges at times, without question. For us, it's whatever the fans want.

"Apparently it's been very positive feedback about Interleague Play, and that's something we need to continue to do. For us, it's just who is the next team up that we have to try to put together a good run against. This is a good team. Once again, I have a lot of bad flashbacks watching Boston at the end of the season. Good team, great organization, been around a long time. I know those sort of things make for somewhat of a rivalry. It's good for the game."

The Red Sox send right-hander Rick Porcello, last season's American League Cy Young Award winner, to the mound. The Cardinals counter with righty Mike Leake, who is off to a tremendous start (1.94 ERA).

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Leake enters leading the National League in ERA. All seven of his outings have been quality starts, and he ranks third among NL starters with a 0.99 WHIP and .211 opponents' batting average. Leake has faced Boston just twice in his career, both in 2014 when with the Reds. Boston is one of 11 teams Leake has not yet earned a win against.

• After a slow start, Porcello has turned in five straight quality starts. He has pitched twice against the Cards in his career, going 1-1 with a 2.13 ERA.

• If Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts can hit another leadoff homer on Wednesday, it would be his 11th lifetime and he would surpass Jacoby Ellsbury for the franchise record. Betts has two leadoff homers in the past week, including one Tuesday against Cards righty Lance Lynn.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170516230651148/red-sox-cards-close-series-in-spirit-of-67/?game_pk=490693

[Bear]

Red Sox @ Cardinals G2
Betts RF
Pedroia 2B
Bogaerts SS
Benintendi LF
Moreland 1B
Bradley Jr. CF
Leon C
Marrero 3B
Porcello RHP.

[Bill-806]

  Go SOX, keep it going !!! thumb_u

[BoSoxFanNY]

WHAT has happened to Rick Porcello?
Cardinals 3 - Sox 0
Bottom of the second inning -
2 runs have scored, men on second & third and NO outs.

WHAT happened to our Cy Young pitcher?

[Rob from Mass]

What has happened  to the whole team is a better question?

[markj]

Uh oh, another Porcello dud?

[Schloicka]

Wonder why Moreland wasn't given an error on the ball hit right to him which he picked up cleanly then got nobody out? Would of had an out if he went to the bag.

[markj]

JBJ goes deep again. 2-run dinger this time. Sox are back in it.

[markj]

Xman drives in the tying run. New ball game.

[markj]

Kimbrel does it again. 1-2-3 inning.

[ipot]

Porcello WAS a Cy Young pitcher for a year.  It was nice.
Our offense is back to waiting until the 7th to do anything.
Flunky Farrell has used 7 pitchers in 10 innings....

And somehow we're in extra innings.... ???

[markj]

Somehow Hembree coming in after Kimbrel seems like a step backwards.

[markj]

Hembree done good. Sox need to find a run.

[ipot]

Hembree does the unthinkable.  Gets a 1-2-3 inning.

Now Moreland, The Useless will lead off for a free out. 
JBJ is our only hope at mashing one out for the lead.

[ipot]

Sit down Mitch.