GAME #87, BOSTON RED SOX AT TAMPA BAY RAYS

[Bear]

RED SOX V RAYS

FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2017, 7 PM AT TROPICANA FIELD

TV:  NESN, FOX SPORTS SUN

BOSTON, (49-37)............................................................................................TAMPA, (45-42)

BOSTON:

DREW POMERANZ, LHP, 8-4, 3.64 ERA, 92K

Pomeranz held the Blue Jays to one run in six innings during his last
start.  After that outing and his previous start against Minnesota, Pomeranz
has his season ERA at the lowest point its been since his second start of the
year in April.

TAMPA:

JAKE ODORIZZY, RHP, 5-3, 4.08 ERA, 67K

Odorizzy has remained competitive while battling a mechanical problem.
He picked up the win Saturday on a sweltering afternoon in Baltimore,
where he allowed three runs in five innings.  He is 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA at
Tropicana Field in 2017.

Red Sox, Rays keep rolling at the Trop

Connor Mount

Jake Odorizzi will face Drew Pomeranz on Friday night as the Rays and Red Sox continue their first series of 2017 in St. Petersburg.

Pomeranz has figured things out recently. He's 5-1 with a 2.52 ERA in his last nine starts, striking out 53 over 50 innings. He faced the Rays twice before that stretch began, giving up seven earned runs in 7 1/3 innings while fanning 13.


Odorizzi, on the other hand, will be trying to recalibrate his mechanics and get back on track in time for the second half of the season.

Odorizzi set a franchise record in his last outing by allowing a home run in his 12th consecutive game. He had a 3.14 ERA through nine starts, but has a 5.58 mark over his last six. He has given up three runs or more in each of those six starts since June 2, though he has a 2-1 record over that time to show for it.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Expect to see plenty of pitches up in the strike zone: Among starters who have thrown 1,000 pitches, Odorizzi and Pomeranz are first and second, respectively, at spotting pitches at the upper part of the zone and higher. Odorizzi throws there 29.48 percent of the time, and Pomeranz locates there on 26.04 percent of his pitches, according to Statcast.

• Boston's Mookie Betts does not sacrifice at-bats by striking out in search of power. He strikes out in 9.2 percent of his at-bats while averaging 0.217 extra-base hits per appearance (otherwise known as Isolated Power). That ratio of 2.35 extra bases per strikeout is best in the Majors among qualified hitters.

• Left-handers have batted .344 against Pomeranz this season, with Rays lefties going 6-for-11 with two triples and a homer in two matchups. But Pomeranz, who hasn't had much trouble with lefties in his career, has the second-largest gaps between his actual batting average allowed and expected average allowed (.229) among southpaws (minimum 50 at-bats).

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170706240844644/red-sox-rays-keep-rolling-at-the-trop/?game_pk=491391

[Bear]

Red Sox v. Odorizzi:

Betts RF,
Benintendi LF,
Pedroia 2B,
Moreland 1B,
Ramirez DH,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Vázquez C,
Lin SS,
Marrero 3B,

Pomeranz

[Bill-806]

  Goes without saying, we need a strong finish to the first half !!  Last night, yes Sale made a couple/few mistakes but the missing offense was glaring !!!

[Sea Dog 23]

  Goes without saying, we need a strong finish to the first half !!  Last night, yes Sale made a couple/few mistakes but the missing offense was glaring !!!

IMO some of the players are probably gassed leading to the ASB.  The lingering injury bugs and ending with a road trip out to Tex and FL.  Of course other teams are weary as the looks of NYY, Cubs, others.  LA and the Stros just keep on ticking.

[Bill-806]

  Goes without saying, we need a strong finish to the first half !!  Last night, yes Sale made a couple/few mistakes but the missing offense was glaring !!!

IMO some of the players are probably gassed leading to the ASB.  The lingering injury bugs and ending with a road trip out to Tex and FL.  Of course other teams are weary as the looks of NYY, Cubs, others.  LA and the Stros just keep on ticking.

  B I N G O dat !!!  As I said, the HEAT in Texas is brutal !!  It was the HEAT at the ALAMO that killed Crockett & his Tennessean's  !!   thumb_u rofl

[longgame]

Time to pick it up for the next few games.  It's a hallmark of Farrell's teams to fade at key times and not being focused on the game ahead.

[ipot]

Time to pick it up for the next few games.  It's a hallmark of Farrell's teams to fade at key times and not being focused on the game ahead.

Yes to that.  Pomeranz has been very good lately.  We need the bats to jump on Odorizzi early.  3 of 4 would be great.  But a split is a must.

[SeaBeachFred]

Time to pick it up for the next few games.  It's a hallmark of Farrell's teams to fade at key times and not being focused on the game ahead.

When he had guys like Victorino, Gomes, Napoli, Ross, etc, they could pretty much control themselves, but I think we have a lot of very soft players led by a very incompetent manager who is slow on the draw and is less than astute in the strategy department.  They all need to pick it up these last three games.--------------AND START HITTING AGAIN.

[Bill-806]

In my 69 years, I have nevaa seen a double play like that !!! thumb_u rofl

[markj]

Bats are coming alive tonight. Sox up 4-0.

[Schloicka]

Nice to see the top part of the order actually do something. I thought Betts was taking the rest of the road trip off. Lin on again.

[markj]

JBJ goes deep. Sox up 5-0.

[markj]

Uh-oh. And I was just about to post how well Pom-pom was doing.

[Schloicka]

All started with a 3-2 walk on a curve ball. Need to throw a fastball down the pipe and make him hit it.

[Schloicka]

Got the 2 runs right back. 7-2 Sox now after 4.5 innings.
.