GAME #140, TORONTO BLUE JAYS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

BLUE JAYS V RED SOX

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2017, 7 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, SNET

TORONTO, (64-75)..............................................................................BOSTON, (78-61)

TORONTO:

JOE BIAGINI, RHP, 3-9, 5.01 ERA, 87K

Joe Biagini is coming off his best start of the season.  He didn't allow a run
and struck out a career-high 10 batters in his last outing against the Orioles.  The
seven innings matched a career high, something he did twice before.

BOSTON:

DOUG FISTER, RHP, 4-7, 4.19 ERA, 56K

The sinkerballer has been one of the best stories of the second half for the
Red Sox.  Since being claimed off waivers from the Angels in late June, Fister
is 4-2 with a 3.05 ERA while filling in for the injured David Price.

Biagini, Fister set for battle of surging starters

Gregor Chisholm

Doug Fister has been better than the Red Sox ever could have hoped for, and he'll look to continue his bounce-back season on Wednesday night against the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

Fister has allowed two earned runs or fewer in three consecutive starts, and he has gone at least seven innings in each of those outings. Outside of one rough outing vs. Cleveland on Aug. 14, Fister has been lights out since rejoining the rotation on July 31.

As Boston makes a run at an American League East title -- it holds a 3 1/2-game lead over the Yankees in the division -- Fister will be looking to secure his spot in a possible postseason rotation. That would have seemed extremely unlikely a couple of months ago, but the recent string of quality starts has changed all of that.

"Every start is a big start. A big day," Fister said. "And that's the outlook, that's the focus I take every time out. I try to break it down every pitch and keep it simple, but it's definitely fun to be in a race. We have a task to do every day."

Toronto will counter with right-hander Joe Biagini, who is coming off arguably the best start of his career. Biagini struck out a career-high 10 batters and didn't allow a run over seven quality innings. He allowed just five hits and one walk in his second start since rejoining the Blue Jays' rotation.

"I came into the game and happened to establish that kind of consistent physical position, and from then it just allows me to kind of calm down in those situations and say, 'I have the confidence that I'm going to be able to execute my pitches here,'" Biagini said. "When I do that, it doesn't necessarily always go perfectly, but it gives me the best chance to at least limit the damage or escape those situations."

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Fister is 2-3 with a 3.72 ERA in nine career starts against the Blue Jays. He's faced them twice this season and allowed nine runs over 9 1/3 innings, but four of the runs from a start on July 20 were unearned.

• Toronto's Justin Smoak and Kendrys Morales have combined to hit 64 home runs this season, which is the second most by a switch-hitting duo in MLB history. New York's Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher combined to hit 68 in 2009.

• Not only did Biagini strike out a career-high 10 in his last start, but 14 of the 16 balls put in play against him were hit on the ground. That ground-ball rate of 87.5 percent tied for the fourth-highest single-game mark this season by a starter who generated at least 15 batted balls.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170905252633218/biagini-fister-set-for-battle-of-surging-starters/?game_pk=492191

[Bear]

Red Sox vs. TOR:

Núñez 2B,
Pedroia DH,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Moreland 1B,
Bogaerts SS,
Devers 3B,
Leon C,
Bradley CF,

Fister RHP

[longgame]

Sox will make Joey Bag-of-Doughnuts look like Cy Young of course.

[Bear]

50/50 chance of rain tonite.

[elktonnick]

After last night this game should be interesting.  I expect we'll see a lot of miscues as both teams should be pretty well spent.

[Bill-806]

"Lets go RED SOX, lets go RED SOX  !!! thumb_u rofl

[Schloicka]

Excellent base running by Nunez to tag up on Pedroia's low liner to center. Lot of guys would of gone 1/2 way thinking it might be in for a hit.

[longgame]

Excellent base running by Nunez to tag up on Pedroia's low liner to center. Lot of guys would of gone 1/2 way thinking it might be in for a hit.

And he has the speed to get down to third too.  I was laughing when I saw Barney go darting by when Betts took second while Moreland was up though!

Fister gave up his first inning run and so now all the Sox have to do is score.  A tall order, but that's all they need.

So far I like Todd Walker as a color guy.  Making good points and has a more dynamic voice than monotone Jonny or Lenny DiNardo who was good but probably needs to loosen up a little. 

[Schloicka]

Nice triple by Xman to drive in Moreland. Devers singles in Xman & JBJ with a 2 run hr. 5-1 right now going to bottom of 5th.

[Schloicka]

Good 7 innings by Fister. Time for the pen.

[SeaBeachFred]

Anoher great job by Doug Fister and he seems to have shut us all up from the way we attacked him so viciously before----yea, I was one of the loudest.  He deserves credit for turning it around and kudos to Dombrowski for a very good move.  Truth be told I almost fell out of my seat when Bogaerts hit that triple and actually drove in a run.  Good win tonight.  Tomorrow a needed day off so we should all watch the Yanks and Orioles on the tube and keep the good thoughts coming because we can use all the help we can get, and the O's need to keep winning to stay in the WC race.

[longgame]

The guy who makes $1.75M is the ace now! 

Anyhow, nice to have an easy win, as most games against Toronto this year should be.  4 games sure feels like a lot more than 2 1/2 with 22 left.

If the Indians overtake the Astros, the Sox and Astros will have as many as 9 games in a row.  Sox don't want to have to be fighting off the Yankees if Houston has home field over the Sox clinched.

[ipot]

Anoher great job by Doug Fister and he seems to have shut us all up from the way we attacked him so viciously before----yea, I was one of the loudest.  He deserves credit for turning it around and kudos to Dombrowski for a very good move.  Truth be told I almost fell out of my seat when Bogaerts hit that trouble and actually drove in a run.  Good win tonight.  Tomorrow a needed day off so we should all watch the Yanks and Orioles on the tube and keep the good thoughts coming because we can use all the help we can get, and the O's need to keep winning to stay in the WC race.

Gotta eat crow, many of us, on Fister - for the time being.  8)  He has been lights out for 3 straight starts.  I'll take it.   

[Bill-806]

As  DAD would say, "SON, go ahead, it is OK for you to take credit for being the only one on this board that TOUTED the arrival of DOUG FISTER & his SINKER BALL" !! thumb_u rofl

[Rob from Mass]

Fister brought with him an ERA of 6.04 and in 7bSox starts it is sitting at 3.91
5-2 with the Sox and 5 starts into the 7th. Safe to say Sox would not be where they are without him as no one in AAA could do what he has done.