RED SOX V ROYALS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017, 2 PM AT KAUFFMAN STADIUM
TV: NESN, FSKC, MLBN, (OUT-OF-MARKET ONLY)
BOSTON, ( 40-31)..............................................................................KANSAS, (34-36)
BOSTON:
DREW POMERANZ, LHP, 6-4, 4.19 ERA, 77K
Pomeranz is 2-2 with a 3.41 ERA in six road starts this season. On Friday
night in Houston, the southpaw allowed just one run on four hits over 6 1/3
frames, but he took a no-decision in Boston's eventual victory.
KANSAS CITY:
IAN KENNEDY, RHP, 1-7, 5.03 ERA, 33k
Kennedy took a perfect game into the sixth inning his last time
out before allowing a homerun to Cliff Pennington. He earned a
win, his first of the season, while giving up two hits and fanning four
batters.
AL East-leading Sox turn to Pomeranz in finale
Wilson Alexander
The Royals and Red Sox will play the final game in a three game series on Wednesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium with both teams in the thick of their respective divisional races.
With their 8-3 win on Tuesday, the Red Sox hold a half-game lead over the Yankees in the American League East. Despite dropping the middle game of the set, the Royals are just 3 1/2 games back of the AL Central-leading Indians.
Kansas City right-hander Ian Kennedy (1-6, 5.03 ERA) heads to the mound looking to earn his second win of the season. Kennedy flirted with a perfect game against the Angels in his last start before giving up a home run in the sixth inning to end the chance of making history. That was the only run scored off him, making it the first time he's surrendered less than four runs since April 28.
On the mound for the Red Sox will be Drew Pomeranz. The left-hander neutralized a potent Houston batting order in his last start, limiting the Astros to four hits and one run, a home run, over 6 1/3 innings. Pomeranz (6-4, 4.19 ERA) has allowed one home run in each of his past three starts.
Kennedy earned his first win of the season in that start over the Angels, which was his sixth start since returning from the disabled list. Since then, he has yet to pitch more than six innings. Similarly, Pomeranz has pitched seven or more innings only once this season.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME
• Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon and Brandon Moss are the only Royals to face Pomeranz. The only one to get a hit was Cain, who doubled.
• Red Sox designated hitter and first baseman Hanley Ramirez has struggled against Kennedy in his career, batting .154 (4-for-26), with one RBI, no extra-base hits, three walks and three strikeouts.
• Each of Kennedy's three lowest single-game averages in exit velocity allowed have come this month. His 86.5-mph average in June is far better than his mark in either April (89.7 mph) or May (92.3 mph).
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170620237603234/al-east-leading-sox-turn-to-pomeranz-in-finale/?game_pk=491172
Here are Wednesday’s complete lineups, with the first pitch scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET.
RED SOX (40-31)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi,
LF Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Chris Young, DH
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Josh Rutledge, 2B
Christian Vazquez, C
Deven Marrero, 3B
Drew Pomeranz, LHP (6-4, 4.19 ERA)
ROYALS (34-36)
Whit Merrifield, LF
Jorge Bonifacio,
RF Lorenzo Cain,
CF Eric Hosmer,
DH Salvador Perez, C
Mike Moustakas, 3B
Cheslor Cuthbert, 1B
Alcides Escobar, SS
Ramon Torres, 2B
Ian Kennedy, RHP (1-6, 5.03 ERA)
: http://nesn.com/2017/06/red-sox-vs-royals-lineup-andrew-benintendi-returns-for-series-finale/
Lets get this one.... The 1st place RED SOX !! thumb_u
Time to sit the HAN/RAM man ....
Quote from: Bill-806 on June 21, 2017, 09:37:23 AM
Time to sit the HAN/RAM man ....
B I N G O dat !! thumb_u
Ian Kennedy brings back a reality check thru 3 innings. Opposing starters will almost always shut us down.
Warm weather is good for the Sox apparently. Nice back to back by Beni and Bogy.
All of a sudden Pomeranz becoming a key member of the Sox staff.
6ip 4 hits 2er and 4K thru 6.
XB has 10 RBI in last 8 games along with 3 HR.
Pomeranz starts the 7 with 83 pitches gives up a weak single up the middle gets the pen up.
After another weakly hit ball for a hit, Farrell comes out with the hook to get Pomeranz and bring in Kelly.
Very good game by Pomeranz.
6 1/3 innings 6H 2er 1bb and 5 Ks.That quiets the Pom Pom chants for a while
After an 11 pitch at bat Kelly walks the batter to load the bases with 2 outs.
Kelly gets the 3rd out on a hard liner to Mookie.
Coming into today the Sox have the 2nd best pen ERA behind the Tribe. 2.58 to 2.84
No other team is under 3.00
Barnes on for bottom 8.
Barnes look very wild .Walked the 1st 2 guys and Scott gets the call.
When you come in and walk the first guy that is a warning sign. Barnes did this a few days ago and Sox survived a jam. Now he has walked a second batter. Two in a row! If and when Smith is 100% I would dump Barnes ASAP. The guy has wonderful stuff, but he is a control nightmare.
Barnes can't make up his mind. He'll pitch good 1 day and stink the next. Hard to believe he couldn't get at least a few pitches in the k zone.
Scott walks the sacks full.No one up in the pen.
How can MLB pitchers not be able to throw strikes?
Slammer!!!!!!!!
Going to get interesting in awhile.
Guess the pen didn't come through this time. Even Kelly walked a guy to load them up before Mookie caught the line drive. Not a good bull pen day. Hopefully not the start of a bad streak by them.
Not into slamming the manager but where was the RHP to face Perez.
This is EXACTLY what they deserve. EXACTLY! You walk three guys in a row this is what happens and should. Last week they caught a break when they walked the bases loaded and escaped. Also - push the blame on Farrell. Kelly - no great control wizard - deserved to start another inning.
How often to you see that happen .Hardly never !!
It's always the 8th inning guy and Barnes has done a good job most of the time.If Kelly stays in and gives up a run he gets crucified.
Would of been a good spot to have your closer ready to go. Especially after the 1st two guys got on base. The 8th was more important than the 9th this time around.
If Stalin was a baseball manager Barnes would be shot.
I guess his 12 holds don`t mean anything to some.
Quote from: Rob from Mass on June 21, 2017, 04:37:43 PM
I guess his 12 holds don`t mean anything to some.
Holds are fine but how often does he have a clean inning? He always seems to be on a tight rope. Not unusual for him to get to a full count. I can look at Barnes and Scott and say they had a tough day. Let's move on. I'm not going to go spastic about it because it happens to every pitcher at some point. I'm sure their not happy about it either. Crap happens and it certainly did today. On to Friday.
Quote from: Schloicka on June 21, 2017, 04:52:59 PM
Quote from: Rob from Mass on June 21, 2017, 04:37:43 PM
I guess his 12 holds don`t mean anything to some.
Holds are fine but how often does he have a clean inning? He always seems to be on a tight rope. Not unusual for him to get to a full count. I can look at Barnes and Scott and say they had a tough day. Let's move on. I'm not going to go spastic about it because it happens to every pitcher at some point. I'm sure their not happy about it either. Crap happens and it certainly did today. On to Friday.
Sounds good .
Quote from: ojdidit on June 21, 2017, 03:57:14 PM
When you come in and walk the first guy that is a warning sign. Barnes did this a few days ago and Sox survived a jam. Now he has walked a second batter. Two in a row! If and when Smith is 100% I would dump Barnes ASAP. The guy has wonderful stuff, but he is a control nightmare.
Barnes is a meatball, pure and simple. He cannot put two good outings together in a row and when he has one you better be ready to yank him the moment he gets in trouble in his second one. He should never be in there with less than a three or four run lead. Today his miserable attempt to hold a lead cost us a game we could have and should have won and once again we're running in place and coming home with a bummer of a road finale and Pinata Porcello ready to take the mound tomorrow with the Angels just waiting to feast on him.
Quote from: ojdidit on June 21, 2017, 04:11:51 PM
This is EXACTLY what they deserve. EXACTLY! You walk three guys in a row this is what happens and should. Last week they caught a break when they walked the bases loaded and escaped. Also - push the blame on Farrell. Kelly - no great control wizard - deserved to start another inning.
For some reason Farrell has a lot of confidence in the meatball which is why I have less and less confidence in Farrell. Not letting Kelly pitch the eighth was a mistake in my opinion. And where was a righty to pitch to Perez? Often you give Farrell the opportunity to win or lose one for us you know the usual result.
Well, that was a mess. Considering the pen has been getting it done for a good stretch, odds came up for a stinker.
But 5 measly hits from our offense again is not going to yield 4 runs every time.
Another one that we will have to win in September !! The mirrors must have melted in the K C heat..... Another tough one to loose.... Our roster has a lot of holes, to say the least !!
Well that stint in 1st place didn't last long.
OK, so I've seen Scott in his new role of NOT being a lefty specialist 4 times now. That means some of you have seen him more than that. The jury is out for me. Houston hit him hard from the right side and yesterday happened. I'm sure options were limited. He used Boyer a lot 2 nights ago, yes? Abad has not been consistent in pressure situations. Not in a positive way, anyhow.
I do not understand JF's love affair with Barnes. I hope that Joe Kelly's nerves are not why he isn't in the 8th instead of Barnes. To me, that needs to be reversed. I cannot believe for a moment that there is any other reason why you want Kelly facing the bottom of the order in the 7th and Barnes facing the top of the order in the 8th. Barnes does not overpower batters like Kelly. Never has at his best. JF call's Barnes an elite arm. Just goes to show you how his unjustified faith in certain players defies logic.
Then again, I didn't watch the game. Forgot it was on. Perhaps he used Kelly in a pressure situation to bail Pom Pom out? If so, he chose the best man for that key point in the game thing.
Well, can't go through a season without bull pen imploding a few times. At least we are not bitchin' about it 5 times a week this year. It's early, though.
This game still has me ticked and it is all Barnes. In the 6-5 win at Houston Barnes walked two and had to be replaced. Scott then walks a batter and Sox are rescued by an out at home. Scott comes in during the 4-2 loss in KC and walks a batter. In the 6-4 loss Barnes walks his first two and Scott rplaces him and walks his only batter. Scott 3.6 BB/9 and Barnes 4.5 BB/9, but that is misleading. They are walking batters and creating problems. You do not start and inning by walking a batter. Even if they hit it you may have it caught. Both are falling behind on counts making .230 hitters into .330 hitters. Kelly has looked good but he has a 4.4 BB/9.
Quote from: ojdidit on June 22, 2017, 11:33:09 AM
This game still has me ticked and it is all Barnes. In the 6-5 win at Houston Barnes walked two and had to be replaced. Scott then walks a batter and Sox are rescued by an out at home. Scott comes in during the 4-2 loss in KC and walks a batter. In the 6-4 loss Barnes walks his first two and Scott rplaces him and walks his only batter. Scott 3.6 BB/9 and Barnes 4.5 BB/9, but that is misleading. They are walking batters and creating problems. You do not start and inning by walking a batter. Even if they hit it you may have it caught. Both are falling behind on counts making .230 hitters into .330 hitters. Kelly has looked good but he has a 4.4 BB/9.
As good as the bullpen has been, they have had more than their share of "Jekyll & hides"
Guys walk batter but with Barnes, Kelly and Hembree they come in batches. This is a mini version of Henry Owens who will pitch three clean innings and then walk six in two innings.
Quote from: ojdidit on June 22, 2017, 02:29:18 PM
Guys walk batter but with Barnes, Kelly and Hembree they come in batches. This is a mini version of Henry Owens who will pitch three clean innings and then walk six in two innings.
Like some kind of bug going around....bizarre.
Quote from: ipot on June 22, 2017, 02:48:24 PM
Quote from: ojdidit on June 22, 2017, 02:29:18 PM
Guys walk batter but with Barnes, Kelly and Hembree they come in batches. This is a mini version of Henry Owens who will pitch three clean innings and then walk six in two innings.
Like some kind of bug going around....bizarre.
Walkbola?
Yankees blew a 5-2 lead to the Angels, so Sox own a piece of 1st place again.
Quote from: ojdidit on June 22, 2017, 03:50:22 PM
Quote from: ipot on June 22, 2017, 02:48:24 PM
Quote from: ojdidit on June 22, 2017, 02:29:18 PM
Guys walk batter but with Barnes, Kelly and Hembree they come in batches. This is a mini version of Henry Owens who will pitch three clean innings and then walk six in two innings.
Like some kind of bug going around....bizarre.
Walkbola?
LOL,
I remember a few years back and Schilling was pitching against Toronto I think it was. All of a sudden he comes out and walks the bases loaded, I think it was on 12 pitches - and he never walked anyone. Still, walking the first batter as a reliever just kills me.