GAME #17, BOSTON RED SOX AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES

[Bear]

RED SOX V ORIOLES

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017, 7:07 PM AT ORIOLE PARK AT CAMDEN YARK

TV:  NESN, MASON 2

BOSTON, 10-6......................................................................................BALTIMORE, 10-4

BOSTON:

DREW POMERANZ, LHP, 1-0, 5.23 ERA, 16K

Pomeranz has had powerful stuff in his first two starts, but he wasn't efficient
enough last time out.  He threw 103 pitches in just 4 1/3 innings, allowing five
hits and five runs while walking two and striking out 10.

BALTIMORE:

DYLAN BUNDY, RHP, 2-1, 1.86 ERA, 17K

Bundy is off to a terrific start.  He's made a quality start in all three of his
starts, including six shutout innings in a 11-4 victory over the Blue Jays the
last time out.  Most impressive.  He has 17 strikeouts against three walks.

Pomeranz, Bundy to duel at Camden Yards

Ian Browne

When the Red Sox kick off a three-game series at Camden Yards against the Orioles on Friday night, manager John Farrell should have his full allotment of position players in the starting lineup for the first time since Opening Day.

Center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. will be activated from the disabled list after being out since April 9 with a right knee sprain.

The series between American League East rivals should be a good early-season test for both squads, who are battling for the top spot in the division. The opener pits two talented starters against each other, as righty Dylan Bundy (2-1, 1.86 ERA) takes the ball for Baltimore and lefty Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 5.23 ERA) draws the assignment for Boston.

With Bradley's return, the Red Sox are finally over a stretch that included a combination of injuries, bereavement and several players sidelined with the flu. David Price and Tyler Thornburg remain out on the pitching side, but Boston is back to full strength offensively.

"I think you're always of the thought that you'd like to play better or show more consistent signs in different areas of your team," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "But getting back to full strength is a positive, and we're not back there yet given David Price's situation, Tyler Thornburg's situation, so I like the way we've gone out and shown a lot of resilience in a number of these games with coming back. Still, we've got areas we need to shore up and continue to improve upon."

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• One thing the Orioles are very aware of entering this series: Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts was ridiculous at Camden Yards this past season, slashing .514/.609/1.162 with eight homers and 15 RBIs in 10 games. The eight homers in a season are the record by a visiting player at Camden Yards, which opened in 1992.

• Bundy could be poised for a breakout season, as he's 3-for-3 in quality starts thus far. Bundy has 17 strikeouts and just three walks. In four career starts against the Red Sox, Bundy is 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA. However, he held his own in his only start against them so far this season, allowing three hits over 6 1/3 innings.

• Pomeranz was powerful but not particularly effective his most recent time out, striking out 10 over 4 1/3 innings but also giving up five runs and two homers. He was sharp against the Orioles while winning his first start of the season on April 11, holding them to four hits and a run over six innings.

• Part of Mitch Moreland's remarkable power surge to begin 2017 -- he leads MLB with 11 doubles -- can be found in his barreled ball rate. The first baseman has barreled seven of his 43 batted balls put in play this season for a 16.3 percent rate that is nearly double his average from the past two seasons (9.9 percent).

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170420225438054/pomeranz-bundy-to-duel-at-camden-yards/?game_pk=490337

[Bear]

I am no longer available to post the lineups, if one of you would be so good to
help, I'd appreciate it.
Thank you,
Marge

[longgame]

So the Orioles again, and then again in a coulpe of weeks.  Then we'll have played over half the season series against them in the first 5 weeks of the season, then in June and September.  Sort of odd scheduling for a division rival. 

[Bill-806]

Any roster moves yet ???   JBJ or bullpen arms ???      ( Ben Taylor)

[Bill-806]

  HERNANDEZ @  shortstop ????   Bogey out .......  Where is Holt & his bat ????

[Rob from Mass]

The last I heard is that when a player is on the DL he can`t play.Holt hit the DL today.

[SeaBeachFred]

  HERNANDEZ @  shortstop ????   Bogey out .......  Where is Holt & his bat ????

I knew it.....when Bogaerts stupidly went head first on that slide yesterday my first words were "OH SHIT!!!!!!!!"  Stay in that game Bogey, don't friickin' dare come out, but now he's out.  God knows for how long.  NO disabled list.  Get him well and get his ass back in that lineup.  Every time Hernandez plays I get a bad case of the yips.  I know a lot of you guys like him---I don't.  He is sloppy with the glove and is  totally crappy hitting in the clutch.  He is not a winning ballplayer from what I can see and only hope he proves me wrong tonight but afraid he will live up to my worst feeling about him.

[elktonnick]

One of the worst things about playing the Orioles is that I have to watch the game on MASN and listen to the dreadful Orioles announcers.  Jim Palmer is sometimes brilliant in his analysis but needlessly pedantic.  Gary Thorne is just plain dreadful.  It is hard to believe there is a play by play baseball announcer worse than Dave O'Brien who himself is nauseatingly repetitious.  But if there is, it is Thorne who fills the air with a constant litany of meaningless and obscure statistics.

[Bear]

Holt headed to DL suffering from vertigo.

[Bear]

RED SOX LINEUP: XANDER BOGAERTS OUT; JACKIE BRADLEY JR., MARCO HERNANDEZ IN

Rob Bradford

The sight of Xander Bogaerts heading down to the X-ray room at Rogers Centre after Thursday’s Red Sox’ win probably was a sign he might not be in the lineup Friday in Baltimore.

Bogaerts had seemingly injured his hand sliding into second base while trying to stretch his two-out single into a double in the ninth inning against the Blue Jays. After the game, the shortstop said he was OK. But when lineups came out Friday afternoon, it was Marco Hernandez who got the start against the Orioles instead of Bogaerts.

The Red Sox do have a regular returning to the starting group, with Jackie Bradley Jr. coming off the 10-day disabled list (knee) after a two-game rehab stint with Triple-A Pawtucket.

Here is the Red Sox’ lineup against Baltimore righty Dylan Bundy on the mound for the hosts, and Drew Pomeranz pitching for the visitors:

Dustin Pedroia 2B
Andrew Benintendi LF
Mookie Betts RF
Mitch Moreland 1B
Hanley Ramirez DH
Jackie Bradley Jr. CF
Pablo Sandoval 3B
Christian Vazquez C
Marco Hernandez SS

http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2017/04/21/red-sox-lineup-xander-bogaerts-out-jackie-bradley-jr-marco-hernandez-in/

[SeaBeachFred]

So in essence we still do NOT have our full starting lineup in the game yet now with Bogaerts out for God knows how long.  Wouldn't surprise me if he does on the DL, the stupid bastard.  Why the Red Sox still permit their players to head first slide is beyond me.  Besides, they don't know how to do it.  You do not go in with fingers exposed; you go in that way when you have to (and you shouldn't) with first closed on both hands to lessen the impact.  Now we have worthless Hernandez in there for his usual 0 for 4 since it's a big game and he's a choker, and with an error or two to boot.  You just watch.  I have a very bad feeling about this game.  Gods of Fate, please let me be wrong.

[markj]

Hasn't Holt had this vertigo issue before?

[markj]

Little or no offense again. Frustrating.  sigh

[longgame]

One of the worst things about playing the Orioles is that I have to watch the game on MASN and listen to the dreadful Orioles announcers.  Jim Palmer is sometimes brilliant in his analysis but needlessly pedantic.  Gary Thorne is just plain dreadful.  It is hard to believe there is a play by play baseball announcer worse than Dave O'Brien who himself is nauseatingly repetitious.  But if there is, it is Thorne who fills the air with a constant litany of meaningless and obscure statistics.

I suffer from the same condition.  Palmer makes it bearable but I've never liked Thorne.  Palmer at least studies up on the opposing team, talks to the Sox former player at hand, i.e Remy or Eck, and finds out information.  Thorne doesn't even try to get names right and comes up with inane comments.

As for the Sox, with nobody hitting for power at all in this lineup, they are going to have trouble in these sorts of games. 

I had watched something else for a short while and then caught up the 30 minutes or so I missed.  Pomeranz is good for a pitch about every 40-45 seconds.  Bundy is more Sale-like and can get in two pitches in that time.

[markj]

Ump is seriously squeezing Kelly.