GAME #23, CHICAGO CUBS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

CUBS V RED SOX

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 4:05 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, FS-1

CHICAGO, 12-10....................................................................................BOSTON 12-10

CHICAGO:

JOHN LACKEY, RHP, 1-3, 4.88ERA, 26K

Lackey pitched for the Red Sox from 2010-14.  This will be the the first
time he faces them as an opponent since September 15, 2008, when he gave
up two earned runs in a 4-1 loss at Fenway Park.  He has a career 31-23 record
and a 4.45ERA there.

BOSTON:

STEVEN WRIGHT, RHP, 1-2, 8.86ERA, 9K

The knuckleballer lacked his all-star form of last season.  Last time
out, Wright was belted around for nine hits and four runs over 3 2/3
innings in a loss to the Orioles.

Another Fenway reunion: Lackey faces Sox

Quinn Roberts

Red Sox manager John Farrell still remembers the roar of the crowd when John Lackey walked off the mound in Game 6 of the 2013 World Series.

Lackey pitched for the Red Sox from 2010-14, and was the winning pitcher when Boston clinched the World Series. Lackey is back as a member of the Cubs at Fenway Park, and he's set to face Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright on Saturday.

"To see how he rewrote his story here in Boston, I think is pretty miraculous, coming back from Tommy John surgery to hearing the reaction when he walked off in Game 6," Farrell said. "After what he's been through. It was a special moment to clinch the World Series with him on the mound."

Lackey, who has struggled this season, tossed six innings in his last start against the Reds, allowing seven runs (five earned) on six hits for his third straight loss.

Wright's also had his fair share of scuffles. Much of that can be attributed to his arm angle being a few inches higher than it should be. Wright allowed four runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings and took the loss in his last start against the Orioles.

While Wright tries to find the right rhythm and tempo on the mound, Cubs hitters will also be making adjustments. Many have never faced a knuckleballer in the Majors.

"It'll be interesting. It'll probably be like some of those Wiffle ball games that I played in the cul-de-sac when I was younger," third baseman Kris Bryant said. "You had those Wiffle balls that you could make go all over the place. It'll be interesting."

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• While Wright is making his first career appearance against the Cubs, he's 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA in five Interleague games (four starts).

• Lackey last pitched in Boston as a visitor on Sept. 15, 2009. He's 3-7 with a 5.25 ERA in 14 career starts as a visitor there.

• Bryant has a nine-game hit streak. He belted a solo home run over the Green Monster in his first at-bat in Friday's game.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170428227110382/another-fenway-reunion-lackey-faces-sox/?game_pk=490447

[Bear]

Game 23: Cubs at Red Sox

Peter Abraham

Here are the lineups:

RED SOX (12-10)

..................................................CUBS (12-10)
...............................................Schwarber DH
Bogaerts, SS
Benintendi LF............................Bryant 3B
Betts RF............................   Rizzo 1B
Ramirez DH.......................   Zobrist 2B
Moreland 1B.......................   Heyward RF
Pedroia 2B   ...............................Russell SS
Bradley CF..............................   Montero C
Vazquez C.........................   Almora Jr. CF
Hernandez 3B....................   Jay LF

Pitching: RHP Steven Wright (1-2, 8.66).

Pitching: RHP John Lackey (1-3, 4.88).

Game time: 4:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: NESN, FoxSports1 / WEEI.

Red Sox vs. Lackey:

Pedroia 8-27,
Moreland 4-15,
Ramirez 3-6,
Young 1-4,
Rutledge 0-3

Cubs vs. Wright: No history.

Stat of the Day: Fernando Abad struck out the two batters he faced on Friday night. He had not struck out any of the 19 batters he faced previously this season.


Interleague intrigue: The Sox are 4-0 against National League teams this season.
They have won nine of 10 going back to last season and 21 of 27 since Sept. 4, 2015.


Notes:

The Sox are 6-7 against the Cubs. …

Steven Wright is facing the Cubs for the first time.
He is 3-0 with a 2.79 earned run average in five interleague games. …
John Lackey is facing the Red Sox for the first time since Sept. 15, 2009
when he was with the Angels. Lackey was 47-43 with a 4.46 ERA with the
Sox from 2010-14. His start at Fenway was July 5, 2014. …

Sox pitchers have a 2.19 ERA in the last eight games. …

The Sox have six players on the disabled list, the Cubs none. …

Dustin Pedroia is 226 of 670 in interleague games (.337).
For players with at least 500 at-bats, only Hall of Famer Mike Piazza (.340) has a higher batting average. …

Sox pitchers have allowed 16 earned runs in the first inning of their 22 games. …

18 of the 22 games played by the Sox have been decided by three or fewer runs.

Song of the Day: “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” by George Strait.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2017/04/29/game-cubs-red-sox-lineups-and-pregame-notes/F7hyoKmIJmYmBlaM4gettM/story.html

[ipot]

David Wright.....oh boy  :-X

[Bill-806]

Go RED SOX,  very entertaining...

[markj]

Sox score first. Let's hope it keeps up.

[markj]

Hanley sends one out to Lansdowne St. Way, way out. Sox up 3-0.

[SeaBeachFred]

Hanley sends one out to Lansdowne St. Way, way out. Sox up 3-0.

So far, so good.  Hanley must start providing some thunder for us.  I think it is possible that the rest might follow.  Now Farrell has to get someone stretched out in the bullpen and be ready when Wright has that Wakefield-like nuclear inning which, unfortunately could come at any time---just maybe not today.....MAYBE NOT TODAY.

[Rob from Mass]

Not accustomed to seeing the Sox score first.HR with a solo shot and after 3   3-0 .

[markj]

Oops. Wright gives 2 back. Not good.

[Rob from Mass]

Would be very odd seeing someone in the BP with a 3-0 lead in the 3rd .It may have been done by some team but can`t  think of seeing it often.Would have to believe that would wear a pitcher out getting up and down.

[Rob from Mass]

Beni bomb

[ipot]

4-3 now.  Why do I see us not scoring any more?  And it comes down to keeping them off the board?

[ipot]

Cubs win 4-4.  Enough w/knucklehead Wright. 

[Bill-806]

  4-4, I am still pissed that  J F  had Wright running the bases last year. big lumbering guy was destined to get hurt !!

[ipot]

Boink. 4-5. Wright's ERA went down though.  Go figure....