GAME #78, MINNESOTA TWINS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

TWINS V RED SOX

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2017, 7 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, FSNO

MINNESOTA, (39-36)............................................................................BOSTON, (43-34)

MINNESOTA:

ADELBO MEJIA, LHP, 2-3, 4.93 ERA 40K

In his last outing, Mejia walked five in five innings, but held the Indians
scoreless on two hits to pick up his second win.  Mejia has been sharp on the
road so far this year, going 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA away from Minnesota.

BOSTON:

RICK PORCELLO, RHP, 4-9, 5.00 ERA, 93K

Porcello struck out eight in his last start to earn his first victory since
May 23.  The reigning AL CY Young Award winner snapped a 4-game
losing streak with the win.

Porcello looks to bring Cy Young stuff vs. Twins

Rhett Bollinger

Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello hasn't been able to replicate the kind of numbers he put up when he won last year's American League Cy Young Award, but he is coming off a quality start and will look to build on it against the Twins on Wednesday in the third game of a four-game set at Fenway Park. Minnesota will counter with rookie left-hander Adalberto Mejia, who tossed five scoreless innings against the Indians in a win on Friday.

Porcello (4-9. 5.00 ERA) is also coming off a victory, allowing four runs (three earned) over 6 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts against the Angels on Friday. His sinker was noticeably sharper.

"It was, to me, vintage Rick Porcello," said Red Sox manager John Farrell, who will return after serving a one-game suspension on Tuesday. "The sink had returned to his two-seamer and it's a tribute to the amount of work that he continues to do. He had crisp stuff throughout."

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Mejia (2-3, 4.93 ERA) has posted a 3.06 ERA in four road starts compared to a 6.11 ERA in six outings at home, but this will be his first time facing the Red Sox and his first start at Fenway Park.

• Among all pitchers with at least 1,000 pitches this season, Porcello has thrown the second-highest percentage (38.6) in the upper two-thirds of the strike zone. While that's nearly identical to his 2016 rate, Porcello is allowing a .393 batting average and a .677 slugging percentage on those pitches in '17, compared with .242 and .390 last year.

• With a second straight lefty pitching for the Twins, Sam Travis should again be in the lineup at first base. Farrell praised Travis for the way he has stayed sharp, despite playing only against lefties.

"It's extremely tough, that's something that over the course of a high number of games or years played, you begin to tweak that routine," said Farrell. "A guy in the early stages, the very early stage, to be able to handle it to the extent he has so far, it's been impressive."

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170627239096150/porcello-looks-to-bring-cy-young-stuff-vs-twins/?game_pk=491272

[Bear]

Red Sox vs. MIN:

Betts RF,
Pedroia 2B,
Bogaerts SS,
Moreland 1B,
Young LF,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Travis DH,
Leon C,
Marrero 3B,

Porcello RHP

[SeaBeachFred]

Red Sox vs. MIN:

Betts RF,
Pedroia 2B,
Bogaerts SS,
Moreland 1B,
Young LF,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Travis DH,
Leon C,
Marrero 3B,

Porcello RHP

This will be the fifth or sixth straight time we are attempting to go ten games over 500 and we haven't made it once.  I would like it to be tonight.  Does anyone recall if we were ever ten over in the early stages of this season, say around the middle of May?

[Rob from Mass]

Red Sox vs. MIN:

Betts RF,
Pedroia 2B,
Bogaerts SS,
Moreland 1B,
Young LF,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Travis DH,
Leon C,
Marrero 3B,

Porcello RHP

This will be the fifth or sixth straight time we are attempting to go ten games over 500 and we haven't made it once.  I would like it to be tonight.  Does anyone recall if we were ever ten over in the early stages of this season, say around the middle of May?
[/quote
]
Not 100% sure but I believe will be 1st time tonight

[ojdidit]

Looks like Porcello has everything worked out.  iono Can he get his ERA under 5.00?  rofl

[Schloicka]

Sox get the 1st two guys on with Pedroia, Xman & Moreland coming up and get nothing.

[Schloicka]

No hits with runners in scoring position so far tonight. Got a run on a ground out with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 7th.

[ipot]

S.O.S.  Same Old S--t. 

Difference tonight was that no WP/PBs/Es by Twins to get us free bases and wake up the Deadbats.

Doesn't matter that Porcello is a below average pitcher.  2 runs was all the Twins needed. 

[ipot]

Currently #23 in the league in runs scored through 6 thumb_u

[markj]

Blah. Crappy game. Return of the Noffense.

[ipot]

It's just maddening - this "noffense." 

Even with the DL days lost to starting pitching so far this season - and considering Porcello stinks this year - this team should be at 50-52 Ws imho considering how many mediocre/lousy opposing pitchers have shut them down....

[SeaBeachFred]

The boob beat goes on and once again the team crapped their pants when given a chance to finally go ten games over 500.  How many times have we now shit the bed with this opportunity? Six, Seven?????  Who the hell knows anyway.  All we do know is that our hitting is so out of sync that we never seem to have five or six of our guys hitting  together.  It always seems to be three on and five or six off, and then maybe it is five and four and we win the game.  We're running in place and if we crap out again tomorrow we will have had a home stand where we stand 3-4 which is just pathetic and disgusting no matter what kind of roseate glasses you're wearing.  We're running in place and we show NO sign whatsoever of separating ourselves from the pack.  We are a very mediocre team that lacks leadership, commitment and the strong will to win, and what hurts more we have players who are soft and not tough competitors at all.  You all saw it tonight  if you took those glasses off.

[Bill-806]

   As  DAD would say, " SON, leave 11 runners on base and you won't win that game" !!! thumb_d slap

[elktonnick]

Eckersley quite rightly was all over Bogaerts for his awful swing with the bases loaded.  I am getting sick and tired of these guys rolling over on pitches and hitting these weak ground outs.

[longgame]

The great disappearing Red Sox offense of 2017.  For once they faced a very good pitcher who was throwing strikes.  Why they don't try to adapt during games to a) what the pitcher is throwing and b) what the ump is calling, I'll never know.  Plus they tried and failed with the Twins bullpen too.
The loss left them at .500 on the homestand a day before it ends and with a long road trip ahead.