GAME #73, LA ANGELS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

ANGELS V RED SOX

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017, 7 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, FS-W, MLBN (OUT-OF-MARKET ONLY)

ANAHEIM, (38-38)..........................................................................................BOSTON, (40-32)

ANAHEIM:

ALEX MEYER, RHP, 3-3, 3.52 ERA, 55K

Meyer fired six scoreless innings and marked his career-high with 9 strikeouts in his
last start against the Royals on Saturday.  The 27-year-old rookie has logged  a 1.91 ERA
over his last six outings.

BOSTON:

RICK PORCELLO, RHP, 3-9, 5.05 ERA, 85K

The sinkerballer will again try to get on track in what's been a tough season. 
Porcellohas allowed a .358 average over his past eight starts, including a 3.85 on
fastballs, the highest mark among pitchers with 400-plus fastballs thrown since
May12.

Sox to retire Papi's number tonight vs. Angels

Ian Browne

When the Red Sox and Angels take the field for tonight's opener of a three-game series, the No. 34 will be hanging from the right-field facade at Fenway Park next to some other all-time greats.

Less than eight months after he played the final game of his illustrious career, David Ortiz will have his number retired in a pregame ceremony.

Big Papi joins Wade Boggs, Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr, Carlton Fisk, Pedro Martinez, Johnny Pesky, Jim Rice, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski as Red Sox icons who have received this honor. But Ortiz will become the first to have his number retired by the tradition-laden Red Sox within a year of retiring.

"That just lets you know what a special impact he's made in the community and the organization and all of baseball," said Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. "What he's done for the city, the team, people around him, it's well deserved. I know we couldn't be any happier for him."

Rick Porcello, who has been struggling to regain the form that made him the American League's Cy Young Award winner last season, takes the mound for the Red Sox.

The Angels counter with righty Alex Meyer, who was magnificent last time out, firing six shutout innings while allowing two hits and striking out nine in a win over the Royals. The 27-year-old rookie has given the Halos' rotation a significant boost over the last month, recording a 1.91 ERA over his last six starts.

Dustin Pedroia hopes to be back in the lineup for Boston after missing all three games in Kansas City with deep bruising in his left lat/rib cage area after getting drilled by a pitch in Houston on Sunday.

This is the only visit to Boston for the Angels this season, meaning that Fenway fans will be deprived of seeing superstar Mike Trout in action. The outfielder is recovering from left thumb surgery.

Before the game, there will be a buzz in the air, as Ortiz has not attended a game at Fenway Park since his retirement.
"It will be great to see him," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "It will be a fun day, a well-deserved day, and really looking forward to the celebration of David once again. So, to see him at the ballpark, to see the smile, to hear the booming voice, it'll be a good day for us."

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Porcello has allowed a .358 average over his past eight starts, including .385 on fastballs. That's the highest mark among more than 50 pitchers with at least 400 fastballs thrown since May 12.

• This will be Meyer's 16th career start, and first against the Red Sox. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of his nine starts this season.

• After not starting on Wednesday, the slumping Hanley Ramirez will likely be back in there for Boston tonight. Farrell recently noted how vital it is for Ramirez to regain his stroke. The right-handed hitter is slashing .239/.341/.394 with nine homers and 26 RBIs.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170621237877640/sox-to-retire-papis-number-tonight-vs-angels/?game_pk=491204

[Bear]

RED SOX LINEUP:

Red Sox vs LAA:

Betts RF,
Benintendi LF,
Bogaerts SS,
Moreland 1B,
Ramirez DH,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Leon C,
Rutledge 2B,
Marrero 3B,

Porcello RHP

I just read Pedey will be in the lineup tonite.

[Bill-806]

  Game 78 ??

[longgame]

Where will Fred be?  I hope they play well, for Fred's sake!

[Bear]

Thanks Bill, I was wishing.   iono

[Bear]

Here's a rough pitching matchup:

Alex Meyers, RHP, v Rich Porcello, RHP
JC Ramirez, RHP,  v David Price, LHP
Parker Bridwell, RHP, v Hector Velazquez, RHP

We aren't sending our best against the Angels.....Oh Well

[ipot]

Here's a rough pitching matchup:

Alex Meyers, RHP, v Rich Porcello, RHP
JC Ramirez, RHP,  v David Price, LHP
Parker Bridwell, RHP, v Hector Velazquez, RHP

We aren't sending our best against the Angels.....Oh Well

That's pretty sobering...wow, how things have changed.  And to dare this offense to put up 5-6 runs early in the game is like daring Sandoval to give up a cheeseburger.

I hope for Fred's sake, they somehow manage to pull out a W.

[Bill-806]

  "Victory goes to those who believe in it the most, believe the longest" !!!   ( Col. Jimmy Dolittle, in the early days of World War II . Before the first bombing of Japan)    Go SOX, win this one on Big Papi's night !! thumb_u rofl

[Rob from Mass]

Here's a rough pitching matchup:

Alex Meyers, RHP, v Rich Porcello, RHP
JC Ramirez, RHP,  v David Price, LHP
Parker Bridwell, RHP, v Hector Velazquez, RHP

We aren't sending our best against the Angels.....Oh Well

That's pretty sobering...wow, how things have changed.  And to dare this offense to put up 5-6 runs early in the game is like daring Sandoval to give up a cheeseburger.

I hope for Fred's sake, they somehow manage to pull out a W.

Yeah especially  when traveling cross country.Now that is wha t is called a passionate  Sox fan.

[Bill-806]

Thanks Bill, I was wishing.   iono

  NO, thank you BEAR for all you do for this membership !!! thumb_u

[longgame]

  And to dare this offense to put up 5-6 runs early in the game is like daring Sandoval to give up a cheeseburger.

rofl rofl

Amazing, we should be looking at it as "thank goodness Porcello and Price are pitching because we have Velazquez up." Now it's more like "Hope they pitch as well as Velazquez."

[Bear]

Maybe the BP will help us out.
The house should be packed....Fred it there somewhere.
Life is unfair at times; and yes, I know, it's just a game....a very important
game for some. thumb_u

[Rob from Mass]

On paper, it does not look good.
Meyer last 3 outings  1.08 era and Porcello 8.35
Let's all hope the paper is wrong tonight

[Bear]

We've added Johnny Peralta to the mix...we have a 3b.
Panda and Peralta will share,.grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[markj]

Sox taking advantage of a bad start by Meyer. 3-0 on just 1 hit.