GAME #161, HOUSTON ASTROS AT BOSTON RED SOX

Started by Bear, September 30, 2017, 01:14:14 AM

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Bear

ASTROS V RED SOX

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2017, 1 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  FOX

HOUSTON, (100-60).............................................................................BOSTON, (92-68)

HOUSTON:

LANCE MCCULLERS, JR., RHP, 7-3, 4.01 ERA, 125K

Considering he's only made two starts since July 30 because of injuries,
McCullers' final regular season start will determine his availability for the ALDS.
He gave up two runs in 3 1/3 innins Sunday against the Angels in Houston.

BOSTON:

DREW POMERANZ, LHP, 16-6, 3.38 ERA, 171K

The lefty's velocity has dipped in his last two starts and it showed last time
out, when he was hammered for seven hits and five runs over two-plus innings.
Pomeranz is three innings from matching the career-high of 170 2/3 he logged
in 2016.

Sox try to lock up AL East facing red-hot Astros

Brian McTaggart

The Red Sox's magic number to clinch the American League East title is one, meaning they can lock up the division if they beat the Astros on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park or the Yankees lose to the Blue Jays. The Astros need to win their final two games and have the Indians lose their final two games to get the top seed in the AL and home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs.

So there will be plenty on the line when left-hander Drew Pomeranz (16-6, 3.38 ERA) faces Lance McCullers Jr. (7-3, 4.01 ERA) in the penultimate game of the regular season for two teams getting to know each other well. The Astros, who have won 13 of their past 15 games, and the Red Sox could potentially meet in the American League Division Series presented by Doosan beginning Thursday.

If the Yankees, who are two games back with two to play, come back and catch the Red Sox, the longtime rivals would play a one-game tiebreaker for the AL East title on Monday at Yankee Stadium. The winner of that game would play in the ALDS against either the Astros or the Indians. The loser would host the Twins in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.

"We'll come back [Saturday] ready to play," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "That's without a doubt. This team has definitely done that all year long, bounce back from some tough days, and we'll stick together. That's what we do as a team and what we'll do again."

Pomeranz's velocity was down in his last start, when he got rocked for five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings Monday against the Blue Jays. He's pitched 167 2/3 innings this year, leaving him three shy of his career high he set last year.

McCullers is pitching for only the third time since July 30 because of injuries. He threw only 63 pitches in 3 1/3 innings in his most recent start Sunday, and the Astros would like to stretch him out to about 80 pitches to gauge his readiness for the playoffs.

A healthy and effective McCullers would be a boon to Houston's postseason rotation.

"He's in a different situation just because he hasn't been on the mound a ton in the last month or so," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "We're going to attack the game as he would any start to see what he can do to make himself ready for whatever role we would have for him in the Division Series. He needs to extend himself as long as he can with the pitch count. Just seeing him bounce back from that will help us decide what the best use of innings are going to be."

McCullers went 7-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 16 starts in the first half of the season en route to being named to his first All-Star Game. He was 0-2 with a 9.64 ERA in four July starts before going on the disabled list with back discomfort for the second time this season at the end of the month. He was then scratched from a Sept. 13 start with arm fatigue.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• The Astros (100-60) have won 100 games for only the second time in club history. The only other time they reached the century mark was in 1998, when they went 102-60. They are the third team to reach 100 wins this year (Dodgers, Indians) and own baseball's highest road winning percentage (.658).

• Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has hit safely in eight consecutive games (.387) and reached base in his last 11 games.

• Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has driven in a run in six consecutive games (11 RBIs in that span) and reached base in 12 games in a row. He has 39 doubles, which trails only Cleveland's Jose Ramirez (53) for the most among AL third basemen, and he has set a Houston single-season record for most doubles by a third baseman.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170929256769042/sox-try-to-lock-up-al-east-facing-red-hot-astros/?game_pk=492505

Bear

#1
NUMBER OF GAMES

2

MAGIC NUMBER

1

BOS vs. HOU:

Bogaerts SS,
Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Moreland 1B,
Ramirez DH,
Devers 3B,
Vázquez C,
Bradley Jr. CF,

Pomeranz LHP

Bill-806


Bear

Bill, nevermind what DAD would say, What do you say?

Sea Dog 23

Best thing about today's game --- that comes to mind --- the results will be in by 4:00.  Don't have to agonize into 11:00 and have sleepless nights.   sigh

Bear

BOS vs. HOU:

Bogaerts SS,
Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Betts RF,
Moreland 1B,
Ramirez DH,
Devers 3B,
Vázquez C,
Bradley Jr. CF,

Pomeranz LHP

Lineup looks a little better today; we shall see.

Bill-806

Quote from: Bear on September 30, 2017, 08:12:25 AM
Bill, nevermind what DAD would say, What do you say?
I say, beyond  my BLOOD PRESSURE, it's all about  APRIL, MAY, & JUNE !!   & If DAD was here, he would add "SON,  ya don't want to keep the opposition close as the string winds down, as bad things can/will happen" !! thumb_d rofl

Bear

The yankees have CC Sabathia pitching today as opposed to Garcia???

Bill-806

Bottom of the 2nd, a LOT of EMPTY seats at the FENS !! iono

Bear

I was thinking the same thing Bill, could be the rain kept them home, or, they've had enough! iono

markj

Never seen a team swing at as much crap as the Sox batters do. Devers K'd on back-to-back dirt balls.

ojdidit

Quote from: Bill-806 on September 30, 2017, 12:29:08 PM
Bottom of the 2nd, a LOT of EMPTY seats at the FENS !! iono

The Red Sox have had a promotion on for this homestand that is 4 seats for $20 each and they are actually good seats.  I believe they are tossing in some of the questionable Fenway food as part of the promo.

Schloicka

Had a chance for more than 2 runs that inning but Vaz decided to try and pull a low and away pitch and grounded to SS & Holt looked at all 3 strike pitches.

Bill-806

SCORED 2 RUNS !!!  As DAWN breaks ovaa  MARBLEHEAD!!! thumb_u rofl

markj

Wow, a lead. We'll see how long it holds up. Probably all the scoring they'll do today.