GAME #66, BOSTON RED SOX AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

[Bear]

RED SOX V PHILLIES

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017, 7 PM AT CITIZENS BANK PARK

TV:  NESN, MLBN, (OUT-OF-MARKET ONLY) CSN-P

BOSTON, (37-26).....................................................................PHILADELPHIA, (21-43)

BOSTON:

CHRIS SALE, LHP, 8-2, 2.97 ERA, 126K

The Red Sox ace earned his fourth consecutive win in his last start, striking
out seven batters in seven innings to lead the Red Sox to an 11-3 win over the
Tigers.  He gave up nine hits in the outing, which is his second-highest outing
total of the season.

PHILADELPHIA:

NICK PIVETTA, RHP, 1-3, 5.52 ERA, 27K

Pivetta has looked good at times, but he continues to be plagued by his
inability to pitch into games.  He has made six starts with the Phillies, but
he has not pitched more than five innings in any of those starts.

Sale, Red Sox out to sweep reeling Phillies

Stephen Pianovich

Chris Sale, the Major League leader in strikeouts, will take the mound Thursday at Citizens Bank Park as the Red Sox attempt to sweep the four-game home-and-home series from the Phillies.

Sale, who has 126 strikeouts and nine whiffs or more in 10 of his 13 outings, will oppose Phillies righty Nick Pivetta, who will make his seventh career start. Pivetta allowed four runs on four hits in five innings in his last start, a loss to the Cardinals on Saturday.

That defeat was part of a season-long eight-game losing streak for the Phillies, who haven't won since topping the Braves on June 6. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have won three in a row and are 16-7 since May 21.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• A significant factor in Sale's strikeout success is the lofty rate at which he generates in-zone swing-and-misses -- a Major League-leading 20.2 percent. Moreover, Sale also ranks among the MLB leaders on in-zone pitches (min. 200) with the third-lowest expected weighted on-base average, .270, behind only Max Scherzer (.246) and Carlos Martinez (.248).

• Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland was out of the starting lineup Wednesday night after getting hit with a pitch on his left foot Tuesday night. Manager John Farrell said Moreland is day to day and could be back for the series finale. Hanley Ramirez made his first start of the season at first base Wednesday.

• The Phillies have lost eight consecutive games against Interleague opponents, matching the franchise's worst stretch against the American League. The Phils are 0-3 against the Red Sox, 0-3 against the Rangers and 0-2 against the Mariners in 2017. The club also dropped eight straight Interleague games in 2014.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170614236438400/sale-red-sox-out-to-sweep-reeling-phillies/?game_pk=491091

[Bear]

Red Sox at Phillies:

Betts RF,
Pedroia 2B,
Bogaerts SS,
Moreland 1B,
Benintendi LF,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Sandoval 3B,

Leon C,  Sale LHP

[Rob from Mass]

This 2 cents writer is like so many others out there talking about Sales Ks.
Why don`t they talk about his last 7 games with a 4.2 ERA? That to me is concerning.I understand his April was off the charts but he has been shaky of late.Tonight would be the perfect game to right himself and get back to being the dominant guy he can be. 

[longgame]

This 2 cents writer is like so many others out there talking about Sales Ks.
Why don`t they talk about his last 7 games with a 4.2 ERA? That to me is concerning.I understand his April was off the charts but he has been shaky of late.Tonight would be the perfect game to right himself and get back to being the dominant guy he can be.

They talk more when he pitches great and gets no run support.  I think they're afraid to say anything bad about the best player on the team!

[Rob from Mass]

This 2 cents writer is like so many others out there talking about Sales Ks.
Why don`t they talk about his last 7 games with a 4.2 ERA? That to me is concerning.I understand his April was off the charts but he has been shaky of late.Tonight would be the perfect game to right himself and get back to being the dominant guy he can be.

They talk more when he pitches great and gets no run support.  I think they're afraid to say anything bad about the best player on the team!

Good points.

[SeaBeachFred]

There's been so much negative reaction to our team this season and so much angst to go along with it that it is hard to center on someone who seems to be our "Big Hope".  Still, I'm with all of you hoping that Chris Sale is on top of his game tonight and that we don't stop hitting after a couple of games.

[Bill-806]

Hanley must have a sore FOOT as Moreland is back at 1st !!! rofl iono slap

[Bill-806]

  Just read in the HERALD,  Moreland has a broken  BIG TOE, will play through it !!! thumb_u

[markj]

Sale almost got himself an RBI.

[Leesam01]

Leon was out by a mile. Bad call to send him in.

[Leesam01]

Looks like Chris Sale wants to generate his own offense!

[Schloicka]

Top of the order can't get Sale home.

[Rob from Mass]

Unbelievable  that a bum with a 5.5 ERA can make this team look so bad.

[Schloicka]

Sox down 1-0. Top 9th coming up. It's now or never.

[markj]

Sox are going to waste this gem by Sale. What a shame.