GAME #143, TAMPA BAY RAYS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

RAYS V RED SOX

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2017, 1:30 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, FOX SPORTS SUN

TAMPA, (70-73)...................................................................................BOSTON, (81-61)

TAMPA:

ALEX COBB, RHP, 10-9, 364, 114K

Cobb snapped a three-game losing streak Monday vs the Twins and reached 10
wins for the fourth time in six Major League seasons.  He is shy of tying his career-
high ('13, '12).  He has yielded three earned runs or fewer in 12 of his last 14 starts.

BOSTON:

RICK PORCELLO, RHP, 9-16, 4.67 ERA, 163K

The righty continues to be victimized by home runs.  He was taken deep three times
by the Blue Jays last time out and has given up 35 homers on the season.  After dominating
at Fenway Park last season, Porcello is 6-10 with a 5.38 ERA at home.

Porcello, Sox look to sweep away Cobb, Rays

Bill Chastain

The Rays and the Red Sox will wrap up their three-game series Sunday in a 1:35 p.m. ET contest at Fenway Park.

And the finale has all the trappings of a pitching duel with Alex Cobb (10-9, 3.64 ERA) starting for the Rays and Rick Porcello (9-16, 4.67 ERA) for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox, who have won four straight, hold a 4 1/2-game lead on the second-place Yankees in the American League East, while the slumping Rays have lost three straight and have slipped down in the AL Wild Card standings.

Cobb has pitched well since returning from a stint on the disabled list (turf toe on right big toe), allowing just four earned runs in three starts.

The right-hander picked up the win in his last start on Monday against the Twins when he allowed one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings.

"I feel like that first time back, physically felt tremendous," Cobb said. "I couldn't have asked for better arm strength and overall health. But kind of the strangeness of being on the mound and just the difficulty of getting back in that rhythm was what I expected. It's always there. Each time out there, I've been feeling more and more comfortable."

Porcello got off to a slow start this season. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner went 4-11 with a 4.75 ERA in 19 first-half starts. He's gone 5-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 second-half starts, including a win over the Rays on Aug. 9, when he allowed two runs on four hits in six innings at Tropicana Field.

Porcello is 6-10 with a 5.38 ERA at Fenway Park this season, which is a dramatic turnaround from last season, when he went 13-1 with a 2.97 ERA at his home park.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said he has not seen a big difference in Porcello between this season and last season.

"The starts he's had against us, we got him a couple of times, but his last time he threw well against us," Cash said. "You know the ability is there to pitch a really good ballgame. He's got the stuff -- the fastball usage, the way he can sink it and also four-seam it. So, very talented pitcher. I haven't noticed anything drastically different."

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Porcello is 11-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 21 career starts against the Rays.

• Cobb is 5-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 12 career starts against the Red Sox. He is 4-1 with a 3.34 ERA in six career starts at Fenway Park.

• Christian Vazquez is hitting .667 (4-for-6) against Cobb.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170909253445612/porcello-sox-look-to-sweep-away-cobb-rays/?game_pk=492245

[Bear]

Red Sox vs. TB:

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

Porcello RHP

[Bill-806]

Red Sox vs. TB:

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

Porcello RHP

  Interesting !! iono rofl

[Rob from Mass]

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO ALL IN FLORIDA.

[Bill-806]

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO ALL IN FLORIDA.

  Thank You,  Rob ....

[markj]

Sox striking early again. 1-0. Should be 2-0. Completely ridiculous blown call at the plate upheld even after being reviewed. How on earth did they blow that review call? Are they all blind or just stupid?

[Bear]

My thoughts and prayers going Florida Way.  What a mess.

[ojdidit]

Porcello starting to get a bit shaky.

[ojdidit]

Porcello as part of a post-season roattion would most certaily be a mistake.  Imagine that Fister is now more reliable.  Strange turn of events.

[Bear]

Last I check, 3-1 Rays; games over as far as I'm concerned.

[markj]

Sox down 4-1, Yanks up 5-1. Back to 3-1/2 games.

[Rob from Mass]

18 runs and 27 hits in 1st 2 games one had to figure a  downer was coming from the offense.
Yanks romping the Rangers and the lead at 3.

[ipot]

Boring, uneventful game.  Offense does nothing after 2 days of fun.   Porcello get a high pitch count thru 5

[SeaBeachFred]

We also learned that Pukegaerts can't hit in the lead off spot any better than he can hit in the sixth spot, middle of the order or down in the lineup.  In fact, he can't hit at all and is a total detriment to the team.  He sucks...and when is the front office going to understand that this guy sucks pathetically and he is NOT going to help us.  He needs to take a seat on the bench and be kept there instead of a half-game or game off and then right back in the batting order.  He simply stinks.  Another 0 for 4 today. When the hell will this Pukegaerts nightmare end?

[ipot]

Not a good lineup order.  Fred, batting Bogaerts in the 1 spot was indeed a dumb move by Farrell.