GAME #51, FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019, BOSTON RED SOX @ HOUSTON ASTROS

[Schloicka]

8:10pm Eastern

RED SOX

CHRIS SALE (L)

1. Michael Chavis (R) 2B
2. Mookie Betts (R) RF
3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
4. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
5. Steve Pearce (R) 1B
6. Andrew Benintendi (L) LF
7. Eduardo Nunez (R) 3B
8. Sandy Leon (S) C
9. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF

HOUSTON

Wade Miley (L)

1. George Springer (R) RF
2. Alex Bregman (R) 3B
3. Carlos Correa (R) SS
4. Yuli Gurriel (R) 1B
5. Aledmys Diaz (R) 2B
6. Robinson Chirinos (R) C
7. Josh Reddick (L) LF
8. Tyler White (R) DH
9. Jake Marisnick (R) CF


Gametime Temp: 84°F
Chance of Precip: 1%

[SeaBeachFred]

Well the rubber hits the road again tonight and this time we're going up against the big boys.  In my opinion we have to win this series and we start by doing everything under the sun to win the first game of the series tonight.  The Astros were shut out last night by the other Sox team so they are not omnipotent by any means, but we h ave wasted a lot of time by not ;making up for our dreary start by sweeping more teams.  Losing a DH to the Tigers at home was pathetic and we can't make up that debacle, and we should have won BOTH games of that Colorado series instead of splitting it, and certainly although winning three of four from the Blue Jays was decent, we still lost ground because the Yankees won all four of their games against Baltimore.  Come to think of it we didn't sweep Baltimore either when we played  them.  I know it is asking for a lot but we need to get a lot; we need to go on a long winning streak, then go on another long one but I wonder if our somewhat distracted team can harness that talent to do that.  Greedy or not, I don't like the idea of eventually going in on a Wild Card entry. Except for 2004 our WC record is abysmal. 

[Sea Dog 23]

I really think we're shooting for the playoffs, with an assist from the FO.  Signing Sale and Bogey was a heads up.  At the trade deadline we're going to get a lefty and maybe a catcher or utility guy like we did last year.

[longgame]

Well the rubber hits the road again tonight and this time we're going up against the big boys.  In my opinion we have to win this series and we start by doing everything under the sun to win the first game of the series tonight.  The Astros were shut out last night by the other Sox team so they are not omnipotent by any means, but we h ave wasted a lot of time by not ;making up for our dreary start by sweeping more teams.  Losing a DH to the Tigers at home was pathetic and we can't make up that debacle, and we should have won BOTH games of that Colorado series instead of splitting it, and certainly although winning three of four from the Blue Jays was decent, we still lost ground because the Yankees won all four of their games against Baltimore.  Come to think of it we didn't sweep Baltimore either when we played  them.  I know it is asking for a lot but we need to get a lot; we need to go on a long winning streak, then go on another long one but I wonder if our somewhat distracted team can harness that talent to do that.  Greedy or not, I don't like the idea of eventually going in on a Wild Card entry. Except for 2004 our WC record is abysmal.

Definitely don't want the WC, especially with the unpredictability of this team.  They could have one of those days where they don't seem to show up.  But the numbers are pretty interesting.  In the last 22 they have gone 16-6, or .727.  You can beef about losing 2 of 3 to Houston who was on a 10 game winning streak, but the fact is that they were 15-4 against the lesser teams in that stretch which is .789.  I want to see them win this series but playing the next 10 against Houston, Cleveland and Toronto, mostly on the road, anything above .500 would be good.  Last year at this time they had come off their hot start and lost 2 out of 3 to Oakland, then to Tampa Bay, then to NYY and another 2 of 3 to Oakland.  They took 2 of 3 at TB on Memorial Day but split with Houston a week later.  Dominate the crappy teams and split the good ones and you come out on top.  The Sox are still paying for their terrible start.  Even a decent start would have them in first place.   

[Bill-806]

Well the rubber hits the road again tonight and this time we're going up against the big boys.  In my opinion we have to win this series and we start by doing everything under the sun to win the first game of the series tonight.  The Astros were shut out last night by the other Sox team so they are not omnipotent by any means, but we h ave wasted a lot of time by not ;making up for our dreary start by sweeping more teams.  Losing a DH to the Tigers at home was pathetic and we can't make up that debacle, and we should have won BOTH games of that Colorado series instead of splitting it, and certainly although winning three of four from the Blue Jays was decent, we still lost ground because the Yankees won all four of their games against Baltimore.  Come to think of it we didn't sweep Baltimore either when we played  them.  I know it is asking for a lot but we need to get a lot; we need to go on a long winning streak, then go on another long one but I wonder if our somewhat distracted team can harness that talent to do that.  Greedy or not, I don't like the idea of eventually going in on a Wild Card entry. Except for 2004 our WC record is abysmal.

Definitely don't want the WC, especially with the unpredictability of this team.  They could have one of those days where they don't seem to show up.  But the numbers are pretty interesting.  In the last 22 they have gone 16-6, or .727.  You can beef about losing 2 of 3 to Houston who was on a 10 game winning streak, but the fact is that they were 15-4 against the lesser teams in that stretch which is .789.  I want to see them win this series but playing the next 10 against Houston, Cleveland and Toronto, mostly on the road, anything above .500 would be good.  Last year at this time they had come off their hot start and lost 2 out of 3 to Oakland, then to Tampa Bay, then to NYY and another 2 of 3 to Oakland.  They took 2 of 3 at TB on Memorial Day but split with Houston a week later.  Dominate the crappy teams and split the good ones and you come out on top.  The Sox are still paying for their terrible start.  Even a decent start would have them in first place.

If we don't get our ACT together and run off about 10 in a ROW, we could  all be back on the GOLF LINKS by the end of SEPTEMBER !! iono iono iono iono sigh sigh sigh

[Murph]

Pete Abraham reports JD batting clean up. So much for the IL.

[Bill-806]

Pete Abraham reports JD batting clean up. So much for the IL.

I do like tonight's LINEUP !!! thumb_u iono iono iono

[Murph]

Lost in the excitement of Devers raking at the plate is the good news that he has not made an ERROR since May 2nd.

[longgame]

Heavy right-handed lineup tonight against the lefty Miley.  Devers with the night off.

[Sea Dog 23]

I saw a stat today that Sox are 21-1 when leading after 8 using Workman, Barnes, Brasier, Walden and Hembree.  That probably beats the closers from last year at this point.

[Sea Dog 23]

One hit off Wade Miley, are you kidding.  Sale can't get any help.

[elktonnick]

I have been posting about a lack of focus for weeks now.  Please DON'T TELL  ME this team is playing well.  In the last of the fourth the Red Sox have played about as poorly and as sloppy as I have ever seen a team play.  Words can not describe how incompetent they looked.

[markj]

Yeah, two costly errors so far. Sloppy.

[elktonnick]

The Astros are busting their humps playing all out to win;  the Red Sox aren't.

[Sea Dog 23]

We now have more errors than hits.  Just about the whole team is choking tonight.  Either that or they got jet lag from Toronto.