Red Sox - 000 000 100 - 1 6 0 Atlanta - 000 000 000 - 0 4 2Jackie Bradley's first home run of the year accounted for the only run of the night. The racist, tomahawk-chopping* fans in Atlanta probably had no idea what the home run was. Atlanta is 4-15, the worst record in MLB, and has hit only three long balls in 19 games this season, and none in the last 14 games.
Rick Porcello (6.1-4-0-2-6, 98) pitched at least six innings for the 12th consecutive start, the longest current streak in the majors right now. Robbie Ross relieved the Mushroom in the seventh, with runners at first and second and one out. A force play put an enemy runner on third, but Ross struck out pinch-hitter Erick Aybar on a called strike three to end the inning.
Atlanta appeared to have a baserunner with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when a pitch from Craig Kimbrel hit Freddie Freeman's right (front) foot. Freeman called to the dugout and pointed to his foot, so the home plate umpire's call of "ball 1" was challenged. NESN's two replay angles were not good, but it did look like he was hit. However, the call was not overturned! Four pitches later, Freeman struck out, and the Red Sox were victorious.
After Bradley's one-out homer in the seventh, Boston kept hitting. Christian Vazquez doubled. Porcello bunted for a single, but Vazquez had to stay on the bag. (Note to Dave O'Brien: See? Singles do not always score the man on second!) After Mookie Betts fanned, Dustin Pedroia walked, loading the bases. Xander Bogaerts lined to center for the third out.
The Red Sox had scored in the first inning in five consecutive games, but went in order tonight.
*: The tomahawk chop is far worse than Chief Wahoo. What makes it so offensive is the "warpath" organ music played over the PA by the team. I find it astounding that this shit still goes on. It's also surprising that Wahoo gets so much attention, while the chop is ignored, for the most part.
Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Shaw, 1B
Rutledge, 3B
Holt, LF
Bradley, CF
Vazquez, C
Porcello, P
4 comments:
Small sample, I know, but here are the ERA+ figures for the starting rotation through Saturday:
Steven Wright - 288 (3 starts, 19.1 IP)
Rick Porcello - 86 (3 starts, 19.1 IP)
Clay Buchholz - 63 (4 starts, 21.1 IP)
David Price - 57 (4 starts, 21.2 IP)
Joe "Cy Young" Kelly - 44 (3 starts, 8.2 IP)
Definitely looking forward to the return of EdRo.
Strange thing is, he might get Wright's spot.
So Buchholz has been more of an ace than Price? Take THAT, sports radio!!
From Elias:
Mat Latos improved to 4-0 on Sunday although his ERA went up to 0.74. Over the last 50 seasons, the only other pitcher who won his first four games with a team with an ERA as low as Latos's was Tim Wakefield for Boston in 1995 (4-0, 0.54).
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