May 20, 2019

G47: Red Sox 12, Blue Jays 2

Red Sox   - 204 002 202 - 12 16  1
Blue Jays - 020 000 000 -  2  3  1
The Red Sox hit four home runs while limiting the Blue Jays to only three hits. One-third of the Boston lineup - Mitch Moreland, Xander Bogaerts, and Rafael Devers - each had as many hits as the Blue Jays. Those three hitters, combined with Michael Chavis, went 12-for-23, with three home runs and eight RBIs.

The Red Sox scored two runs in the first inning after two were out. In the third, Xander Bogaerts drove in two runs with a single and Michael Chavis hit a two-run homer. Jackie Bradley hit his first home run of the year, a two-run job, in the sixth. Devers and Pearce knocked in runs in the seventh and Bogaerts and Devers opened the ninth with hit back-to-back dongs.

Of the 23 hardest-hit balls in the game, 21 belonged to the Red Sox. Devers's home run had a 114.4 mph exit velocity, the third-hardest-hit ball by the Red Sox since Statcast began tracking hits four years ago.

David Price (5-3-2-0-4, 67) gave up two unearned runs in the second. Chavis committed an error and Luke Maile homered to deep left. That was Toronto's last hit of the afternoon. Price, Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree, Ryan Brasier, and Hector Velázquez faced 23 more batters and allowed only one to reach base (a walk to Freddy Galvis in the seventh). Velázquez struck out the side in the ninth.

Price's four-seam fastball averaged 92.9 mph, a bit more than his season average of 92.4. His velocity improved as the game went on. Price relied on his cutter more than he usual, throwing it 20 times (out of 67 pitches).
David Price / Edwin Jackson
Benintendi, LF
Betts, RF
Moreland, 1B
Bogaerts, SS
Devers, 3B
Chavis, 2B
Pearce, DH
Bradley, CF
León, C
David Price is coming off the injured list (left elbow tendinitis) and making his first start since May 2. Sandy Leon has returned to the team following the birth of his daughter. ... Óscar Hernández and Josh Smith have been optioned back to Pawtucket.

Christian Vazquez is hitting .528, with a 1.263 OPS, over his last 11 games.
Koji Uehara, 44, announced his retirement from professional baseball today. Uehara appeared in 193 games for the Red Sox from 2013-16.

Rob Bradford, WEEI:
In those 193 games, Uehara offered a presence that was almost unimaginable. Over 192.2 innings, he struck out 244 and walked ... 24. His batting average against in those three seasons was .174 with an ERA of 1.78.

The signature season, of course, came during the Red Sox' 2013 World Series run during which he fanned 101, walked nine and finished with a batting average against of .130. [Mariano Rivera's lowest opponent's batting average for a season was .165.] ...

From the time Uehara took over as closer on June 26, 2013 until he got that final out in the World Series, the righty struck out 75 in 58 innings and walked two. TWO. In 54 appearances he allowed runs just four times.

1 comment:

winchou said...

good game today, esp w Price coming back -- gotta beat up on the weak, get ready to head to Houston.

bittersweet to hear about Koji. he played with and showed a real *joy* for the game. watching Sale pitch in Sunday, the announcers were doing the same K vs BB thing; and looking at Koji's numbers -- wow.

all our gratitude to Koji and best wishes to him and his family.