September 30, 2015

G158: Red Sox 9, Yankees 5 (11)

Red Sox - 301 000 100 04 - 9 13  0
Yankees - 010 031 000 00 - 5 12  0
Mookie Betts's second home run of the night capped a four-run eleventh inning, giving Boston its sixth straight win.

Travis Shaw hit a three-run homer in the first and he and Betts (who had tied the game at 5-5 with his first dong) each drove in three runs.
Example
Wade Miley / Masahiro Tanaka
Betts, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Holt, RF
Swihart, C
Marrero, 3B
Bradley, LF
Can the Red Sox go 4-1 over the final five games of the season - two in New York, three in Cleveland - and finish at .500?

September 29, 2015

G157: Red Sox 10, Yankees 4

Red Sox - 600 010 021 - 10 11  1
Yankees - 400 000 000 -  4  7  1
Blake Swihart hit two home runs and drove in five runs. He capped an explosive first inning by hitting a three-run shot and added a two-run dong in the eighth.

Boston - who now has its first five-game winning streak of the season - is in sole possession of third place. ... Since August 17, the Red Sox are 25-14 (.641) - which is a 104-win pace over an entire season.

Rick Porcello: 8-6-4-1-8, 118. ... Mookie Betts homered and doubled.
Example
Rick Porcello / Michael Pineda
Betts, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Holt, RF
Swihart, C
Marrero, 3B
Bradley, LF
Red Sox Press Notes:
The Red Sox have allowed just 1 run over their last 4 games, matching the fewest runs allowed over any 4-game span in franchise history for the 6th time, and the first since the final 5 regulation games of 1978. They also did it in 4-game stretches in 1903, 1915, 1918, and 1919.

The Red Sox record for fewest total runs allowed in any 5-game stretch is 2 (July 3-6, 1915).
The Toronto Blue Jays (91-65) can clinch their first AL East title since 1993 tonight if they beat the Orioles and Boston beats New York.

In 14 starts since the All-Star break, Jake Arrieta of the Cubs has allowed only nine earned runs for a microscopic ERA of 0.80. Is he having one of the best half-seasons of all-time? (I note that the Top 8 half-seasons according to "wOBA-Allowed" include both halves of Pedro's 2000 season!)

September 28, 2015

NESN Defends Its Refusal To Show In-Park Tribute To Orsillo

It wasn't an accident. NESN refused to show any of the Fenway Park tribute to play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo during Sunday's game against the Orioles. ESPN's Gordon Edes reports:
Multiple NESN sources told ESPN.com that they were instructed not to show the tribute or the fans chanting Orsillo's name after a prolonged ovation.
On Monday, the network defended its decision:
Yesterday's Don Orsillo tribute by the Red Sox was designed to be an in-ballpark celebration for the fans in attendance.

NESN already had separate plans underway to recognize Don during our last telecast of the season this Sunday (Oct 4).

We look forward to celebrating Don's career at NESN throughout that game.
There are reports that the anger towards NESN by huge numbers of fans over how the network bungled (and is still bungling) the entire Orsillo affair took management completely by surprise. Which is absolutely stunning, if true. How clueless and tone deaf must these people be?

And now, after refusing to show Sunday's tribute, NESN is likely scrambling to cover its tracks, claiming a tribute is in the works for Game 162. However, it has not been explained why, even if NESN is preparing its own tribute to Orsillo after his 15 years of service, it had to deliberately not show fans at home what was happening at Fenway Park.

ESPN's Gordon Edes raised the same point last night in a series of tweets:
It's fine NESN plans to honor Orsillo on Sunday--it would be appalling if they didn't--but doesn't begin to explain no-show of Fens ovation

NESN prides itself on having an eye for everything at ballpark--pizza slices flying in stands--but doesn't show Sox standing O for Donny O?

I don't doubt NESN plans to do something this Sunday. But why offer lame defense of ignoring what happened at Fenway Sunday?

Here's what NESN showed: Come out of break, cameras show Sox clapping, DO on board patting heart. DO: Wow, that was something." (more)

Remy: "That was very nice. A little video tribute to Don between innings and a great reception from the crowd....Chanting your name, Don."

No further mention, and nothing of video tribute was shown.
In you missed it, Edes had a wonderful story about Orsillo's final day at Fenway.

Also: If, as Edes wrote, NESN "prides itself on having an eye for everything at [the] ballpark", then why does it regularly miss pitches to the batter, plays at all the bases, players throwing the ball in the field, various baserunning action, pitchers' throws to first, the flight of the baseball either in the air or on the ground, etc.?

NESN should thank the heavens every day that it has a monopoly on broadcasting Red Sox games. Because just about any competitor could come in and do a better job. Simply showing the entire game would be an improvement.

G156: Red Sox 5, Yankees 1

Red Sox - 000 002 201 - 5 10  1
Yankees - 100 000 000 - 1  9  0
Travis Shaw and Jackie Bradley each hit two-run home runs off Yankee starter Ivan Nova.

Deven Marrero hit a solo shot in the ninth. ... Shaw also had two singles to go with his sixth-inning dong. ... Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts each had two hits; Betts had two doubles.

Eduardo Rodriguez (6-7-1-1-5, 97) allowed one or no runs in a start for the 11th time in 21 games - the most in the last 100 years by an American League left-hander. ... Also, the Red Sox's pitching staff has allowed only one run in its last four games.

Jon Shestakofsky presented this list:
All-Time Seasons - 40 2B, 15 HR, 20 SB at age 22 or younger
Mookie Betts, 2015
Hanley Ramirez, 2006
Alex Rodriguez, 1997
Vada Pinson, 1959
Example
Eduardo Rodriguez / Ivan Nova
Betts, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Shaw, 1B
Holt, RF
Craig, DH
Swihart, C
Marrero, 3B
Bradley, LF
While the Yankees are almost assured of playing in the Wild Card Game one week from tomorrow, they have not clinched a postseason berth. Getting swept in this four-game series - or even losing three games - could potentially toss a wrench into their October plans.

Also, New York is one victory away from 10,000 regular-season wins, and it would be nice if they did not reach that milestone while the Red Sox are in town.

Boston will try for a franchise-record fourth consecutive shutout.

Tonight will likely be Rodriguez's last start of the year, as he's reached his innings limit (48.1 with Pawtucket and 115.2 with the Red Sox = 164 IP). Earlier reports had his limit at roughly 170.

Boston's rotation for the rest of the series: Rick Porcello (Tuesday), Wade Miley (Wednesday), and Rich Hill (Thursday).

September 27, 2015

NESN Fails To Show Fenway Tribute To Don Orsillo

Gordon Edes, ESPNBoston:
The video tribute at Fenway Park Sunday to Red Sox broadcaster Don Orsillo after the seventh inning was a nice touch, but it never aired on NESN. Beyond a brief mention by his partner Jerry Remy, it might as well have never happened for the ones who care the most, the folks watching on NESN, either at home or in the bars and nursing homes and workplaces where Orsillo has come to be regarded as a dear friend. ...

But the fans at the ballpark let it be known, loud and clear, how they felt about losing Orsillo, a regular companion on so many spring and summer and early autumn days, during his last broadcast of a Sox game on Yawkey Way.

"Don Or-sil-lo," they chanted for the kid who was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, grew up in Madison, New Hampshire, went to school around the corner at Northeastern, dreamed of broadcasting for the Sox and never wanted for another job. ...

"That's a moment," Orsillo said, "I will take to my grave."
So, in addition to being incompetent, NESN is also petty and vindictive.

G155: Red Sox 2, Orioles 0

Orioles - 000 000 000 - 0  5  2
Red Sox - 101 000 00x - 2  7  1
The Red Son won their third consecutive game by shutout, tying a team record. It was the tenth* time Boston pitchers have thrown three straight shutouts.

Elias Sports reports that this was the first time the Red Sox have ever won three straight games by shutout in games started by left-handed pitchers.

Not only did the Orioles not touch home plate for three days, they managed to get only two runners as far as third base in 27 innings.

Three Straight Shutouts
June 27-28, 1903      - Beat Browns 6-0, 1-0, 3-0
July 3-5, 1915        - Beat A's 11-0, Senators 4-0, 6-0
June 21-23, 1916      - Beat Yankees 2-0, 1-0, A's 1-0
July 9-11, 1918       - Beat Cleveland 1-0, 2-0, White Sox 4-0
September 8-11, 1919  - Beat Yankees 3-0, Browns 4-0, 6-0
September 19-21, 1958 - Beat Senators 2-0, 2-0, 2-0
August 8-11, 1962     - Beat Cleveland 6-0, 4-0, Orioles 3-0
August 24-26, 1990    - Beat Blue Jays 2-0, 1-0, 1-0
April 25-29, 2004     - Beat Yankees 2-0, Rays 6-0, 4-0
September 25-27, 2015 - Beat Orioles 7-0, 8-0, 2-0
(*: An 11th instance was spread over two seasons: October 2-3, 1999 (Beat Orioles 8-0, 1-0) to April 4, 2000 (Beat Mariners 2-0).)

Henry Owens: 7.2-3-0-1-5, 110. ... Brock Holt scored on a wild pitch in the first inning and Blake Swihart homered in the third. ... Xander Bogaerts had two hits, raising his average to .324.

This was the Red Sox's first sweep of at least three games without allowing a run since September 19-21, 1958, against the Senators.
Example
Ubaldo Jimenez / Henry Owens
Betts, RF
Holt, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 3B
Castillo, LF
Craig, 1B
Swihart, C
Bradley, CF

September 26, 2015

G154: Red Sox 8, Orioles 0

Orioles - 000 000 000 - 0  5  3
Red Sox - 000 011 24x - 8  8  0
Craig Breslow (4-2-0-2-2, 55) and six relievers combined to shutout the Orioles for the second straight game.

Example
Wei-Yin Chen / Craig Breslow
Betts, RF
Pedroia, DH
Bogaerts, SS
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Holt, 3B
Rutledge, 2B
Swihart, C
Bradley, CF
Craig Breslow will make his first major league start this afternoon. Breslow, who has appeared in 522 games over ten seasons as a reliever, is expected to throw roughly 40 pitches.

Mookie Betts has reached base in 28 straight games.

September 25, 2015

G153: Red Sox 7, Orioles 0

Orioles - 000 000 000 - 0  2  0
Red Sox - 001 013 02x - 7  9  1
Rich Hill: 9-2-0-1-10, 116.

Rich Hill is the only major league pitcher in the last 100 years to record at least 10 strikeouts in each of his first three career starts with any single American League team.

He is also the first pitcher since 1900 to make his season debut in September or later and have 10+ strikeouts in his first three games of that season.

Longest Red Sox Streaks with 10+ strikeouts and no more than 1 walk, last 100 Years:
3 Games, Rich Hill, 2015
3 Games, Pedro Martinez, 1999
(Thanks to Jon Shestakofsky for the factoids.)

Mookie Betts robbed Chris Davis of a home run, leaping over the bullpen wall and snagging the ball for the final out of the game (video).

Example
Kevin Gausman / Rich Hill
Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Marrero, 3B
Holt, LF
Leon, C
Bradley, CF
Also: Rays/Blue Jays and White Sox/Yankees. ... The Blue Jays' East-clinching magic number is 8. It has been 22 years since Toronto finished atop the division (1993).

September 24, 2015

Mike Hazen Named Red Sox General Manager

The Red Sox have named Mike Hazen as their new general manager, replacing Ben Cherington.

ESPN reported that Hazen, 39, "began his tenure with the Red Sox as director of player development in February 2006 and has served in several areas of major league operations, including player acquisitions, player evaluation, contract negotiations, major league scouting, and pro scouting. Hazen was named senior vice president/assistant GM last January."

G152: Rays 4, Red Sox 2

Rays    - 000 003 100 - 4 11  1
Red Sox - 200 000 000 - 2  5  0
David Ortiz hit a two-run homer (with Mookie Betts aboard). It was his 36th dong of the season and RBI #s 100 and 101.

It was Ortiz's ninth season with 100+ RBI for the Red Sox, tying Ted Williams for most in club history.

Ortiz now has six 35-HR/100-RBI season with the Red Sox (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015). That is the most in team history (Jimmie Foxx and Manny Ramirez each had five seasons).

Most 30-HR/100-RBI Seasons For American League Team
1. Babe Ruth    12  Yankees
2. Lou Gehrig   10  Yankees
3. David Ortiz   9  Red Sox
Example
Erasmo Ramirez / Wade Miley
Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Holt, 3B
Hanigan, C
Bradley, CF

Pedro Still Owns The Inside Part Of The Plate

Even in a TV studio.

Royals Pitcher Chris Young Is Pro-Robots

Kansas City Royals pitcher Chris Young:
The biggest thing I'd like to see is the automatic strike zone. It's the single most important aspect to the game and the most subjective aspect. Umpires do an amazing job, but they're human beings, and there's a margin of error there. To me, that would speed up the game dramatically. Half the time now it's guys stepping out of the box, asking where the call was. It doesn't eliminate the home-plate umpire. You still need him for check swings, plays at the plate. It makes his job easier. And you know what you're going to get. I know when I step off the mound, half the time it's to think, "OK, don't get wrapped up in the call." I gather myself, compose myself. But it takes a minute. We're human beings. We get focused on what we consider a missed call. ...

The NBA rim isn't 10-6 one night and 9-8 the next. It's 10 feet every night. When you step onto the court, you know exactly what you're getting. I think it would speed up the game way more than people expect. Because guys step out. Pitchers want to know where the pitch was. They call the catcher to the mound. All that takes time.

September 23, 2015

G151: Rays 6, Red Sox 2

Rays    - 000 000 132 - 6 14  1
Red Sox - 000 000 002 - 2  7  1
The Blue Jays beat the Yankees 4-0 and increased their lead to 3.5 games, with 10 games to play. New York has 11 games left on its schedule, including four against the Red Sox next week in the Bronx.
Example
Drew Smyly / Rick Porcello
Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Swihart, C
Marrero, 3B
Bradley, CF

Lawrence "Yogi" Berra (1925-2015)


"You should always go to other people's funerals, otherwise, they won't come to yours."

The Krank: His Language And What It Means (1888)

John Thorn, Our Game:
In baseball literature, this little book – sixty-four pages, dimensions two inches by two-and-a-half inches, printed on "blood parchment" and "bound in the skin of a baseball" – is the rarest of the rare. The New York Public Library has a copy, and so does the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library. Three other copies appear to exist, also held by institutions, and another, the sixth, was sold at auction nine years ago. Its author is Thomas William Lawson, who would go on to fame as a wizard of Wall Street, but who at this time was the manager of a troubled publishing firm in Boston, Rand Avery Company, which printed the book and sold it to the public for twenty-five cents.

The Krank: His Language and What It Means is a humorous glossary of baseball terms. Many of these are highly picturesque to the modern imagination (a strikeout is "cutting a hole in space," "smashing the wind," or "compressing the atmosphere"). Others are fascinating for their etymological clues. What we today call a "pop fly," for instance, is defined and depicted as a pot fly – the household insect that traces lazy circles over a steaming pot in the kitchen. The book begins:

The Krank is a heterogeneous compound of flesh, bone, and base-ball, mostly base-ball. He came into existence along back in the early seventies. He came to stay.

The Krank is purely American. He is found in no other country.

The Krank is of the masculine gender. The female of the tribe is known to science as a Kranklet.

The Krank has reached a high state of cultivation. The Kranklet is at present only partly developed.

The Krank has a shell, into which he crawls in the month of November. He does not emerge from it until April. While in his shell his only article of food is stray newspaper articles on deals. During the Krank season, from April to November, he subsists on air, and waxes strong.
Thorn - the official historian of MLB and the author of Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game - has uploaded the entire book as jpgs.

Also: The Hidden Game of Baseball (written with Pete Palmer and published in 1984) has been recently republished. This landmark book of progressive thought and sabermetrics belongs in every baseball fan's library.

September 22, 2015

G150: Rays 5, Red Sox 2

Rays    - 000 012 020 - 5  8  0
Red Sox - 200 000 000 - 2  8  1
Also: Yankees 6, Blue Jays 4 (10). Toronto leads by 2.5 games.
Example
Matt Moore / Henry Owens
Betts, RF
Rutledge, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Swihart, C
Marrero, 3B
Bradley, CF
Alex Speier, 108 Stitches (Globe):
This doesn't happen.

To have one player who is so good at such a young age is catching lightning in a bottle. To have another bolt strike the same place at the same time? Preposterous.

Yet that's what's happening right now with the Red Sox. Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts, born five days apart in the first week of October 1992, are both emerging in a way that has them leading the Red Sox out of the ignominy of last place with the possibility of vastly better days on the horizon. ...

[Bogaerts is] now hitting .323 with a .353 OBP and .426 slugging mark. In the last 75 years, here's the complete list of American League players to hit .320 or better in their age 22 seasons (or younger):
Ted Williams (Hall of Famer, 1940-41)
Al Kaline (Hall of Famer, 1955)
Paul Molitor (Hall of Famer, 1979)
Ken Griffey Jr. (soon-to-be Hall of Famer, 1991)
Alex Rodriguez (would-have-been Hall of Famer, 1996)
Mike Trout (likely-to-be Hall of Famer, 2012-13)
Bogaerts ...
How rare is it to have two players who are so young performing at that level on the same team? Since 1901, the Red Sox are now just the third team with two players who, in their age 22 season or younger, have posted a WAR of 4.0 or better. The others were the 1909 Tigers (Ty Cobb, Donie Bush) and the 1970 Reds (Johnny Bench, Bernie Carbo).

Betts and Bogaerts have each reached base 200-plus times this year (Betts has exactly 200). They're the first Sox teammates to reach 200 times at the age of 22 or younger since Tony Conigliaro and George Scott in 1966 — a performance that offered a harbinger of the Sox emerging from second-division failure as a regular contender.

September 21, 2015

G149: Red Sox 8, Rays 7

Rays    - 300 000 031 - 7 11  1
Red Sox - 000 100 34x - 8 10  1
Xander Bogaerts's eighth-inning grand slam erased Tampa Bay's 6-4 lead. Bogaerts finished the night 2-for-5, with a double, home run, two runs scored, and five RBI. Boston (72-77) moved into sole possession of fourth place, dropping the Rays into the basement.

After Xavier Cedeno struck out the first two Boston hitters in the eighth, he plunked Jackie Bradley with a pitch. Mookie Betts (2-for-3, 2 BB) and Dustin Pedroia (3-for-4) each singled and Bogaerts nailed a 2-2 pitch to left field for his seventh home run of the season.

David Price and the Blue Jays beat the Yankees 4-2. Toronto leads the East by 3.5 games.
Example
Chris Archer / Eduardo Rodriguez
Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Holt, 3B
Hanigan, C
Bradley, CF
A win tonight will put the Red Sox in fourth place!

In his last two starts against Boston (June 28 and September 11), Archer has allowed eight runs in 11 innings. I hope that if the Red Sox beat Archer again, they don't celebrate too much and hurt his feelings.

Alex Speier of the Globe notes that Rodriguez's 1.68 ERA in night games this year "is the lowest since at least 1914 by a Red Sox pitcher who has made 10 or more night starts in a season, besting Pedro’s 1.82 mark in his outrageous 1999 season."

Note: I know you have to add that "since at least 1914" qualifier when using Baseball Reference's Play Index, but there were absolutely no night games before 1914, so in this case you can say "in Red Sox history" and be completely safe!

Also: Yankees at Blue Jays. Toronto leads the East by 2.5 games.

September 20, 2015

G148: Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 3

Red Sox   - 000 120 010 - 4 10  1
Blue Jays - 030 000 000 - 3  9  3
The Red Sox authored another come-from-behind victory on Sunday afternoon, with Jackie Bradley hitting a sacrifice fly to snap a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning.

Toronto stranded a runner at second base in the bottom half on the ninth, against Robbie Ross. Justin Smoak - who made the final out in yesterday's game - struck out to end this affair.

Rich Hill (7-7-3-0-10, 107) is the first Red Sox pitcher in history to record at least 10 strikeouts in each of his first two career starts for the team.

Travis Shaw went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs in the fifth inning. ... Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts each had two hits, and X scored twice.

The Yankees - who now trail the Blue Jays by three games - and Mets play tonight at 8 PM.
Example
Rich Hill / Mark Buehrle
Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Sandoval, 3B
Castillo, LF
Leon, C
Bradley, CF

September 19, 2015

G147: Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 6

Red Sox   - 000 001 105 - 7 13  0
Blue Jays - 000 002 022 - 6  8  0
Coming into Saturday's game, the Blue Jays were 73-0 when leading after eight innings.

Make that 73-1.

Jackie Bradley hit a one-out, game-tying, two-run homer in the top of the ninth - and the Red Sox kept hitting, batting around and scoring five times. (Bradley also tied the game at 2-2 with a double in the seventh.)

Brock Holt began the inning with a double off Roberto Osuna and, after Blake Swihart was called out on strikes, Bradley clubbed his ninth homer of the season, into the second deck in right-center. Mookie Betts grounded out, but Dustin Pedroia walked. The Jays brought in Aaron Sanchez. Xander Bogaerts singled. David Ortiz singled, giving Boston a 5-4 lead. A wild pitch scored another run - and after Travis Shaw was intentionally walked, Rusney Castillo singled in another run. Finally, Ryan Tepera, Toronto's third pitcher of the inning, retired Holt for the final out.

Robbie Ross set down the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth - and then it was "fasten your seat belts" time. Josh Donaldson walked and Jose Bautista lined a two-run dong to left-center. Pinch-hitter Matt Hague doubled to deep center, bringing the potential winning run to the plate. Justin Smoak took a strike and then grounded to Pedroia at second.

The Yankees beat the Mets 5-0, cutting Toronto's AL East-lead to 3.5 games.
Example
Wade Miley / R.A. Dickey
Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Holt, 3B
Swihart, C
Bradley, CF

Schadenfreude 184 (A Continuing Series)




September 18, 2015

G146: Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 1

Red Sox   - 000 010 000 - 1  8  1
Blue Jays - 001 302 00x - 6  9  0
Not all Red Sox losses are bad. In dropping the first game of a weekend series at Skydome, Boston helped scuttle the Yankees' division-winning dreams. The Mets beat the MFY 5-1, dropping the Yankees 4.5 games behind Toronto in the AL East.

Porcello: 6-8-6-2-4, 111. ... Mookie Betts had two hits, including a double. ... Josh Rutledge knocked in Boston's lone run, which was scored by Rusney Castillo.
Example
Rick Porcello / Marcus Stroman
Betts, RF
Holt, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Swihart, C
Rutledge, 2B
Bradley, CF
Mookie Betts will try his hand at playing right field during this series. According to interim manager Torey Lovullo:
We all know Jackie [Bradley] is comfortable in center. ... Jackie is comfortable no matter where you put him. We're probably looking at Mookie's first steps, Mookie's coverage. His reads. It's more about Mookie in the situation of being a right fielder than it is Jackie being a center fielder. We feel fine about arm strength. Everybody is concerned about the right fielder's arm strength. We know that Mookie has really improved in that area.
It has been reported that the Red Sox and Blue Jays will close out spring training in 2016 with two exhibition games at Montreal's Olympic Stadium on April 1 and 2. Boston will begin the regular season in Cleveland on April 4.

While the Red Sox are (I hope) rolling over for the Blue Jays, the Yankees play the NL East-leading Mets.

1928 Baseball Blowout: Atlantic 109, Griswold 0

ESPN has counted down the 100 "most stunning blowouts" in sports: 100-76, 75-51, 50-26, 25-1.

This one caught my eye:
44. HS Baseball: Atlantic (Iowa) 109, Griswold 0

April 26, 1928: These were the days before mercy rules, although a newspaper report said the game was called after eight innings because the scorekeeper was exhausted. Atlantic scored in every inning, including 30 runs in the second. It was no vacation for Griswold's pitcher, who went the distance and allowed 92 hits. Atlantic's pitcher, meanwhile, threw a no-hitter.
I found a short account of the game in the Daily Illini.

Atlantic pitcher Don King struck out 16 batters in his no-hitter. He also went 15-for-17 at the plate. A teammate named Ross was up 14 times and scored 14 runs.

Gustim, Griswold's sole pitcher, allowed 92 hits, including 23 doubles, 6 triples, and 16 home runs. His mates committed 22 errors.

The story also mentions Griswold's "girl wonder", outfielder Alice Buckman, who was not present at this game.

The linescore!
Atlantic -  4 30 12   6  6  6   27 18 - 109  92   1
Griswold -  0  0  0   0  0  0    0  0 -   0   0  22

P.S. An article on Alice Buckman was published in the Ottawa Citizen on May 12, 1928.
An Intimate Close-Up Of Alice Buckman
Girl Baseball Star Is Neither Flapper Nor Tomboy, Can Cook And Sew Too, And Hates Cigarettes
"She'll Make Some Man Dandy Wife," Mother Says

September 17, 2015

A Favour

Anyone out there living in Arizona?

I'm looking for copies of two obituaries from December 1993, one from the Arizona Republic and another from the Mesa Tribune. Perhaps a library near you has the microfilm?

If you can help, send me an email and I'll give you the details.

September 16, 2015

Is David Ortiz The Most Important Player In Red Sox History?

Is David Ortiz the most important player in Boston Red Sox history?

WEEI's Rob Bradford says Yes.
David Ortiz has meant more to the Red Sox than any player in the franchise's history.

Yes, I know, Ted Williams was a better hitter. He was the best hitter. Yes, I know, Carl Yastrzemski played longer and was a superior all-around player. Yes, I know, Pedro Martinez was more dominant during a concentrated period.

No matter. Ortiz has earned the right to be labeled the first face of the organization's Mount Rushmore. ...

It all adds up. Some will never accept it. I get it. Still, all things considered, I have to believe we're watching the player who has meant more to the Red Sox than any other player before him.

G145: Red Sox 10, Orioles 1

Red Sox - 013 500 010 - 10 12  1
Orioles - 000 000 001 -  1  8  0
Dustin Pedroia hit two home runs and drove in five runs.

Henry Owens: 7.2-6-0-0-4, 113.

Brock Holt singled twice, scored twice, and drove in two runs. David Ortiz also had two hits, including his 35th home run of the season. This is Ortiz's sixth 35+ HR season with the Red Sox, the most in team history (Jimmie Foxx, Manny Ramirez, and Ted Williams had five).
Example
Henry Owens / Mike Wright
Holt, RF
Sandoval, 3B
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Swihart, C
Bradley, CF
Marrero, SS
The Red Sox have shut down Junichi Tazawa for the rest of the season. Interim manager Torey Lovullo: "There is no injury. There is nothing behind this other than us giving him a rest."

Joe Kelly pitched only 2.1 innings (53 pitches) last night before leaving with right shoulder tightness and fatigue.

OTM's Alex Skillin writes, about Owens:
He's flashed dominant form against good offenses, but also seen big league hitters punish his mistakes in a way minor leaguers likely never did. ... His performances for Boston haven't been altogether convincing, though how much his development would benefit from a return to the minors is unknown.

September 15, 2015

G144: Orioles 6, Red Sox 5 (13)

Red Sox - 001 030 010 000 0 - 5 12  1
Orioles - 004 010 000 000 1 - 6  9  0
Example
Joe Kelly / Ubaldo Jimenez
Betts, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Sandoval, 3B
Castillo, LF
Hanigan, C
Bradley, RF
David Ortiz was named AL Player of the Week, with a .444/.545/1.111 hitting line, three homers (including career blast #500), and nine RBIs. It was the sixth time Ortiz has won the award, but the first since May 30-June 5, 2011.

September 14, 2015

G143: Orioles 2, Red Sox 0

Red Sox - 000 000 000 - 0  3  1
Orioles - 100 000 10x - 2  9  0
Example
Eduardo Rodriguez / Kevin Gausman
Betts, CF
Rutledge, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Sandoval, 3B
Castillo, LF
Swihart, C
Bradley, RF
The Battle for Third Place continues ...
TOR ----
MFY  3.5
BAL 12.5
TBR 12.5
BOS 13.5

September 13, 2015

G142: Red Sox 2, Rays 0 (13)

Red Sox - 000 000 000 000 2 - 2 14  0
Rays    - 000 000 000 000 0 - 0  3  0
Rusney Castillo (3-for-4) drove in the game's only two runs with a bases-loaded single in the top of the 13th inning.

Before that, however, Rich Hill (7-1-0-1-10, 109) was superb. The lefty allowed only four baserunners in seven innings: a two-out walk in the second, an infield single by J.P. Arencibia in the third, an HBP later on in the third, and an HBP to open the fifth.

Tampa Bay had only two runners past first base through the first 11 innings. With one out in the bottom of the 12th, Steven Souza doubled down the left field line. After Heath Hembree walked pinch-hitter John Jaso intentionally, he got James Loney to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.

In the top of the 13th, facing lefty Enny Romero, Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts lashed one-out, line-drive singles to center. After a meeting at the mound, Travis Shaw grounded a single into right - and the Red Sox had the bases loaded. The Rays called on righty Andrew Bellatti and brought the infield in. Castillo took a strike and lined a single to left that scored both FY and a hard-charging XB. Allen Craig (when your DH is slugging .167, you know you are playing out the string) ended the inning by hitting into a double play.

Robbie Ross was given the task of closing it out in the home half of the 13th. After quickly retiring the first two batters, Ross gave up a single to Grady Sizemore. It was a minor hiccup, though, and Ross struck out Asdrubal Cabrera.

Mookie Betts went 3-for-6, extending his hitting streak to 18 games. ... Castillo was on base four times: two singles, double, walk. ... Bogaerts singled twice and walked. ... Deven Marrero and Pedroia also had two hits. ... The Red Sox struck out 19 times against starter Drew Smyly (6-4-0-2-11, 97) and five relievers.
Example
Rich Hill / Drew Smyly
Betts, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Craig, DH
Marrero, 3B
Leon, C
Bradley, RF
Rich Hill will start a major league game for the first time in six years this afternoon. Hill made 13 starts for Baltimore in 2009, before becoming a reliever for the Red Sox (2010-12), Cleveland (2013), Angels (2014), and Yankees (2014). In five starts for Pawtucket this season, Hill has a 2.78 ERA.

September 12, 2015

500

REINHOLD MATAY/USA TODAY SPORTS

G141: Red Sox 10, Rays 4

Red Sox - 302 210 200 - 10 13  0
Rays    - 000 020 110 -  4  7  1
David Ortiz hit two home runs - #499 and #500!

Ortiz became the 27th major league player to hit 500 regular season home runs when he crushed a solo shot to right-center (432 feet) in the fifth inning. He also blasted a three-run shot in the first inning. Both home runs came off Matt Moore.

Mookie Betts (#15) and Dustin Pedroia (#10) hit back-to-back dongs in the third. ... Pedroia added a two-run double in the fourth. ... Travis Shaw hit a two-run bomb in the seventh.

Rick Porcello: 7-5-3-3-8, 118.

Also: Yankee reliever Chasen Shreve issued three bases-loaded walks in the top of the eleventh inning this afternoon as the Blue Jays strolled to a 9-5 victory in the first game of a doubleheader. New York blew a 4-1 lead and now trails Toronto by 3.5 games. ... The Yankees lost the nightcap 10-4.
Example
Rick Porcello / Matt Moore
Betts, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Sandoval, 3B
Castillo, LF
Swihart, C
Bradley, RF

September 11, 2015

G140: Rays 8, Red Sox 4

Red Sox - 100 003 000 - 4  8  1
Rays    - 300 000 05x - 8 12  0
Junichi Tazawa had another bad outing, blowing the save and taking the loss after allowing four runs on four hits (including a two-run home run) and two wild pitches.

Xander Bogaerts went 3-for-5 and scored twice. ... David Ortiz, Travis Shaw, and Pablo Sandoval each had two hits. ... Miley: 7-7-3-0-5, 109.

The Blue Jays beat the Yankees 11-5 - Toronto is on a 30-9 run - to increase their AL East lead to 2.5 games.
Example
Wade Miley / Chris Archer
Betts, CF
Holt, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Sandoval, 3B
Castillo, LF
Hanigan, C
Bradley, RF
AL East
TOR ----
MFY  1.5
FKR 11.0
BAL 12.0
BOS 13.0
With the next six games against the Rays and Orioles, this is Boston's chance to jump into third place.

The Blue Jays and Yankees begin a four-game series tonight in New York.

September 10, 2015

16 Years Ago: Pedro Strikes Out 17 Yankees

In a new MLB video, Pedro Martinez talks about his 17-strikeout, one-hit performance against the Yankees on September 10, 1999.


Here is the box score.

Buster Olney, New York Times, September 11, 1999:
Hitters gossip on the Yankees' bench during games, sharing information about the opposing pitcher's flaws. But there was no free-flowing exchange of thought last night, no tips, no insight. They said nothing in the dugout because there was nothing to say. Boston's Pedro Martinez humbled the Yankees in their home park in a manner never seen before.

Martinez struck out 17, the most ever against the Yankees, and Chili Davis had the Yankees' only hit, a home run, as Boston prevailed, 3-1. Martinez faced 28 batters, one over the minimum, and those making the loudest noises among the 55,239 at Yankee Stadium were Red Sox fans. Boston pulled to within five and a half games of the Yankees in the American League East, hoisted almost single-handedly by a pitcher with a sagging face, the body of an oversized jockey, and an arm and confidence of a comic book superhero.

"We didn't get beat by the Red Sox," said Paul O'Neill, the Yankees' right fielder. "We got beat by Pedro Martinez."

Jimy Williams, the Boston manager, said it was the best pitching effort he had ever seen. David Cone agreed, less than two months removed from throwing a perfect game. Joe Torre, the Yankees' manager, mentioned Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax as he drew comparable efforts from his memory.

Said Martinez: "This is as good as it gets, I won't lie."

As if he could fool anybody. As if the Yankees had any chance. Derek Jeter was Martinez's first strikeout victim, on a 97 mile-an-hour fastball in the first inning, and Chuck Knoblauch was his 17th, the last out of the game, on a 97 m.p.h. fastball. Every Yankee hitter struck out at least once, including Darryl Strawberry, who pinch-hit in the ninth inning.

It was as if the Yankees were swinging within a darkened closet, for Martinez was throwing all three of his pitches for strikes. His fastball was moving, Tino Martinez said, and he was spinning his curveball for strikes, and when you looked for the fastball, he would then throw his changeup, the ball dropping away as if Pedro Martinez were manipulating it like a marionette. "That is about as close to unhittable as you can find," Torre said. "You can't fault the hitters."

Ricky Ledee, the Yankees' left fielder, slipped into a side room at Yankee Stadium yesterday afternoon to watch videotape of Martinez, to remind himself of how the pitcher's fastball moves, how his change up fades. You try to keep the same approach against all pitchers, Ledee said, but facing a great pitcher is a special challenge, the tension and concentration increasing. A film of sweat will cover your arms, Ledee explained.

Martinez bounced his second pitch off Knoblauch's arm, but the Yankees' leadoff hitter was almost immediately thrown out stealing. Martinez then registered his first strikeout, of Jeter: in a sequence of three pitches, he ratcheted the velocity of his fastball from 93 to 95 to 97 m.p.h. Nobody was saying anything in the Yankees' dugout.

Martinez made perhaps his only mistake in the second inning, a fastball that tailed over the middle of the plate -- a pitch Davis anticipated, and whacked deep into the bleachers in right field. Later, Jeter would say, "We didn't have anybody on base -- except Chili, who was on base for about five seconds."

But Martinez threw a curveball to strike out Ledee and end the second inning, and there was a sense in the Yankees' dugout, Torre said, that the one run would be the only support Andy Pettitte would get. Scott Brosius struck out on a 95 m.p.h. fastball in the second, and Joe Girardi whiffed on a curveball; Tino Martinez, Davis and Ledee all whiffed in the fifth inning, the first of three innings in which the Boston pitcher struck out the side.

"Awesome," Girardi said later. "The sharpest stuff I've seen," Pettitte said.

Pettitte walked Nomar Garciaparra to lead off the sixth and then Mike Stanley launched a home run into the right-field stands. Boston led, 2-1; it felt as if the score was 10-0, Torre said, with Martinez defending that lead.

Jeter, O'Neill and Bernie Williams, who may combine for about 600 hits this year, struck out in order in the seventh, and Davis and Ledee were cut down in the eighth, Martinez's 13th and 14th strikeouts. A contingent of fans in the right-field stands -- fans of Martinez, waving the flag of the Dominican Republic -- cheered loudly. Somebody had been hanging K's for Martinez at the front of the stands above the left-field line, but those were ripped down.

The Red Sox scored another run in the top of the ninth, giving them a 3-1 lead. "It felt like we had another mile to go," Torre said.

Brosius swung and missed at a curve leading off the ninth. Strawberry pinch-hit for Girardi, and later, he smiled slightly when asked about his plan for his at-bat. "I didn't really have a plan," Strawberry said. "I had no clue."

He struck out on four pitches, the last a high fastball. Knoblauch was next. Martinez, who finishes as well as any pitcher in the game, was rocking and firing, and there was no doubt he would try to blow his fastball past the second baseman. He reached a 1-ball, 2-strike count, and Knoblauch fouled off a high fastball. Martinez threw another, Knoblauch swung and missed, and Martinez aimed two hands toward the sky jubilantly.

"I felt great," said Martinez, now 21-4. "I felt in control of every pitch."

Martinez whiffed seven of the last eight hitters he faced. He retired the last 22 batters he faced. "Wow," Cone said to Mariano Rivera.

"That is pitching," Rivera replied.

The Yankees' hitters showered and dressed rapidly, spoke softly and departed quickly from the clubhouse. There wasn't much to say.
My favourite tidbit from the game: On Pedro's last 53 pitches, the Yankees managed zero fair balls.

September 9, 2015

G139: Red Sox 10, Blue Jays 4

Blue Jays - 000 100 030 -  4  9  0
Red Sox   - 004 240 00x - 10 14  0
Two to go!

David Ortiz hit career home run #498 in the third inning. Mookie Betts had already homered (15-game hitting streak) with two outs when - after singles by Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts - Ortiz launched his 31st dong of the season to dead center.

Ryan Hanigan and Betts hit run-scoring doubles in the fourth. ... In the fifth, Pablo Sandoval singled in one run, Hanigan doubled in two, and Betts's fielder's choice gave Boston a 10-1 lead.

Betts, Ortiz, and Hanigan each had three RBI.

Joe Kelly (5.2-6-1-2-5, 110) won his eighth consecutive start, the longest streak by a Red Sox starter since Pedro Martinez won nine straight in 1999. Kelly is the only major league pitcher to win eight straight starts this season.
Example
Drew Hutchison / Joe Kelly

Kelly has a 1.89 ERA in his last six starts, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each outing. ... In three starts against the Blue Jays this season, however, Kelly's ERA is 7.64.

The Blue Jays lead the AL East by 1.5 games over the Yankees. ... The Red Sox are one game out of fourth place and only two games behind third-place Tampa Bay.

September 8, 2015

Tentative 2016 Schedule Released

Opening Day: Monday, April 4, 2016, in Cleveland.


G138: Blue Jays 5, Red Sox 1 (10)

Blue Jays - 100 000 000 4 - 5  6  0
Red Sox   - 010 000 000 0 - 1  4  1
Example
R.A. Dickey / Henry Owens
Betts, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Sandoval, 3B
Holt, LF
Swihart, C
Bradley, RF
Since August 9, Jackie Bradley is hitting .446, slugging .952, and OPS-ing 1.441. ... For the entire season, JBJ's OPS is 1.016. (Miguel Cabrera leads the AL at 1.018.) ... When Bradley plays, the Red Sox are 31-18.

The Red Sox are 21-14 since July 30 and have won 14 of their last 21 games at Fenway Park. ... In their last 28 games, the Red Sox have posted a +51 run differential, hitting .311.

September 7, 2015

G137: Red Sox 11, Blue Jays 4

Blue Jays - 100 010 020 -  4  9  0
Red Sox   - 012 203 12x - 11 17  0
Jackie Bradley went 4-for-4 (two singles, double, home run), scored twice, and drove in four runs. Back on August 6, Bradley's batting average was in danger of dropping below .100. It is now .312.

Mookie Betts had three hits and scored twice. ... David Ortiz hit two doubles. ... Xanger Bogaerts and Travis Shaw each drove in two runs. ... Rick Porcello (7.1-8-4-2-4, 107).

The Yankees beat the Orioles 8-6, cutting Toronto's lead to 0.5 games.
Example
Mark Buehrle / Rick Porcello
Betts, CF
Sandoval, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Holt, 2B
Swihart, C
Bradley, RF
Toronto leads the AL East by 1.5 games. ... The second-place Yankees host the Orioles at 1 PM.

Since July 28, the Blue Jays are 28-7. ... They have the best run differential in MLB: +199.

September 6, 2015

G136: Red Sox 6, Phillies 2

Phillies - 001 000 001 - 2 11  0
Red Sox  - 240 000 00x - 6  8  0
Eduardo Rodriguez: 7-8-1-1-7, 102.

David Ortiz's two-run homer in the first inning was the 497th of his regular season career. (Big Papi has hit 17 career postseason home runs.) Ortiz is the fourth player in Red Sox history to hit 200 homers at Fenway, joining Ted Williams (248), Carl Yastrzemski (237) and Jim Rice (208).

Jackie Bradley tripled home two runs in the second. ... Brock Holt had two hits and a walk. ... Boston is now only one game behind fourth-place Baltimore.
Example
Jerad Eickhoff / Eduardo Rodriguez
Betts, CF
Holt, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Hanigan, C
Rutledge, 2B
Bradley, RF

September 5, 2015

G135: Red Sox 9, Phillies 2

Phillies - 000 020 000 - 2  5  1
Red Sox  - 000 800 01x - 9 14  0
Xander Bogaerts drove in four runs, David Ortiz hit career home run #496, and Wade Miley (9-5-2-0-8, 110) pitched Boston's second complete game of the season.

Ortiz's home run was his 30th of the year, giving him a franchise record nine seasons with 30+ dongs. Ted Williams reached 30 home runs in eight seasons.

Mookie Betts had three hits and Jackie Bradley, Blake Swihart, Josh Rutledge and Ortiz each had two. ... Bradley also scored twice and drove in two.
Example
Alec Asher / Wade Miley
Betts, CF
Holt, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Swihart, C
Rutledge, 2B
Bradley, RF
Marc Normandin, OTM: NESN Asked Don Orsillo To Lie And Say He Wasn't Fired:
Hey NESN, you decided to fire Don Orsillo. You knew there would be backlash. If you miscalculated how much backlash there would be, that's on you, and it's not up to Orsillo to fix your mistake. ... [E]ither you're misguided, or you think your audience is full of dummies -- please be careful when selecting which one of those it is, as you've already made enough fans angry.
Its shameful treatment of Orsillo and subsequent PR debacle is simply another example of NESN Being NESN. Red Sox fans deserve so much better than this unprofessional network.

September 4, 2015

G134: Red Sox 7, Phillies 5

Phillies - 000 200 003 - 5 11  1
Red Sox  - 100 020 40x - 7 10  0
Mookie Betts hit two doubles and scored twice. ... Xander Bogaerts and Brock Holt also had two hits each and Bogaerts drove in two runs. ... Jackie Bradley homered and scored twice. ... Kelly: 6-5-2-3-5, 106.
Example
Adam Morgan / Joe Kelly
Betts, CF
Sandoval, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Craig, 1B
Holt, 2B
Castillo, LF
Hanigan, C
Bradley, RF

September 3, 2015

A History Of The "Yankees Suck" T-Shirt

Amos Barshad, at Grantland, offers the "twisted, true story of the drug-addled, beer-guzzling hardcore punks who made the most popular T-shirts in Boston history":
They started out as licensed Fenway Park vendors. LeMoine — a voluble guy who knew everyone in the hardcore scene — was the first to figure out you could make good money selling Cracker Jack and baseball-helmet-bowl ice cream inside the park.

"I'm selling ice cream," Wilson says of one fall day. "It's September, it's cold. No one's fuckin' buying ice cream. So I'm sitting there, eating my own ice cream. And it comes across the JumboTron: 'Yankees clinch the division.' And none of the fans were leaving. And they start chanting. 'Yankees suck! Yankees suck!' I remember thinking, 'Fuck this ice cream.'" ...

"Everyone said we were crazy," Manza recalls. "'You're gonna be eating those shirts!' We started with two grand and we must have made it back the first night. The next week we bought twice as many shirts. Then the next week, twice as many shirts. That was the curve. Exponential." ...

The most lucrative piece of territory was the bridge that goes over the Massachusetts Turnpike, perpendicular to Fenway and the main drag of bars and clubs on Lansdowne Street. When the Suckers suddenly appeared, the random patchwork of one-off bootleggers that had enjoyed free reign tried to hang tough. "They were saying, 'Get the fuck off the bridge, this is our bridge,'" Wilson recounts. "And I said, 'Fuck you. I got eight guys. You get the fuck off the bridge.'" ...

In 2004, when the Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals to win their first World Series in 86 years, the Suckers were there. They piled into a decrepit Mercedes-Benz Sprinter they'd purchased. For all of the nefarious activity it hosted, they called it the Sticky Van.

"We took seven of us and an 8-ball [of cocaine] and we drove straight through the night," LeMoine says.

They finagled their way into St. Louis's Busch Stadium for Game 4, and even made it onto the field. In the official Disney World commercial, as the camera pans to the Sox dogpile on the pitcher's mound, you can see LeMoine sprinting left to right across your screen. He's wearing a backward Sox hat and jacket open over a Johnny Damon shirt the Suckers were hawking that season. Right on cue, a pudgy security guard appears, busting his ass while chasing LeMoine down.

The spoils from the victory parade were preposterous. It took them hours to count the money.

September 2, 2015

G133: Yankees 13, Red Sox 8

Yankees - 083 010 010 - 13 15 0
Red Sox - 100 011 221 -  8 13 0
Example
Masahiro Tanaka / Henry Owens
Betts, CF
Sandoval, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, LF
Holt, 2B
Swihart, C
Bradley, RF
Since August 6, Jackie Bradley is hitting .411/.469/.849 (81 PA).

Interim manager Torey Lovullo said that Hanley Ramirez will likely not play in the outfield for the rest of the season because the team wants to give maximum playing time to Bradley, Mookie Betts and Rusney Castillo.

From Jon Shestakofsky:
Mookie Betts is the first Red Sox player with 50 extra-base hits in a season before turning 23 years old since Jim Rice in 1975.

50 XBH IN A SEASON, AGE 22 OR YOUNGER:
2013 - Machado & Trout
2014 - Trout
2015 - Betts & Harper
Betts is on pace for 63 extra-base hits, which (according to Alex Speier) would be the most by a Red Sox player that young since Carl Yastrzemski had 68 in 1962.

G132: Yankees 3, Red Sox 1

Yankees - 000 020 010 - 3  5  0
Red Sox - 001 000 000 - 1  8  1
Rick Porcello (8-5-3-1-13, 109) struck out a career-high 13 batters (nine caught looking), and tied a team record for the most MFY punchouts at Fenway Park (Pedro Martinez, May 30, 2001).

In his two starts since coming off the disabled list, Porcello has allowed one earned run over 15 innings, walking one and striking out 18.
Example
Michael Pineda / Rick Porcello
Betts, CF
Sandoval, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Shaw, 1B
Castillo, RF
Holt, 2B
Swihart, C
Bradley, LF

G131: Red Sox 4, Yankees 3

Yankees - 100 100 001 - 3 10  0
Red Sox - 002 100 10x - 4  9  2
David Ortiz hit his 495th career home run, Mookie Betts hit a two-run shot, and Jackie Bradley went 3-for 3 and threw out a runner at home plate.
Example
Ivan Nova / Eduardo Rodriguez