Even though he missed all of June due to injury, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Sox to go after Hill since he has consistently made quality starts throughout the first two months of the season.
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Pirates 5, Cardinals 2: Eric Fryer burned his former team with two hits and three RBIs as Pittsburgh won at St. Louis on Tuesday night. We can have two.
Joining Kimbrel on the American League pitching staff are Brad Branch and Zach Britton of the Orioles, Alex Colone of the Tampa Bay Rays, Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera of the Royals, Marco Estrada of the Blue Jays, Cole Hamels of the Texas Rangers, Will Harris of the Astros, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller of the New York Yankees, Danny Salazar of the Cleveland Indians, Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox and Steven Wright of the Red Sox. It stayed that way until Kimbrel came on in the ninth and failed to retire any of the four batters he faced.
“In 12 pitches, a lot happened, ” said Red Sox manager John Farrell, whose team stranded 14 baserunners and went 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position. Hanigan had a bases-loaded, two-run single, Mookie Betts an RBI double and Ortiz a sacrifice fly.
Steven Wright’s incredible journey from minor-league journeyman to Cy Young contender culminated Tuesday with his selection to the American League squad for next Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game.
“It’s key, especially going back home”, Texas manager Jeff Banister said about the prospect of a win Wednesday.
In winning the rubber game of the three-game series handing the road-weary Rangers their fourth loss in their last five games, the Red Sox cashed in on three infield errors by Texas in a five-run second inning (four unearned) after Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the first. Just as disappointing, he gave up a one-out RBI triple to Odor in the sixth inning after the Sox had rallied to tie the score at 2-2.
“He flipped the switch tonight in like the third or fourth inning, ” Desmond said.
Rangers second: Adrian Beltre reached second when Dustin Pedroia let a grounder through his legs.
RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez, chased in the first inning of his start against the Twins in Minneapolis last weekend, faces the same team as the Rangers open a four-game homestand Thursday night.
When Craig Kimbrel asks to come back out to the mound the night after leaving a nasty stench in a foul loss and manages to protect a five-run lead with a scoreless frame that still included two walks, then you have a sense of the nearly comical mood swings the Red Sox are putting us all through these days, and this season.
Boston has scored more than 10 runs for the 11th time this season.
Boston beat the AL West-leading Rangers 11-6 here at Fenway Park on Wednesday to take two-of-three games vs. Texas this week.
“I went deep today”, he said, with a wink and a smile. We’re definitely capable of putting together a good run. “Hopefully that comes soon”.
“There’s nothing positive to put out, ” he said. “I’m exhausted of this”. “We’ve got to find a way to pitch it better in those games”.
TRAINER’S ROOM – Rangers’:’ Choo left the game in the fifth with lower back stiffness. Leclerc, 22, has split time between Double-A Frisco and Round Rock this season and has never played in the majors.
Red Sox Boston activated veteran catcher Ryan Hanigan (neck strain) from the 15-day DL following a rehab stint with Triple-A Pawtucket. The Red Sox optioned C Christian Vazquez to Pawtucket after Monday night’s game against Texas.
That didn’t turn out to be much of a problem, as the Rangers toppled the Red Sox for a 7-2 victory that brought them to 4-5 through the first nine games of their trip.
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But the Rangers managed just one more run in the inning.
