The big-name Boston Red Sox got a lift from their unheralded Venezuelan battery to win their season-high sixth straight game. After the first two batters of the inning went down fairly easily, Brett Gardner hit a solo shot into the bullpen, tying the game at one.
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The most memorable swing of the backup catcher’s career took place with runners at second and third. He began his most productive showing at the plate with a tiebreaking RBI single in the fourth and finished the day with a. 458 average (27-for-59) this season to go along with an OPS of 1,212.
Said Girardi, “He pitched a lot better than what it’s going to look like”. “He hits the ball everywhere”. Price had a rough time in back-to-back starts against NY on May 1 and 7, allowing a total of 12 runs and 15 hits in 11 2/3 innings while notching just seven strikeouts.Tanaka ended his first half on a sour note, getting ripped for seven runs – three earned – and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings at Cleveland on July 10.
Rodriguez is 1-3 in six starts with an 8.59 ERA and a 1.739 WHIP. Boston believed Rodriguez was telegraphing his pitches and had him adjust his delivery during two starts – one shortened by rain – in the minors. I think he’s by all reports and watching video of him looks like he’s gaining some comfort with the hand position that has been widely talked about. “I thought he threw the ball well today, I really did, ” he said. RHP Nathan Eovaldi was listed as a starting pitcher on New York’s lineup card. Rodriguez had previously struggled throwing to Leon, posting an 8.03 ERA in five starts, but the duo cruised early on a steady diet of fastballs and sliders. Boston chipped away at the big lefty by reaching base mostly on soft, well-placed contact and a couple of NY errors until Leon’s homer.
“Tampering? I don’t write no paycheck”, Ortiz said. “Just the result is not coming”. Koji Uehara was called upon with the Sox technically facing a save scenario, and it was very much a Good Koji day, as he breezed through 1-2-3 on a handful of pitches. Carlos Beltran had a two-run single on a ball that zipped past first baseman Hanley Ramirez and down the right-field line, and Brian McCann hit an RBI grounder as Ramirez bounced his throw to second, eliminating the possibility of an inning-ending double play. And the Red Sox likely would be hesitant to simply designate the 31-year-old right-hander for assignment out of fear that one of the many pitching-needy American League contenders might scoop him up.
“He came to us, and I’m not gonna deny a player a chance”, Girardi said.
“The difference between us and potentially some other teams is the production we get out of that bottom third”, Farrell said.
After 2 2/3 ideal innings, Pineda left a fastball over the middle for Ryan Hanigan, who mashed it for his first home run of the season.
Chase Headley had a solo homer, his eighth, to lead off the eighth for the Yankees against Matt Barnes.
Clay Buchholz has been moved to the Boston bullpen to clear space in the rotation for newly acquired All-Star Drew Pomeranz. Imagine, for instance, if Buchholz signed with the Baltimore Orioles and beat the Red Sox in a big start down the stretch.
As of this writing, Pineda’s 5.56 ERA this season is the second-worst mark in the majors among qualified starters.
The Red Sox also expect to activate Junichi Tazawa from the disabled list Tuesday and bring up Joe Kelly from Pawtucket soon.
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“The dugout erupted”, Boston manager John Farrell said.
