- Stanton - After the previous game where he was up with bases loaded and nobody out and took 3 straight strikes without swinging the bat, he was awful again with 1st and 2nd nobody out with the score 3-1. Embree couldn't locate pitches and Stanton got clean swings at 4 fastballs that were very hittable and fouled or missed them. Then, when Embree was just trying to throw strikes, he hit a soft chopper to 3rd where Nunez continued his Steve Sax impersonation and threw high to 2nd...This leads me to my 2nd frustration...
- I watched the play on video many times and it is very close, but if I had to choose, I would say he was safe at 2nd. I think the foot left the bag when the ball hit the leather of the glove, but it was extremely close. That being said, YOU CAN'T OVERTURN THAT CALL! That was an absolutely terrible call and whoever made that decision should be fired immediately because they are on the take. The announcers felt the same way and that could have been huge. The horrible call is a 1.2 run difference probability wise. Bases loaded with nobody out, the run probability is 2.37 runs and 1st and 3rd and 1 out, it is 1.17
Fortunately, Sanchez came through in a huge way with a 3 run blast that was 2nd farthest HR in the Postseason since stat cost started tracking them. 479 feel out of the stadium in Left Center. Sanchez is poor defensively with eth exception of his arm, but he can b a difference maker with his bat and we saw this last night.
Judge got us going again and it is evident why he is our best player.
Chapman walking the leadoff hitter in the 9th is one of those frustrating moments (I promise, the last one I will comment on), but Chapman pitched great the very next AB to Nunez throwing two fastballs on the outer corner after mixing in some good curves. If I heard it correct, they said it was his first double play induced all year.
Losing Hicks hurts us but hopefully, he can play Monday. If he can hit, but can't field, it is possible that Stanton could give way to Hicks as a DH. I am not ready to do that yet, but if the matchup makes sense, I could understand it. Gardner had a subtle yet productive AB when he made Kelly throw 8 pitches before he grounded out. If Gardner would have jumped on the first pitch for an out, I think Kelly would have started the 5th inning (after 2.1 innings of pitching) because he would have had only 18 pitches to get through 7 outs. But, the 8 pitches was enough to not push past 25 pitches and 2.1 innings. The next inning we did get 1st and 2nd with one out but Stanton and Sanchez struck out.
Nice job by Tanaka. He didn't have his great sinker, but he pitched like a veteran and didn't leave too many pitches in very hittable spots. It was questionable whether he would come out or not, but I thought it was the right move to take him out as he was not as sharp in the 4th and 5th (allowing the HR and walk in the 4th and allowing a very hard hit ball to Betts that went to Gardner.
Betances threw strikes but did not have sharp bite on his curve. He did get through the 6th with some decently struck balls and then allowed the double to Kinsler that is an out in most parks. Not his best stuff, but did ok.
Britton and Chapman each walked a guy but did their job!
A couple of points on game 1.
- So much for Happ being the Red Sox killer. He simply didn't control his change well and after a very bad change he decided to come up and in to JD with a fastball (which is where he gets jammed a lot), but he got the pitch down which allowed Martinez to drop the barrel on it and the 3-0 lead, we never recovered from.
- We fought back, but just could not get a big hit, leaving 1st and 2nd twice and had bases loaded with nobody out and only scored 1 run.
Overall, a split in Fenway was a good thing and we are now in a best of 3 where we have two games at home. Game 4 I would not be surprised to see Happ pitch (Not sure if the Yankees announced anything?)
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