Red Sox Friday Night Game

There is always a little extra buzz for the Red Sox games.  We caught a break with the rain out Thursday because we don't have to tax our pitchers in their condition and also so that when we do play the Red Sox again, we hope to have more of our players back.

We faced Sale who looked excellent.  His slider was insane.  I can't remember the last time I saw a team swing at so many pitches that were at least a foot inside...and do nothing with them.  We must have had 10 swings at breaking balls that started from a side arm sling throw from Sale and would appear to start outside and end up almost hitting our guys; yet we would swing and miss or try and hold up and couldn't.  Then he would dial up his fastball, that was mostly about 94 up to 97 in key spots.  His change was spotted well most of the night as well hitting the outside and low corner, for a right handed batter, at 87 MPH.

We battled him though!  We fell behind 1-0 when Happ threw a 3-1 fastball on the outside corner for a strike against Devers.  Devers had a weird swing on that pitch and afterward said something to the ump (I assume asking him if it was a strike) and then practiced an awkward swing like he needed to adjust something.  I say this because as I was thinking of what pitch to throw, I was not comfortable throwing another fastball because I felt that he was looking for that.  Unfortunately, Sanchez and Happ agreed to throw the fastball and Sanchez wanted it outside and Happ threw it high but centered which is where it squarely struck Devers bat for a solo HR about 400 feet away.  Wrong pitch thrown to a spot that wasn't bad for a 3 ball pitch, it was not the spot Sanchez wanted.  But, it was the wrong pitch as Devers was waiting for it.

Contrast that to an AB Torres had against Sale in the 2nd inning with Sanchez on 1st after a bloop hit.  Sale threw 2 sliders that Torres did not swing at (the first way outside and the 2nd way inside).  Torres was looking fastball and Sale threw a change up right down the middle of the plate, but Torres took the pitch as he was looking for a fastball (right pitch in the wrong location was effective).  Torres ended up flying out on a slider.

In the 3rd, Urshela started us off with a single and after Maybin was overpowered, Gardner flipped a single into CF.  DJ got a slider out of the plate and drove it to the base of the wall to make it 2nd and 3rd with one out.  Voit came up and struck out on a check swing that was questionable and very close.  I bring this up because later in the game, in a similar check swing by Gonzalez, they ruled he did not swing and I thought if anything Gonzalez went a tiny bit farther than Luke did.  Big call as now we had 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs and Hicks up.  This was a key AB as Hicks fouled off a slider and then fouled off a fastball; quickly down 0-2.  He then took 2 sliders and a fastball for a ball.  On 3-2 and an open base he could get any pitch.  He got a fastball and was able to foul it off before getting a slider for the 7th pitch that was over the plate and Hicks came through with a clutch 2 out hit knocking in 2 runs.  

Up 3-1 in the top of the 5th, we had one of my favorite defensive plays of the year.  Boston had 1st and 2nd with 2 outs and Benintendi up.  On a 1-1 pitch Happ threw a slider and Sanchez popped up lightning quick and had a great release and a laser throw to 2nd base and picked off Nunez to end the threat!  The throw was a rocket, but it was a little on the 1st base side of 2nd and Torres had an excellent tag bringing the ball back to the base snapping it quickly which finished off the great play.  An average tag would not have gotten the out.  That play (along with the Hicks hit) were the two plays got me out of my seat!  It was great to see the Yankees get pumped up too!   Here is MLB.com's highlight of it.  https://www.mlb.com/video/sanchez-picks-off-nunez-at-second

We added a run in the bottom of the inning as DJ hit a fastball mistake by Sale for a solo HR.

That is all we needed as our 4 best relievers with a combined ERA of around 1.60, each pitched a scoreless inning and we took the first game

A few notes:

1. Morales is painfully slow and has been hitting the ball into the ground far too many times.  I believe he will be the first to leave the team when we get one of our next players back.  The fact he has an OPS of .497 for us doesn't help.  He is getting older, but I would not have expected him to be this bad.  Last year he had a .769 OPS for Toronto and it was not unrealtistic to see a .700 OPS, but he isn't getting it done and we don't need another DH.  
2. There was some good leather flashed from both teams.  Urshela looked smooth on a few plays and DJ made an outstanding play at 2nd base.
3. The umpire behind the plate was excellent.  Urshela got called out on a pitch he thought was a ball but it was right on the line and he was one of the most consistent umpires all year.  I don't know many of the umps names (I know some I don't like), but this was Jeremie Rehak and I thought he did a great job
4. Bradley hit a single into the gap in RF and Hicks reputation of his arm held Bradley at 1B.  These are the subtle things that can make a huge difference
5. Bradley also hit a hard ball to Torres and Torres did not make the play.  It was hard hit but Torres was behind 2nd base (on a shift) and the ball was a bit of an in between hop, but he should have made the play.  They gave him Bradley a hit, but I thought it was a weak play and should have been an error.
6. Good job by Happ!  He got the job done with a 5 inning performance giving up just the HR (3 hits and 2 walks)
7. Martinez had a poor game for them going 0-4 and swinging at more balls than normal.
8. Voit was 0-4 with 3 's for us
9. Back at it tonight with German and Porcello going at it!