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Sox Scout: Price vs Rays Tonight

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Tampa Bay at Boston

When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, August 18, 2018
Where: Fenway Park, Boston
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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox are dominating in all areas, but their play at home has been particularly outstanding of late. The best team in the major leagues will try to extend their exceptional run at Fenway Park when they play the second of three straight against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

After falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning Friday night, Boston rallied for a 7-3 triumph to improve to 19-3 at home since June 23, which includes five straight victories. Each of the first five Red Sox batters scored a run in the win and Xander Bogaerts finished with three hits and two RBIs as the club maintained a 10 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East. Boston lefty David Price has controlled matters against his former team and will try to stay hot when he gets the start Saturday against Tyler Glasnow. Joey Wendle’s two-run double in the first was the highlight Friday for the Rays, who are 2-5 at Fenway this year.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Tyler Glasnow (1-2, 3.97 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH David Price (12-6, 3.75)

Glasnow has a 2.25 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 12 innings since being traded to the Rays before the deadline. He’s allowed just six hits in that stretch, including two in five innings at Toronto his last time out. The 24-year-old will be facing the Red Sox for the first time.

Price is 2-0 with a 1.03 ERA over his last four starts and struck out 10 batters in six scoreless his last time out at Baltimore. He owns five straight quality starts at home and is 5-2 with a 3.28 ERA at Fenway Park on the year. The Vanderbilt product is 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA over four starts against the Rays this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox activated 2B Ian Kinsler (hamstring) from the 10-day disabled list and placed 3B Rafael Devers (hamstring) on the DL.

2. Rays CF Mallex Smith is 7-for-14 over the last three games.

3. With a victory either Saturday or Sunday the Red Sox would improve to 10-0-3 in their last 13 series, which would be the team’s longest run of unbeaten sets since 1972 (10-0-6).

Red Sox Do the Little Things

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Fenway Park) – The Boston Red Sox certainly do the little things to win ballgames and those efforts, illustrated tonight by a couple key defensive plays, continue to add up for a team now 51 games over the magic .500 mark at (87-36).

Whether it be Jackie Bradley Jr.’s defense in center field, Blake Swihart‘s perfect throw to second base to catch Tampa’s Kevin Kiermaier attempting to steal or simply Mookie Betts advancing an extra base on an infield ground-out and later scoring an insurance run, the Boston Red Sox execute and put themselves in a position to win ballgames. Tonight, in their return to Fenway Park after a successful road trip, Boston defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 7-3.

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Mookie Betts

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Tampa started strong, knocking-around Boston starter Brian Johnson for three runs in the top of the 1st inning, the damage coming from consecutive doubles by C.J. Cron and Joey Wendle, the latter recording two RBI for the effort.

Johnson, now a regular in the Red Sox starting rotation after the demotion of Drew Pomeranz to bullpen duties, settled down after his shakey first inning. Johnson went 5.2 innings, allowing five hits along with the three earned runs. He walked two and struck-out two while throwing 94 pitches (52 strikes). Johnson gave way to Heath Hembree in the 6th inning.

Boston scattered their seven runs, tallying two in the bottom of the 1st inning on shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ triple which scored Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez. Bogaerts also doubled twice to go 3-for-4 on the night to lead the Sox potent offensive effort. Every player on the team, sans second baseman Ian Kinsler who returned from the disabled list prior to the game, either recorded a hit or scored a run.

For Tampa, starter Ryne Stanek was yanked after his first inning in place of long reliever Yonny Chirinos. Tampa tossed Stanek as an “opener,” the 33rd time the club deployed a reliever for an inning or short stint and the 20th time Stanek has performed the duty.

Chirinos pitched 6.0 innings and allowed five earned runs on nine hits. He walked one and struck-out one while tossing 88 pitches (53 for strikes) in the relief effort. He took the loss and is (1-5) on the season.

Johnson recorded the victory and is (4-3) on the year. After Hembree pitched .1 in the 6th inning, Boston Manager Alex Cora called on Ryan Brasier (7th), Matt Barnes (8th) and Tyler Thornburg (9th) to close out the game in the non-save situation.

GAME NOTES: Lefties David Price (12-6, 3.75 ERA) and Chris Sale (12-4, 1.97 ERA) will pitch the weekend for Boston while Tampa’s righty Tyler Glasnow will throw for the Rays on Saturday. They’ve listed a TBA for the starter this Sunday afternoon (1:00pm start). … Boston snapped the Rays’ two-game winning streak and the club is 5-3 over their last eight games. … Rays team president Matt Silverman and his wife, Andrea, welcomed a baby daughter into the world yesterday. Casey Hannah Silverman joins older sisters Alexa and Samantha. … Boston needs 13 more wins to reach the 100-win mark. It would be the club’s fourth time to record 100+ wins, accomplishing the feat in 1912- (105-47), 1915- (101-50) and 1946 (104-50).

Sports Biz: PawSox to Worcester

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WORCESTER – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Officials for the Pawtucket Red Sox signed a Letter of Intent to build an downtown ballpark in Worcester, Massachusetts scheduled to open in 2021. PawSox Chairman Larry Lucchino made the announcement at a ceremony at Worcester’s City Hall with Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Mayor Joseph Petty, and City Manager Ed Augustus. The project is subject to the approval of the Worcester City Council, the International League, and the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (also known as Minor League Baseball).

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“We are eager to build an innovative, family-friendly ballpark that reflects the love and appreciation of baseball and that unifies Central Massachusetts and the Blackstone Valley Corridor,” Lucchino said.

The design and construction of the ballpark would be overseen by Lucchino and Janet Marie Smith, who partnered to create Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992 and who together oversaw a decade of improvements to Fenway Park, starting in 2002.

Lucchino also spearheaded the effort to create and design Petco Park in San Diego and JetBlue Park in Lee County, Florida. Smith is currently Senior Vice President of Planning and Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers. She will continue in that capacity, overseeing improvements to Dodger Stadium, while participating in the design of the ballpark in New England.

“This day marks a major milestone on a journey that began 12 months ago,” said Pawtucket Red Sox Chairman Larry Lucchino. “Through the entire process, the spirit of collaboration and cooperation between the City of Worcester and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been inspiring.

“The contagious enthusiasm of the leaders of the business community, and of everyday citizens, has been warm and welcoming, starting of course with the now-famous 10,000 postcards we received from all over Central Massachusetts, organized by the Canal District Alliance.

“We have noted how proud people are of this city, how committed they are to its continued resurgence, and how excited they are to inscribe a new chapter in its long and rich baseball history.

“We look forward to designing and building an innovative downtown ballpark with year-round uses that further enlivens the city, enhances its civic self-esteem, and adds to its beauty. We are eager to create a wonderful point of pride for children and students and families throughout Central Massachusetts.”

The PawSox will continue to play at 77-year-old McCoy Stadium the next two years. Pawtucket and Worcester are part of one market as defined by Minor League Baseball.

“I thank the Mayor of Pawtucket, Don Grebien, who is a wonderful partner, an honorable public servant, and an heroic champion of his city.” Lucchino said. “We continue to wish him well and will remain supportive of his efforts to improve his city. We also thank the fans of our region, who have loyally supported this baseball club for decades.”

“I also thank the City Manager of Worcester, Ed Augustus, who worked relentlessly while leading a process that contained few bumps or bruises, few delays or abrasions. He and his talented team-and the entire community-have led us to this point.

“I would also like to express our gratitude to Worcester Mayor Joe Petty and the 11 City Council members for their encouragement, support, and public service.

“We are also here because of the leadership of Governor Charlie Baker and, especially, the tireless can-do attitude of Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. Good things happen when we all work together.

“We look forward to celebrating with everyone in the Heart of the Commonwealth…and the Heart of New England.”

Snedeker Holding On

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GREENSBORO – Brandt Snedeker had a rockier road Friday than his round of 59 a day earlier but he recovered well to maintain a two-stroke lead at the Wyndham Championships in Carolina. Two rounds are now completed in the final “regular season” tournament on the PGA Tour. The top 125 players on tour will compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs beginning next week in New Jersey.

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Sergio Garcia

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Snedeker finished with a 3-under 67 at Sedgefield Country Club — one day after authoring the 10th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history with a 59 — to move to 14-under 126 for the tournament, the lowest 36-hole score on the PGA Tour so far this year. D.A. Points, who held a share of fourth place after the first round, is alone in second at 12 under, one stroke ahead of Taiwan’s C.T. Pan.

Six players share fourth, including Spaniard Sergio Garcia, at 9 under. Also in that cluster are Brett Stegmaier and Canada’s David Hearn, who held the same position after 18 holes, and Peter Malnati, Keith Mitchell and Harris English.

Five others are tied for 10th.

Snedeker answered a bogey at No. 2 with a birdie at No. 3, and did the same at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, but he made the turn at 1 over after a setback at the ninth.

“I knew it was going to be tough” Snedeker said after his round. “It wasn’t going to be the same way it was yesterday. Kind of battling the emotion of everybody pulling hard for you, wanting to see you do it again. So the front nine was disappointing.”

He steadied things on the back nine, birdieing the 11th before draining a 31-foot putt at No. 15 for eagle to get to 2 under. Snedeker tacked on another birdie a hole later by rolling it in from 34 feet before consecutive pars to finish his round. Afterward, he discussed the difficulty of handling the attention from Thursday’s historic performance.

“You hear people telling you every two seconds, ‘Mr. 59,’ or saying how cool it was to watch it,” Snedeker said. “Phone’s still blowing up this morning, guys in the locker room are still talking to me about it. So, yes, totally on your mind. You can’t ignore it. You can’t try to forget about it. Hardest thing is trying to get back into a rhythm.”

Points authored his second consecutive round of 6-under 64 by starting strong, using three birdies and an eagle to go out in 30. He had just one birdie on the back nine but remained bogey free on the day to hold second alone.

The 41-year-old has three career PGA Tour victories, most recently at the Puerto Rico Open in 2017. He has struggled this season, posting no finish higher than 33rd and missing the cut in 16 of his last 17 events since January.

Pan managed back-to-back birdies on two occasions on the front nine, and he followed his only bogey with three birdies in his final four holes to shoot 64.

Garcia, playing one group behind Snedeker, made his move late as well, notching an eagle on the 15th and birdieing the 16th right after the tournament leader did the same. Garcia finished with a 65 and is projected to move inside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup Standings. He needs a solid tournament placement to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time.

Defending champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden made a big move up the leaderboard, shooting 65 to jump 30 spots and reach 7 under and a tie for 15th. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the highest-ranked player (No. 16) in the field, shot 68 and is tied for 52nd at 3 under.

–Field Level Media

NFL and Patriots Round-Up

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FOXBORO – Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles sustained a shoulder strain in the Eagles’ 37-20 preseason loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday night.

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The injury occurred in the second quarter when Foles was hit by Patriots defensive end Adrian Clayborn. Foles grabbed his throwing arm as he fell to the ground. He didn’t return and told reporters postgame he will have the injury evaluated more thoroughly on Friday. Nate Sudfield replaced Foles, throwing for three touchdowns and 312 yards in a 22-for-39 performance.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw two touchdowns in his preseason debut, finishing 19 of 26 for 172 yards with no interceptions.

New England first-round pick Isaiah Wynn was carted to the locker room in the first quarter with an ankle injury, according to the team. The Georgia product was playing right tackle in his preseason debut.

Packers 51, Steelers 34

Green Bay returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a victory over visiting Pittsburgh.

Tramon Williams was responsible for the first Packers pick-six, a 25-yard return, on the first pass of the game, while second-round draft pick Josh Jackson took his interception return 22 yards to the end zone in the third quarter.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers saw limited action, completing 2 of 4 passes for 35 yards and a touchdown. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger did not play after reportedly being cleared of a concussion earlier in the day. DeShone Kizer tossed two touchdown passes for the Packers, while Pittsburgh third-round draft pick Mason Rudolph threw a touchdown and an interception.

Redskins 15, Jets 13

New York’s quarterback competition appears no closer to being settled after the Jets took a 15-13 loss to Washington in Landover, Md.

No. 3 overall draft pick Sam Darnold got the start for the Jets and played the first half, completing 8 of 11 passes for 62 yards and ending his day with a red-zone interception. Free agent signee Teddy Bridgewater took over in the second half and finished 10-for-15 for 127 yards with a touchdown, though he also threw a pick.

Alex Smith started at QB for the Redskins and completed 4 of 6 passes for 48 yards. Kicker Dustin Hopkins scored all 15 of Washington’s points, including the game-winning field goal from 40 yards out with four seconds remaining.

–Field Level Media

BU’s Brady Tkachuk Goes Pro

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BOSTON – Brady Tkachuk faced a difficult decision this summer.

On one hand, he could sign his first professional contract with the Ottawa Senators. But that would mean leaving his friends and teammates at Boston University, where he shined as a freshman last season.

Ultimately, the 18-year-old decided to follow his dream — and his famous family — into the NHL. He signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the Senators on Monday, one day after reports leaked that he planned to go pro.

“I am very excited to be a Senator,” Tkachuk said to NHL.com. “It was a tough choice because I loved my time at Boston University. I want to thank everyone who has helped me. I’m super excited to get things started.”

Ottawa selected Tkachuk with the fourth overall pick in this summer’s draft. He scored 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) in 40 games with Boston University last season.

Tkachuk’s father, Keith, scored 538 goals in 1,201 NHL games from 1992 to 2010. Brady Tkachuk’s older brother, Matthew, has notched 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in his first two seasons with the Calgary Flames.

Senators general manager Pierre Dorion welcomed Tkachuk into the fold.

“Brady Tkachuk exemplifies all the attributes around which we want to improve the Ottawa Senators,” Dorion said to NHL.com. “He is a young man of exceptional character. We know how much he agonized over leaving Boston University, and we are encouraged by the degree of accountability and commitment this shows from him.

“Through tenacity, combativeness and work ethic, he also exemplifies leadership skills that we know will benefit the team now and well into the future. Most of all, Brady has shown us through his maturity that he is coachable, committed to teamwork and determined to help us strengthen our team chemistry.”

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Wynn Out for Season

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FOXBORO – New England Patriots rookie offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn will miss the 2018 season with a torn Achilles after he was injured in the first quarter of Thursday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to ESPN.

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“Patriots’ first-round pick, OT Isaiah Wynn, tore his Achilles vs. the Eagles and he will be out for the season, per source. The worst of the preseason on display,” Schefter tweeted on Friday.

The Patriots’ top pick in last month’s draft, Wynn was playing right tackle in his preseason debut. Wynn was blocking a pass rusher when he was injured.

Wynn walked off the field on his own and was examined in the sideline medical tent before being taken by cart to the locker room.

Wynn played left tackle at Georgia but was projected by many to move to guard in the NFL due to a lack of height (just under 6-foot-3) and length (33.5-inch arms).

Wynn played through a torn labrum in his left shoulder for much of his senior season at Georgia and recently had surgery to correct it, which kept him from seeing the field until training camp.

–Field Level Media

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