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Tuesday Night Sox Scout:

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Boston Red Sox at Philadelphia Phillies

When: 7:05 PM ET, Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote
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PHILADELPHIA – The Boston Red Sox are 50 games over .500, 29-6 in their last 35 games and continue to cruise toward the best record in franchise history along with an American League East crown. One of the few teams the Red Sox had trouble scoring against since the All-Star break was the Philadelphia Phillies, who host Boston in the opener of a two-game interleague series on Tuesday.

The Red Sox lead the majors in most offensive categories, including runs scored (659), but managed just three runs in splitting a two-game series against the Phillies at home to close out last month. While Boston enjoys a healthy 9 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East entering play on Monday, Philadelphia is locked in a battle atop the NL East and sits in a virtual tie for first with the Atlanta Braves, with the Washington Nationals lurking 5 1/2 games back as of Monday. “(We’re) trying not to focus too much on what’s going on outside this clubhouse, whether Atlanta loses, Washington wins or loses,” Phillies right-hander Jake Arrieta told reporters after a 9-3 loss to San Diego on Sunday. “It’s like, ‘Let’s just try and win the game that day.’ If we do that and we stay healthy, we’re going to end up in a good spot. The spot we want to be in.” Philadelphia will send right-hander Nick Pivetta to the mound on Tuesday opposite former Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), NBCS Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (14-5, 4.17 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Nick Pivetta (7-9, 4.51)

Porcello followed up one of his best starts of the season with one of his worst while getting knocked around for seven runs on six hits and three walks in four innings at the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday. The New Jersey native needed only 86 pitches to skip through a complete-game one-hitter in his previous start versus the New York Yankees on Aug. 3. Porcello is 1-1 in three career starts against Philadelphia and owns a 19-8 record with a 4.22 ERA in 38 interleague games – 36 starts.

Pivetta scattered five hits over six scoreless innings to earn a win at Arizona last Tuesday, snapping a three-start winless streak. The 25-year-old Canadian struck out 41 batters in 30 innings over his last five outings. Pivetta faced Boston once during his 2017 rookie campaign and yielded four hits while striking out nine in seven scoreless frames but did not factor in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts (finger) sat out Sunday at Baltimore and is day-to-day.

2. Philadelphia 1B Carlos Santana is 3-for-24 over his last seven games, dropping his batting average to .215.

3. Boston RF Mookie Betts is 15-for-33 with 12 runs scored during an eight-game hitting streak.

NBA: Five To Watch

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NEW YORK – The NBA released its composite regular-season schedule, which includes 1,230 games for the league’s 30 teams, on Friday.

Here are five games — actually, four and a season series — to bookmark on your DVR:

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Detroit Pistons at Toronto Raptors, Nov. 14.

Last season, Toronto led the Eastern Conference with 59 regular-season victories, and Dwane Casey was voted the NBA’s Coach of the Year. The Raptors rewarded Casey by firing him four days later. In Casey’s seven seasons with Toronto, the Raptors went 320-238 and improved from a patsy to one of the powers in the East. Over that duration, though, the Raptors never made it to the NBA Finals and were swept by Cleveland in the conference semifinals last spring. Toronto president Masai Ujiri felt his team needed a new voice and a new approach to try to get over the hump in the playoffs. Casey was swiftly hired by the Pistons, who have made the playoffs once in the last 10 years — in 2015-16, when they were swept by the Cavaliers in the first round. Casey will be asked to build the Pistons from the ground up as he did with the Raptors. He’ll be plenty motivated to beat his old team at Air Canada Centre.

Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers, Nov. 21.

It will be barely a month into the season when LeBron James makes his highly anticipated return to Quicken Loans Arena with his new team, the Lakers, with whom he signed a four-year, $153.3 million free agent contract in July. By that time, we’ll know more about the Lakers, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2012-13 and were 35-47 a year ago. Things have changed, of course, with the addition of James, who reached the NBA Finals eight straight seasons with Miami and Cleveland, claiming three championships. The Lakers are still young, featuring the likes of Lonzo Ball (20), Brandon Ingram (20), Kyle Kuzma (23) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (25). Can James, abetted by veteran acquisitions such as Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee, lead the Lakers to the promised land in the deep Western Conference? With James gone, Kevin Love is the straw that stirs the drink for the Cavaliers, having signed his own four-year, $120-milion extension less than a month ago. Without James, Cleveland’s roster will strike fear in the heart of no opponent during the upcoming season. Love, JR Smith, Kyle Korver, Tristan Thompson, George Hill and Rodney Hood will be fighting just to make the postseason in the East.

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Toronto Raptors at San Antonio Spurs, Jan. 3.

The biggest trade of the summer came on July 18, when San Antonio sent Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to Toronto in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick. It put an end to one of the strangest sagas of the 2017-18 season with Leonard. The small forward played only nine games for the Spurs as he dealt with a mysterious quad injury, distancing himself from a franchise with which he had been named NBA Finals MVP and was twice honored as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Now Leonard and fellow All-Star DeRozan have swapped uniforms, and they’ll go up against each other for the first time in early January in a game everyone will be watching.

Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics, Jan. 26.

This is the matchup oddsmakers are predicting to foreshadow the 2019 NBA Finals. Bovada has Golden State as a 1/2 pick to win it all. Boston is next in line at 11/2.

The defending champion Warriors have added DeMarcus Cousins to their almost embarrassing roster of riches that includes Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Celtics are expecting Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving to be healthy and ready to join a nucleus featuring the likes of Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier. Brown already has guaranteed an Eastern Conference title. “Oh we’re getting to the Finals,” he said on CJ McCollum’s “Pull Up” podcast this week. “No question about it.”

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Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets (four times: Nov. 15, Jan. 3, Feb. 23 and March 13)

The NBA’s two best teams last season — sorry, Cleveland — were the Warriors and Rockets. They squared off in 10 games, each team winning five times. Golden State prevailed in seven games in a sensational Western Conference finals matchup. The rivals are loaded for bear again this year, with the Rockets buoyed by the expected addition of Carmelo Anthony to the cast led by James Harden and Chris Paul. Whenever the Warriors and Rockets tip it off next season, it will be worth the watch.

–Kerry Eggers, Field Level Media

PGA: Call him “Major Koepka”

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ST. LOUIS – There were plenty of rooting interests on Sunday during the final round of the 100th PGA Championship. Most observers weren’t backing Brooks Koepka, the two-time defending U.S. Open champion who started the day at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis with a two-shot lead.

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Plenty of fans were behind Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters Tournament winner, as he battled Koepka through the final holes while carrying the mantle of fallen Aussie comrade Jarrod Lyle, who died this week after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Even more were rooting for plucky defending PGA Championship winner and world No. 2 Justin Thomas, who was in the hunt until he lost his focus over the final five holes.

And then there was the multitude that roared in utter delight when Tiger Woods made a run up the leaderboard, all but urging the 14-time major champion into contention as he battled his swing through the front nine and his stamina down the stretch.

Through it all, Koepka was calm, making shot after shot when was needed the most.

Koepka shrugged off challenges from Woods, in a turn-back-the-clock performance, and a resurgent Scott to capture the Wanamaker Trophy.

Koepka signed for a 4-under-par 66 on Sunday and finished at 16-under 264, two strokes clear Woods, who has won this event four times, and another shot ahead of Scott. Woods fashioned a round-low-tying 64 on Sunday to finish at 14 under while Scott shot a 3-under 67 with a bogey on the closing hole.

A 28-year-old Florida native, Koepka joined Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Woods as only players to win the U.S. Open and the PGA in the same season.

Koepka set the PGA Championship’s 72-hole scoring record at 264. The old mark of 265 (15 under par) was established by David Toms in 2001 at Atlanta Athletic Club’s Highlands Course.

Koepka now has three wins in the past seven major championships — and he didn’t play in this year’s Masters because of a wrist injury.

The victory Sunday was just the fourth of Koepka’s career, with the only non-major title coming at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open. He captured the 100th PGA Championship in his 100th career start.

On his ability to come through on the big stage, Koepka told CBS Sports after accepting the trophy, “I think it’s my focus. I don’t know what it is, but I need to take it over into regular Tour events as well.

“For some reason, the majors just get my attention. Every shot is so important, and when you’re out here grinding away, firing at the flags, firing at the middle of the greens, you just have to be very patient. And I seem to do a good job of that in the majors.”

Stewart Cink, the 2009 Open Championship winner, shot a 67 on Sunday and finished in a tie for fourth with Spain’s Jon Rahm (68) at 11 under.

Thomas Pieters of Belgium (66), reigning Open champion Francesco Molinari of Italy (67), Thomas (68) and first- and second-round leader Gary Woodland (69) ended up tied for sixth another stroke in arrears.

While everyone was focused on Woods and Koepka, Scott stayed in contention, canning mid-length putts on the 12th and 13th holes to climb into a tie for the lead at 14 under.

Koepka broke the deadlock when he rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on the 15th to move to 15 under. He then ripped a 4-iron to within 7 feet on the monster, 237-yard par-3 16th and calmly rolled in the putt to build his lead to two strokes with two holes to play.

Scott missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 17th that would have created plenty of drama on the closing hole. Instead Koepka went to the 18th with his two-shot lead intact. He finished with six birdies and two bogeys in the final round.

“I was feeling really good out there, but I just missed putts on 14 and 15 and Brooks made them, and my momentum was gone,” said Scott, who produced his first top-10 finish of the season. “I didn’t play the last two holes very well. I had high hopes for today — I’m definitely playing a lot better, and that will be important with the playoffs coming up.”

Woods had four birdies and a bogey on the front nine, making the turn at 32, and was within one shot of Koepka’s lead when he began the back nine. He left a 28-foot putt for birdie on the 11th short on the lip of the hole before jumping into a tie for second at 12 under with a 5-foot birdie putt on the 12th.

Woods then put a charge into the grounds with a walk-it-in birdie from 9 feet on the par-3 13th that moved him to within one of the lead. Woods lipped out a par putt on the 14th after his tee shot found the deep rough to the right of the fairway, dropping him two shots off the pace set by Koepka and Scott.

Then Woods responded in vintage style, stiffing a 9-iron from 164 yards to 2 feet on the 15th and birdieing the hole to pull back to within one. His birdie on the closing hole brought him up to second, serving notice that he can continue to be a force in major championships.

“I played hard,” Woods told CBS Sports. “Bit of a struggle with my game today. I was hanging in there, just grinding it out and trying to make as many birdies as possible. This golf course was giving it up, and I made a little bit of a run. …

“I never quite got to the lead. I was always trailing. It was a golf course in which I couldn’t sit still and make pars and be OK with it. I had to keep making birdies.”

Koepka was well aware of Woods’ charge.

“The crowds here, they definitely let you know what’s going on,” Koepka told CBS Sports after accepting the trophy. “You (fans) are awesome, first off. The beginning of the back nine, I could hear all of the roars. When Tiger started making his little run, and then Scotty (Adam Scott) made his run, it got quite loud. It was quite fun, it was enjoyable. It was enjoyable to play in front of fans who love golf and who are cheering for us.”

Thomas, playing three groups ahead of Koepka, pulled into a tie with for the lead at 12 under with back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes. However, Koepka reassumed the top spot with a birdie on the eighth and another on the ninth and turned for home at 14 under and two up on the field.

“I felt like I had a lot of positives from today,” Thomas said. “I feel like I had a great chance to win this tournament. I love being in that position, I felt very comfortable, I just flat out didn’t execute the shots. So that’s a bummer.”

Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain and Tyrrell Hatton of England tied for 10th place at 9 under as they joined Woods in shooting 64s on Sunday.

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth finished in a tie for 12th at 8 under after a 66 on Sunday. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson carded a 69 in the final round, leaving him in a tie for 27th.

The PGA Tour heads to Greensboro, N.C., next week for the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club.

–Field Level Media

Tiger On the Prowl

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ST. LOUIS – Tiger Woods did not win that elusive 15th major tournament, but there is no doubt that the golf icon is playing the best he has in years.

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Tiger Woods

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Although Woods failed to win the PGA Championship on Sunday, he was no failure. Woods fired a 64 in the final round at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis to finish in second place, two strokes behind the victorious Brooks Koepka.

It was an impressive final 18 holes for Woods, who birdied the 18th hole to finish with 64 — tying for the best round of the day along with Rafa Cabrera Bello and Tyrrell Hatton. It marked the best round for Woods in the final round of any major tournament in his career.

“I played hard,” Woods told CBS Sports as Koepka was playing the 18th hole. “Bit of a struggle with my game today. I was hanging in there, just grinding it out and trying to make as many birdies as possible. This golf course was giving it up, and I made a little bit of a run.”

For the tournament, Woods shot a 14 under for a four-day score of 266. It was nothing to be ashamed of, to say the least. It took Koepka delivering a PGA Championship 72-hole scoring record of 264 to defeat Woods.

It took elite golf to prevent Woods, 42, from the Wanamaker Trophy, as the champion and runner-up were the only players with scores of 66 or better in each of the last three rounds.

Koepka still may not have earned his fourth PGA Tour victory if not for Woods’ struggles on the front nine Sunday, where the four-time PGA Championship winner missed all seven fairways on the first nine holes, which helped limit him to just one birdie on his first five par-4 holes on the round.

“I had a hard time just with my warmup,” Woods said afterward. “I was hitting it left, I was hitting it right, and I just had to pick a side. Did I want to miss it way right or did I want to miss it way left?

“It was a struggle until I found a little bit of something on the back nine. I was just hanging in there with my mind, basically. It kinda got me through.”

What seemed to give him, and the raucous gallery, a spark was Woods’ round-turning rescue shot on the ninth hole. After hooking his initial iron shot off the tee, Woods took a drop from a cart path but still found a way to smack a beautiful shot to the middle of the green. When he knocked down the putt for a thrilling birdie to move to 11 under, the crowd exploded.

The fans in attendance were riveted — and loud in support of Woods for the remainder of the day.

“These fans were so positive all week,” Woods said after his round. “I can’t thank them enough for what they were saying out there, what it meant to me as a player. Just coming back and trying to win a major championship again. I was in contention the last two major championships, and I would have never foreseen that a year ago. I’m just so thankful to be here.”

The birdie on the ninth gave him a 32 on the front nine, which include four birdies and one bogey (on the par-3 sixth hole). Woods carried the momentum and matched his front-nine performance on the back, adding four more birdies and another bogey (on the par-4 14th). His excellent play kept him in contention, and he played the entire back nine within one shot of the lead.

Only a shoved tee shot right on the par-5 17th hole into a hazard, though Woods ended up parring the hole, essentially removed his last shot at catching Koepka.

Still, the round was vintage Tiger Woods, who returned to the PGA Tour in 2018 after recovering from his fourth back surgery. It was the second straight major that he finished in the top 10. He tied for sixth at The Open Championship last month.

Which begs the question: Will the recharged Woods be chosen for the Ryder Cup team that competes next month?

“I do want to be on the team — as a player,” Woods said. “I’m going to be there either way. Our captain has some decisions to make after the first couple playoff events. We’ll all sit down and give him our input of what we think and who should be on the team and who can contribute to the team.

“And, you know, hopefully my name will be part of that process.”

Woods is not yet in the top eight automatic qualifiers who secured Ryder Cup spots on Sunday, but he can be selected by U.S. captain Jim Furyk and his assistants.

–Field Level Media

Sale Tonight

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TORONTO – Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale is expected to be activated off the 10-day disabled list to start the second half of a day night doubleheader tonight against the Baltimore Orioles.

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The Red Sox placed Sale on the DL on July 31 with mild left shoulder inflammation, believing at the time it would be a short stint. Brian Johnson has held his place in the rotation in the interim.

Sale, 29, is 11-4 in 22 starts this season, leading the American League with a 2.04 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 141 innings.

Sale last pitched on July 27, tossing six scoreless innings and allowing three hits and two walks while striking out 10 in a no-decision against the Minnesota Twins. He hasn’t allowed a run in his past three starts, and only one in his last six.

–Field Level Media

Sunday School

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Boston 4, Baltimore 1

When: 1:05 PM ET, Sunday, August 12, 2018
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore
Attendance: 25,303
Recap for Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

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BALTIMORE – Chris Sale returned from the disabled list in style on Sunday, striking out 12 Orioles in five innings while Steve Pearce homered as the Boston Red Sox defeated Baltimore 4-1 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Sale (shoulder inflammation) made his first start since July 27 and helped Boston complete a sweep of the four-game series. The left-hander did not allow a run and gave up just one hit.

He needed just 68 pitches to record the 12 strikeouts — without a walk — through the five innings and left with a 2-0 lead. Sale (12-4) fanned at least two each inning.

Every Oriole struck out at least once against the 6-foot-6 left-hander. Sale now has won seven consecutive decisions.

The Boston Globe reported that Sale became one of just seven pitchers in history to strike out at least 12 in five innings or less. Boston used four relief pitchers before Craig Kimbrel took care of the ninth, earning his 35th save.

Sale’s performance overshadowed a good effort from Baltimore starter Alex Cobb (3-15). He gave up two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in seven innings.

Boston took the lead early when former Oriole Pearce hit a solo homer in the first inning. Cobb hung a breaking ball, and Pearce crushed it into the seats in left for the game’s first run.

The Red Sox made it 2-0 with some help from Baltimore in the fourth inning.

Brock Holt led off with a single, and J.D. Martinez later doubled into the right-field corner. Holt had stopped at third but Adam Jones dropped the ball while trying to pick it up, and that allowed Holt come in to score.

This was Jones’ first error as a right fielder, and Martinez did not get an RBI on the play.

The Orioles wasted a bases-loaded chance in the sixth and had the same opportunity in the eighth, scoring once on a Trey Mancini sacrifice fly, making it 2-1.

Boston answered with two in the ninth thanks to Jackie Bradley Jr. (RBI single) and Mookie Betts (run-scoring double).

–Field Level Media

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