SB Nation Boston - Red Sox Vs. Pirates: Andrew Miller, Boston Salvage Series With 4-2 Winhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2011-06-27T16:38:57-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/20063202011-06-27T16:38:57-04:002011-06-27T16:38:57-04:00Andrew Miller Giving Red Sox Exactly What They Need
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<p>Andrew Miller has been very good in his first two starts with the Boston Red Sox, giving the injury-ridden club exactly what it needs - consistency.</p> <p><span>Josh Beckett</span> has been ill, <span>Clay Buchholz</span>' back hurts, <span>Alfredo Aceves</span> is back in the bullpen, <span>John Lackey</span> is terrible, and <span>Daisuke Matsuzaka</span> will spend the rest of his contract recovering from Tommy John Surgery.</p>
<p>With all the misfortune that has befallen the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a>' rotation of late, it's no surprise that the team was able to find an opportunity to get <span>Andrew Miller</span> some starts.</p>
<p>It's also no surprise that, after a couple successful appearances, Red Sox fans are all-too-ready to crown him their savior. But is he?</p>
<p>So far, there's no question the Sox have seen results from Miller. In fact, surrounding losses from Lester, Wakefield, Lackey, and Aceves, Miller has been the starting pitcher in both of the Red Sox' last two wins. In his first start against San Diego, he really only had the one bad pitch (<span>Orlando Hudson</span>'s home run), despite the three earned runs in just under six innings. And he had to overcome a good deal of poor defense in his win against Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>But there have been some concerning trends too. He has not done the best job of putting the ball in the strike zone, having periods of wildness where he's clearly unable to find his command. Against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a>, that manifested as a walk to the pitcher, as well as his two failed attempts to hit an opposing batter in retribution for the Pirates coming in on <span>Dustin Pedroia</span>.</p>
<p>Still, when he's looked good, he's looked <i>good. </i>His slurve was an absolute wipeout pitch against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>, his fastball has been sitting at 93 with some of its old bite back, and his changeup is enough of a change of pace that he should be capable of surviving the second and even third time through a lineup.</p>
<p>Is Andrew Miller a 3.09 ERA pitcher? Almost certainly not. He's faced the Pirates and the Padres, and stranded an unsustainable percentage of the base runners he's allowed. But the Red Sox certainly seem to have done a reasonable job with this particular reclamation project. He's always had the raw talent and physical abilities, now with his much-improved secondary offering, hopefully he'll be able to make use of it.</p>
<p>Once billed as a future ace--first for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Tigers</a>, then the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/florida-marlins">Marlins</a>--Miller isn't ever likely to quite reach those heights. What the Red Sox need, though, is not necessarily another No. 1 or No. 2 starter. Much like in 2009, the Sox are just searching for the guy who can give them a shot in the two games while Beckett, Buchholz, and Lester are resting. Lackey and Matsuzaka haven't provided that, but it's looking like Andrew Miller just might.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/27/2246984/andrew-miller-boston-red-sox-mlb-newsBenjamin Buchanan2011-06-26T16:59:52-04:002011-06-26T16:59:52-04:00Red Sox vs. Pirates: Boston Gets Solid Pitching, Salvages Series With Win
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<p>During Saturday night's 6-4 <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Sox</a> loss to the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Pirates</a>, fireworks literally flew before the game even ended, when it was thought that <span>Dustin Pedroia</span> had flied out to end the game. </p>
<p>More fireworks nearly flew on Sunday, when Pedroia was pitched high and tight in three consecutive at-bats. The Boston second baseman wasn't hit, but was clearly ticked off, as NESN's cameras caught him uttering some less-than-favorable adjectives after the third instance. </p>
<p>Pedroia's outburst may or may not have been the impetus, but for a team that's lacked a serious spark of late, the Red Sox were happy to take any energy that they could get. </p>
<p>After stranding throngs of teammates on base in the first two games of the series, the Sox finally got the timely hitting that they'd been missing and upended the Pirates, 4-2.</p>
<p><span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> had two hits to improve his league-leading average to .361, and both Gonzalez and the pinch-hitting <span>David Ortiz</span> narrowly missed towering home runs down the right field line that would have helped to open the game up for Boston. </p>
<p><span>Jarrod Saltalamacchia</span> scored on a wild throw by <span>Andrew McCutchen</span> in the Red Sox' half of the fourth, but a Marco Sctuaro error helped <span>Neil Walker</span> to get on base, eventually coming around to score on a <span>Ronny Cedeno</span> sacrifice fly. </p>
<p>McCutchen briefly atoned for his error in the bottom of the fifth, singling home pitcher <span>James McDonald</span> after Andrew Miller had loaded the bases with nobody out. <span>Garrett Jones</span> was tagged out at 3rd on the play, and Miller was able to escape the inning - and eventually the rest of the game - without allowing further damage. </p>
<p>In Boston's sixth, <span>Josh Reddick</span> flew out to left fielder <span>Matt Diaz</span>, scoring <span>Kevin Youkilis</span>. Diaz moved over to left in place of <span>Jose Tabata</span>, who was injured legging out an infield single on the first pitch of Pittsburgh's half of the first. No report was issued on the injury, but Tabata was carted off the field, looking to have seriously injured his right leg. </p>
<p>Boston loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh, and Pedroia grounded out to second, scoring Scutaro from third. After Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked, Youkilis flied out to right and in rumbled David Ortiz to give Boston their first two-run lead of the game. </p>
<p>Alfredo Aceves and Daniel Bard pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Jonathan Papelbon worked around a leadoff four-pitch walk in the ninth and retired the side in order to salvage the series. </p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/26/2245287/red-sox-pirates-game-three-recap-interleague-playRyan Durling2011-06-26T16:02:17-04:002011-06-26T16:02:17-04:00Red Sox Vs. Pirates: Errors Abound As Boston, Pittsburgh Tied After 6
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<p>Errors by Andrew McCutcheon and <span>Marco Scutaro</span> cost both Pittsburgh and Boston a run in the 4th, and after the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> took a 2-1 lead in the fifth, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> evened it right back up in the sixth. </p>
<p><span>Dustin Pedroia</span> had been thrown at each time he went to the plate, and each time near the head, causing some fireworks to nearly fly in the sixth. </p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/26/2245238/red-sox-pirates-interleague-playRyan Durling2011-06-26T14:39:21-04:002011-06-26T14:39:21-04:00Red Sox Vs. Pirates: Andrew Miller Dealing Through Three Scoreless Innings
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<p>The <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Sox</a> started this game as they've started so many recently: by getting men on and kindly leaving them there. <span>Dustin Pedroia</span> singled and <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> moved him over before <span>Kevin Youkilis</span> lined out softly to third and <span>J.D. Drew</span> struck out to end the threat.</p>
<p>They'd get the leadoff man on in the third when <span>Jarrod Saltalamacchia</span> singled, but he was unable to be moved over.</p>
<p>Fortunately, Andrew Miller held off the <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pirates</a>, striking out three and allowing just two hits in the first three innings. </p>
<p>The Pirates lost left fielder <span>Jose Tabata</span> just one pitch into the Pittsburgh half of the first when he appeared to injure his left leg while legging out a bunt single. </p>
<p>Drew, who hit a ball off of his left eye during batting practice, left the game in the second inning and was replaced by Darnell McDonald.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/26/2245148/red-sox-pirates-game-three-third-inningRyan Durling2011-06-26T13:09:11-04:002011-06-26T13:09:11-04:00Red Sox Vs. Pirates Lineups: David Ortiz Remains On Bench As Sox Try To Avoid Sweep
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<p>For the third straight game, David Ortiz will not be part of the Red Sox' starting lineup.</p>
<p>Despite receiving a more balanced attack from their offense in Saturday night's game, the Red Sox still stranded eight runners, losing their fourth straight game as Tim Wakefield couldn't hold the PIrates' offense down.</p>
<p>They'll hope for more Sunday afternoon from the same group of batters.</p>
<p><b>Boston Red Sox (44-32) </b></p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jacoby Ellsbury, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Dustin Pedroia, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Adrian Gonzalez, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Kevin Youkilis, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">J.D. Drew, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Josh Reddick, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Marco Scutaro, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Andrew Miller, P</span></li>
</ol>
<div>Against left-handed Andrew MIller, the Pirates will return to a similar lineup to the one they used Friday against Jon Lester. The only difference will be recent call-up Eric Fryer playing catcher and batting eighth.</div>
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<div><b>Pittsburgh Pirates (39-37)</b></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jose Tabata, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Chase d'Arnaud, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Andrew McCutchen, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Neil Walker, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Matt Diaz, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Lyle Overbay, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ronny Cedeno, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Eric Fryer, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">James McDonald, C</span></li>
</ol>
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<b>Pitching Matchup: </b>Andrew Miller (0-0, 4.76 ERA) vs. James McDonald (5-4, 4.86 ERA)</div>
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<p>The Red Sox will count themselves lucky to finally be facing a less-impressive righty in James McDonald after drawing Paul Maholm and Jeff Karstens in the first two games. In many ways, McDonald is the opposite of Karstens. He's primarily a fastball pitcher, hitting the low-mid 90s, and can't find the zone with any great regularity. That's exactly the sort of guy the Red Sox should feast on, but four straight bad games can always make a team press.</p>
<p>Andrew MIller had a reasonably successful debut against the Padres last week. Really, he was only the victim of one pitch--the home run ball he gave up to Orlando Hudson--and even that seemed to go where he wanted it to. Other than a few streaks where he seemed to lose control for a few pitches, Miller gave the Sox some reason to be excited. The Pirates aren't the most free-swinging of teams in the game, but they're also one of the worst teams in the game against lefties.</p>
<p>Then again, so were the Padres.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/26/2244991/red-sox-pirates-lineups-david-ortiz-adrian-gonzalezBenjamin Buchanan2011-06-25T22:28:07-04:002011-06-25T22:28:07-04:00Pirates 6, Red Sox 4: Trio Of Homers Not Enough To Overcome Four-Run Fourth
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<p>The Red Sox fell to the Pirates 6-4 Saturday night, allowing the New York Yankees to take sole possession of fourth place in the American League East.</p>
<p>While the Red Sox offense was able to bring a bit more firepower to the table than they had on Friday, the problems were much the same. The Sox scored in the first (as they had done in the previous game) when Dustin Pedroia walked, stole second, advanced to third on the errant throw from catcher Mike McKenry, and then scored on Adrian Gonzalez' ground out. They scored again when Gonzalez went opposite field to pick up his sixteenth bomb of the season in the third inning, putting the Red Sox up 2-0.</p>
<p>But already the same old problems were shining through. Almost as soon as Jarrod Saltalamacchia reached second base with a leadoff double in the second, he was heading back to the dugout as the bottom three in the Sox' order went down in order. Again, the Sox had a chance in the fourth with two men on and nobody out, but Marco Scutaro grounded into a double play, and the inning was over. Somehow these last four games the Red Sox' lineup has always seemed one man short.</p>
<p>Still, the Sox had a 2-0 lead, and Tim Wakefield seemed on in his return to Pittsburgh, but then things just fell apart. </p>
<p>It started with an infield single to a diving Kevin Youkilis with one out in the fourth, but the rest was clearly Tim Wakefield's fault. A walk to Neil Walker brought Red Sox killer extraordinaire Lyle Overbay to the plate, and on the sixth pitch, he lived up to his title, clubbing a hanging knuckleball that looked more like a curve than anything else into the seats in right field to put the Pirates up 3-2. If that weren't bad enough, Ronny Cedeno doubled, and then came home on the ultimate embarrassment: an RBI single from pitcher Jeff Karstens.</p>
<p>Another run would score in the fifth, as Wakefield allowed the first two men to reach, and Dustin Pedroia pulled a Buckner on a ground ball that seemed likely to keep the runners where they were.</p>
<p>The Red Sox rallied as Josh Reddick, who Terry Francona says has earned another start, blasted a home run to right-center. Jacoby Ellsbury followed suit, bringing the Sox to within one, but they could score no more and Matt Albers allowed another solo shot to seal the deal for Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>Eight more men stranded on a night where the Red Sox slammed three homers--all of them solo shots. After four straight similar losses, something's gotta give.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/25/2244453/red-sox-score-pirates-gameBenjamin Buchanan2011-06-25T20:29:02-04:002011-06-25T20:29:02-04:00Red Sox Vs. Pirates: Lyle Overbay's Homer Puts Pirates Up 4-2 After Four
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> find themselves behind once again against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a>, trailing 4-2 after a four-run fourth inning from the Pirates.</p>
<p>Boston got out to another early lead when <span>Dustin Pedroia</span> walked in the first, stole second, advanced to third on the errant throw from catcher Mike McKenry, and then was knocked in on a ground out by <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span>. Gonzalez would pick up his second <span class="caps">RBI</span> of the day by blasting an opposite field homer in the third, giving the Sox a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p><span>Tim Wakefield</span>, meanwhile had breezed through the first three innings of the game. As is often the case with the knuckleball, though, things changed at the tip of a hat. <span>Andrew McCutchen</span> started the rally with a one-out infield single to <span>Kevin Youkilis</span>. Up stepped <span>Lyle Overbay</span> with two on and two out. Wakefield fell behind early, but battled back to bring the count full. The sixth pitch, however, was disastrous, as Overbay launched a no-doubter to put the Pirates up 3-2.</p>
<p>If that wasn’t bad enough, <span>Ronny Cedeno</span> followed up with a double, and was brought around on an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single from the pitcher, <span>Jeff Karstens</span>.</p>
<p>The Sox are in bad shape halfway through the game that could prove to be their fourth straight loss.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/25/2244378/red-sox-score-pirates-updateBenjamin Buchanan2011-06-25T16:50:53-04:002011-06-25T16:50:53-04:00Red Sox Vs. Pirates Lineups: J.D. Drew, Josh Reddick Start In The Outfield
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<p>It's starting to seem like the Red Sox' biggest weakness against lefties is one guy who never even sees an at bat against them: Terry Francona. After a 1-for-7 night for Darnell McDonald and Mike Cameron--the latest in a series of failures from the two right-handed outfielders--the Sox will send out J.D. Drew and Josh Reddick Saturday against right-handed Jeff Karstens.</p>
<p>The only hope is that this will still be the starting outfield on Sunday when the Sox come up against another southpaw.</p>
<p>What remains the same from Friday's lineup is the top-4, as David Ortiz will again take a seat and wait for a call to pinch-hit while Adrian Gonzalez gets the start at first.</p>
<p><strong>Boston Red Sox (44-31)</strong></p>
<p></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jacoby Ellsbury, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Dustin Pedroia, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Adrian Gonzalez, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Kevin Youkilis, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">J.D. Drew, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Josh Reddick, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Marco Scutaro, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Tim Wakefield, P</span></li>
</ol>
<div>With Tim Wakefield returning to where it all began so many years ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates have made few changes to their starting nine. The only difference will be Garret Jones getting the call in right field.</div>
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<div><b>Pittsburgh Pirates (38-37)</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jose Tabata, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Chase d'Arnaud, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Garrett Jones, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Andrew McCutchen, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Neil Walker, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Lyle Overbay, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ronny Cedeno, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Mike McKenry, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jeff Karstens, P</span></li>
</ol>
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<b>Pitching Matchup: </b>Tim Wakefield (4-2, 4.26 ERA) Jeff Karstens (4-4, 2.54 ERA)</div>
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<p>There's no other way to put it: Jeff Karstens is having a breakout year. The question is, what changed him from a middling piece in the Xavier Nady trade to, arguably, Pittsburgh's ace?</p>
<p>One of the most important parts of Karsten's game is throwing strikes--he's one of the best in the business at putting the ball in the zone--but that's always been the case. The difference now is that he can get batters to actually chase out of the zone, which has caused his walk rate to drop and his strikeout rate to get that extra needed kick. With his secondary offerings having developed nicely, and with his focus shifting from his slow four-seamer to a more deceptive two-seamer, Karstens could prove quite troublesome for a Red Sox team that loves to walk and hates to swing early.</p>
<p>While Tim Wakefield is also far from being a flamethrower, the contrast between Karstens' precision and Wakefield's wild knuckleball is interesting. As per usual, the experience against Wake's knuckleball is limited for the National League lineup with only Lyle Overbay (30) and Ronny Cedeno (3) having had any plate appearances against it. Typically this is to Boston's benefit, but then again, there's not much the advantage of unfamiliarity can do to save a floating Knuckleball.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/6/25/2244122/red-sox-pirates-lineups-david-ortiz-right-field-adrian-gonzalezBenjamin Buchanan