SB Nation Boston - Twins 5, Red Sox 2: Minnesota Dodges Sweep With Eighth Inning Rallyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2011-08-11T00:07:05-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/21161512011-08-11T00:07:05-04:002011-08-11T00:07:05-04:00Twins 5, Red Sox 2: Minnesota Dodges Sweep With Eighth-Inning Sweep
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<p>The Red Sox staged a late comeback, but had a 2-2 tie broken in the eighth when Jon Lester couldn't survive the inning, leading to a 5-2 loss.</p>
<p>Lester started out struggling in the first inning, giving up a run on three hits and a walk to allow a run to score despite picking Ben Revere off of first. Lester would settle down until the late innings, but was touched for another run in the sixth when Joe Mauer doubled Revere in.</p>
<p>The Sox would stage a late rally against Minnesota, taking advantage of a defensive error in the seventh, and scoring again on a David Ortiz home run in the eighth. But with Jon Lester trying to take on an eighth frame, the Twins struck back. Joe Mauer drew a leadoff walk, and then managed to score the go-ahead run with one out on Jim Thome's double.</p>
<p>The scoring wasn't over, with the Twins putting up another pair of runs off of Lester and Alfredo Aceves, but it would not matter. The Red Sox went down in order in the ninth, and the hopes of a sweep were dead.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/11/2356758/red-sox-twins-score-game-updateBenjamin Buchanan2011-08-10T21:43:22-04:002011-08-10T21:43:22-04:00Red Sox Vs. Twins: First-Inning Run Leaves Sox Down 1-0
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<p>Another night, another questionable zone for the Red Sox in Minnesota, who trail the Twins 1-0 in the fifth after a difficult first inning for Jon Lester. </p>
<p>After a wasted leadoff infield single from Jacoby Ellsbury, the Sox took the field in the bottom of the first. Lester managed to get the first out, and picked off Ben Revere after his line drive to center, but with two outs things fell apart. Joe Mauer walked, Michael Cuddyer singled into right, and Jim Thome brought home the run as the third straight baserunner to reach with two outs.</p>
<p>In the meantime the Red Sox have had their offense shut down by a combination of Nick Blackburn and home plate umpire Ted Barrett. While Blackburn has been solid, he's been helped out by a zone that's been conspicuously larger for him than for Jon Lester. The most egregious instance came in the second, when David Ortiz was called out on strikes with not a single pitch being thrown close to the zone.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/10/2356505/red-sox-twins-score-updateBenjamin Buchanan2011-08-10T17:37:26-04:002011-08-10T17:37:26-04:00Red Sox Vs. Twins Lineups: Dustin Pedroia Gets Night Off As Sox Go For Sweep
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<p>The Red Sox will give Dustin Pedroia his first night off since June 9 Wednesday, slotting Mike Aviles in at second base as they attempt to pick up a road sweep of the Twins.</p>
<p>June 9 was, you may recall, the day when Dustin Pedroia went in to have his knee examined. The organization was attempting to reassure their star second baseman that he could go all-out without fear of aggravating an old injury, and their plan paid off in spades. Before the positive report, Pedroia was hitting just .247/.361/.338. He's been tearing the cover off of the ball ever since, hitting .376/.447/.624 in what can only be called an MVP-caliber season.</p>
<p>Now, after a slow start to August, at least power-wise, Pedroia is getting another day off. Here's hoping the next two months prove to be as productive. In the meantime, the Sox will just have to make due with the rest of their historically good offense:</p>
<p><b>Boston Red Sox (72-43) </b></p>
<p></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jacoby Ellsbury, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Marco Scutaro, SS</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;">David Ortiz, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Carl Crawford, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Josh Reddick, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Mike Aviles, 2B</span></li>
</ol>
<p>The Twins will not have Jason Kubel in the lineup tonight, with Revere, Young, and Span starting in the outfield:</p>
<p><b>Minnesota Twins (51-65)</b></p>
<p></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Denard Span, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ben Revere, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Joe Mauer, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Michael Cuddyer, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jim Thome, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Danny Valencia, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Delmon Young, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Trevor Plouffe, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Tsuyoshi Nishioka, SS</span></li>
</ol>
<p><b>Pitching Matchup: </b>Jon Lester (11-5, 3.23 ERA) vs. Nick Blackburn (7-9, 4.58 ERA)</p>
<p>Jon Lester endured his worst start since returning from the disabled list in his last outing...and that was just three earned runs in six innings against the Yankees. So, clearly, that's not saying much.</p>
<p>The Twins, as it happens, are not the Yankees. They're on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, in fact. The one known as "bad". And while they're better against lefties than against righties, that doesn't even push them to "average". They're not good against the cutter, and while they've done well against Lester in years past, the composition of their lineup is completely different since the loss of Morneau. </p>
<p>Having started the year strong, Nick Blackburn is in the midst of a terrible stretch. Only pitching 12 innings over his last three starts, Blackburn has given up 16 earned runs since his last quality start on July 20, good for an 11.68 ERA. What's worse is that, of the teams he faced in that time, only Texas is really a major offensive threat. Blackburn is a walk-machine against lefties, has homer problems against righties, and just shouldn't give the Sox any problems the way he's pitching these last couple weeks.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/10/2356019/red-sox-twins-lineupBenjamin Buchanan2011-08-10T00:02:45-04:002011-08-10T00:02:45-04:00Red Sox 4, Twins 3: Boston Overcomes Small-Zone Struggles To Clinch Series Win
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<p>The Red Sox overcame the small zone of Tim McClelland, topping the Twins 4-3 to take a 2.5 game lead in the American League East.</p>
<p>After allowing Twins starter Francisco Liriano escape a bases loaded situation in the top of the first, the Red Sox endured one of the more frustrating innings in recent memory thanks to home plate umpire Tim McClelland. The trouble started from the very beginning, with Ben Revere drawing a five-pitch walk despite two of the pitches being in the zone and another on the border. With Revere running, Joe Mauer's ground ball found the hole vacated by Jed Lowrie, and the Twins were off to a hard start.</p>
<p>From there the Twins wouldn't pick up another hit, but between a sacrifice fly and three more walks with McClelland's zone becoming increasingly ridiculous, the Twins put up a two-spot and took the early lead. All-together, Bedard had five clear strikes turned into balls in the inning, and not a single borderline call went his way.</p>
<p>Bedard would tighten up, though, somehow managing to work around the dreadful zone, and not allow any more runs for the rest of his outing. His start was shortened by the inflated pitch count in the first and the cautionary approach the Sox are taking to him, but he picked up a lot of swings-and-misses, and eventually ended with six strikeouts. And it is surely to his credit that he never came close to putting his team in a bad situation by getting ejected.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Sox managed to back him up in the fifth. Needing little help from the questionable zone, an incredibly wild Francisco Liriano gave up one of his seven walks on the night to Jason Varitek, and was quickly made to pay for it by Darnell McDonald, who destroyed a hanging 1-2 slider, providing the Sox with a game-tying upper-deck homer to left.</p>
<p>A back-and-forth sixth inning saw the Sox take the lead and then immediately give it back, leaving Erik Bedard stuck with a no-decision, but the Sox would be the ones to strike last, if not in convincing fashion. With the bases loaded, zero outs, and David Ortiz coming to the plate, Ron Gardenhire went to lefty Phil Dumatrait. His choice proved wise as Dumatrait induced a weak dribbler in front of the plate, but ultimately unproductive. Dumatrait, attempting to field the ball and throw home for the forceout, managed only a faceplant. Ortiz was safe at first, Dustin Pedroia crossed home, and the Red Sox took the 4-3 lead they would not surrender.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/10/2354655/boston-red-sox-game-score-twinsBenjamin Buchanan2011-08-09T21:48:41-04:002011-08-09T21:48:41-04:00Red Sox Vs. Twins: Darnell McDonald Ties Game At 2-2 After Shaky First Frame
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<p>The Red Sox and Twins are stuck in a 2-2 tie after Darnell McDonald's fifth-inning homer.</p>
<p>The homer had to bring the Red Sox back from a two-run deficit thanks largely to a four-walk first from Erik Bedard that can be accredited to this terrible strike zone:</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/681185/zoneplot.php-pitchSel_all_game_gid_2011_08_09_bosmlb_minmlb_1_sp_type_1_s_type_7.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Zoneplot" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/681185/zoneplot.php-pitchSel_all_game_gid_2011_08_09_bosmlb_minmlb_1_sp_type_1_s_type_7_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>(Image from BrooksBaseball.net, with data gathered from MLB's own PitchF/X system)</p>
<p>Green is a ball, red is a strike. A triangle means Bedard was on the mound, a square means it was a Liriano pitch. As you can see, it's hardly been fair.</p>
<p>With at least five strikes being called balls in the first, Bedard had difficulty keeping runners off of the basepaths. Loading the bases with one out and a run already in, Bedard battled back to stike out Danny Valencia, but a nasty, perfectly placed two-seamer to Delmon Young was not perfect enough for Tim McClelland, who awarded the Twins the base and the run. The pitch in question is the green triangle you see planted just inside the line halfway up the left-hand side of the box. Clearly a strike</p>
<p>Bedard has managed to work around the small zone for the last four innings, holding the Twins scoreless and giving the Sox a chance to get back in this, which they did in the fifth. Surprisingly, it came from the bottom of the order, with Jason Varitek drawing a leadoff walk, and making Liriano pay for hanging a slider in his wheelhouse, sending an upper-deck homer into left field to make it 2-all.</p>
<p>The small zone has forced both pitchers' counts up around 90, so it's possible neither one is long for the game. If so, the Sox will get to face off against the game's worst bullpen.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/9/2354474/red-sox-twins-score-updateBenjamin Buchanan2011-08-09T19:42:26-04:002011-08-09T19:42:26-04:00Red Sox Vs. Twins Lineups: Red Sox Go Right-Handed Against Lefty Francisco Liriano
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<p>The Red Sox managed to overcome the hardest matchup of their series, downing Scott Baker with Tim Wakefield on the mound thanks to a ninth-inning rally. Now, with Erik Bedard getting his second start with the Sox, the Boston lineup will get to take on Francisco Liriano in the midst of a very disappointing year for the left-hander.</p>
<p>For the second straight start, Bedard will have Jason Varitek behind the plate. While Tek's experience behind the plate can provide a steadying influence for the newest Sox pitcher, it's becoming difficult to insert his woefully slow bat in the lineup while Jarrod Saltalamacchia continues to heat up offensively. Luckily, though, given both of their splits, it becomes a lot more acceptable against lefties. </p>
<p><b>Boston Red Sox (71-43)</b></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;">David Ortiz, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jed Lowrie, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Carl Crawford, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jason Varitek, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Darnell McDonald, RF</span></li>
</ol>
<div>The Twins will try to counter Bedard with a bottom of the lineup filled with right-handed hitters.</div>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Minnesota Twins (51-64)</b></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Ben Revere, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Joe Mauer, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Michael Cuddyer, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Jason Kubel, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Jim Thome, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Danny Valencia, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Delmon Young, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Tsuyoshi Nishioka, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Drew Butera, C</span></li>
</ol>
<p><b>Pitching Matchup:</b> Erik Bedard (4-7, 3.55 ERA) vs. Francisco Liriano (7-9, 5.03 ERA)</p>
<p>His first outing for the Red Sox may not have come with a quality start (thanks in part due to his own failure to cover first base in the second, eventually costing the Sox an extra run), but Erik Bedard gave Red Sox reason to be excited. He looked very much like his old self, maintaining good velocity and showing that he could snap off his hard-breaking curveball for strikes. He kept the ball in the zone, not allowing a single walk while striking out five, and was generally just hurt by some ground balls-nothing to be ashamed of.</p>
<p>After a big 2010, Francisco Liriano has gone way downhill in 2011. He's already walked more batters than he did last year, despite still being eighty innings away from matching his 2010 total, and has seen a dip in his strikeouts as well. The way he's gone about it of late has been interesting, though. While early in the season he was just producing mediocre outings, of late he's been alternating between 7-inning gems, and disaster starts where he allows more than a run per frame. The balance was heavily in favor of the gems in May and June, when he was held to just eight starts with increased rest inbetween, but ever since he's gotten back on a typical schedule, it's been right back to the disasters.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/9/2354284/red-sox-twins-lineups-erik-bedardBenjamin Buchanan2011-08-09T14:02:45-04:002011-08-09T14:02:45-04:00PHOTO: Red Sox' Dustin Pedroia Graces Cover Of This Week's Sports Illustrated
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<p><span>Dustin Pedroia</span> may only be five-foot-nine, but he takes up all of the space on the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated, in which Tom Verducci penned a story on the "Muddy Chicken" and called him the heart of the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Sox</a>.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/680891/Dustin_Pedroia.jpg"><img height="379" width="286" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/680891/Dustin_Pedroia_medium.jpg" alt="Dustin_pedroia_medium" class="photo"></a></p>
<p>For an excerpt from Verducci's story in SI, continue reading after the jump.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In a lineup of stars, nobody has played a larger role in the success of the Red Sox than the 5' 8", 165-pound Pedroia. And nobody has inspired better nicknames. Pedroia tells senior baseball writer Tom Verducci that his latest moniker, the Muddy Chicken, came about during the postgame meal following Boston's 1-0, 16-inning win over Tampa Bay in June: <b>"David [Ortiz] was eating this chicken from the Dominican Republic. I don't know who he got it from. But it was [bleeping] disgusting. So I said, ‘I want to be called that.' ... [Bleeping] Muddy Chicken.... They started laughing, so they started calling me that. And it was a 16-inning game, and I think there were some cocktails involved in some people's interviews. That's basically it. And then we got back home and, thanks to New Balance, there are boxes of Muddy Chicken T-shirts. I'm like, What's wrong with you guys?"</b></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The complete story can be found in this week's SI, which hits newsstands on Wednesday.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/8/9/2353612/dustin-pedroia-sports-illustrated-cover-boston-red-sox-mlb-newsGethin Coolbaugh2011-08-09T08:36:39-04:002011-08-09T08:36:39-04:00TV Schedule, August 9: Erik Bedard, Red Sox Take On Twins In Minnesota
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<p><i>Tuesday's TV schedule, complete with channels and times, customized for the Boston sports fan. Click on any team's name for complete schedules, scores, and previews, plus an active community devoted to your team. All times ET. </i><br><br><b><u>Major League Baseball</u></b></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> - 8:10 p.m. (TV/Radio: NESN/WEEI): <span>Erik Bedard</span> and the Boston Red Sox go for their second straight win over the Twins, as well as the series win, on Tuesday night at Target Field. Bedard faltered in his first start with the Red Sox, allowing three earned runs on seven hits in five innings while striking out five batters. Bedard is now 5-7 with a 3.55 ERA on the season. Follow along with our <a href="http://boston.sbnation.com/2011/8/8/2352110/red-sox-twins-game-series-schedule" target="_blank">stream</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles Angels</a> vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a>, 7:05 p.m. (MLB Network)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>More sports on TV Tuesday after the jump.</div>
<div><b><u>Pro Basketball</u></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">WNBA: Chicago vs. Connecticut (in Uncasville, CT), 7:30 p.m. (TV: N/A)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">WNBA: Seattle vs. New York, 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2)</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/8/9/2353002/tv-schedule-august-9-boston-red-sox-minnesota-twins-erik-bedard-mlb-scores-newsGethin Coolbaugh