Like many Red Sox fans, I woke up bleary eyed and tired, unsure if what I saw at 1:00am truly happened. Then I saw the news on multiple outlets and indeed it did happen. Craig Kimbrel once again put on his Houdini act and was able to escape albeit barely surviving and wouldn't have survived had it not been for Andrew Benintendi's DIVING effort to save the game.
So now we head into Game 5 with David Price ( who was warming and would have entered the game had Kimbrel totally imploded in both the 8th and the 9th innings respectively. Yet, Price was seen celebrating after Benintendi's catch and will be taking the hill in what is probably the biggest start of his Red Sox career.
So with that being said here are my keys to tonight's game.
1.) With a much-beleaguered bullpen which saw Ryan Braiser throw 1.1 innings, and Kimbrel throwing 32 pitches in his 2 inning stint, most likely unavailable tonight, the reliance on Price going at least 5 if not 6 innings tonight is CRUCIAL.
If Price is able to control and keep the Astros hitters from teeing off and putting some runs on the board then I can see him succeeding and putting the Sox into a great position late in the game.
2.) Keeping the pressure on the Astros pitchers. In all of the games in this series the Sox have continued to put pressure on the Astros and perhaps that is getting to the Astros especially their catchers who are each and every night having their difficulties in catching any thrown ball that is in the dirt successfully. Maldonado who was acquired by the Astros on the reputation of having some of the best catching skills of any catcher has had probably the worst defensive series of any player on either team.
His inability which I have talked about (follow me on twitter to see just what I have said.) But he came into this series heralded for his bazooka of a right-arm which was shown off last night when he threw a strike to nail JBJ on an attempted steal of second base. Yet, he has struggled mightily with anything that's been thrown into the dirt being tagged with multiple passed balls and wild pitches.
When the Red Sox get runners on base, I'd expect them to continue to test the defensive inadequacies of the Astros catchers and push the pedal to the metal.
3.) JBJ ( 9 RBI's over the past two games) He has and should be the MVP of this series. His bases-clearing double in Game 2 reignited the Red Sox to a 6-4 win. He followed that up by in Game 3 hitting a dagger of a GRAND SLAM to increase what was a 4-2 lead prior to his at-bat to an 8-2 lead. Then last night he once again put the offense on his back and dropped the BOOM on a 90mph changeup and driving it deep into the rightfield bleachers.
4.) Red Sox outfield defense. Last night the Killer B's of from leftfield to rightfield Benintendi (2 doubles scored 2 runs )and then defensively he made the catch of the ALCS when on a low line drive by Alex Bregman, Benintendi dove and with his outstretched glove was able to secure the ball and saved the game for Kimbrel and the Red Sox last night
JBJ look at #3.
Betts. First, he had what would have been a 2 run game tying home run reversed when it was noticed by the right field umpire, Joe West that a fan had interfered with Betts attempting to make the catch and Altuve's homer was overturned. ( for those curious check out MLB.com/rules and it is (Rule 6.01 (E) which focuses on spectator interference)
Then in the 9th inning on the first pitch from Kimbrel, on a shot down into the rightfield corner by Tony Kemp, Betts hustled over grabbed it pirrioueted and fired a strike to Xander to get the speedy Kemp and keeping is fast feet off the bases.
Overall the Sox had multiple players step up and tonight they have a chance to for the first time since 2013, win the American League Pennant and represent the AL in the World Series.
PS: Special shout out to Steve Pearce who risked life and limb for a foul pop up by the Astros dugout. Pearce dove and while he missed the ball he fell onto the bench on the dugout and was LUCKY not to have been seriously hurt.
SO if the Red Sox are able to win they will be heading back to the World Series!!!!
So now we head into Game 5 with David Price ( who was warming and would have entered the game had Kimbrel totally imploded in both the 8th and the 9th innings respectively. Yet, Price was seen celebrating after Benintendi's catch and will be taking the hill in what is probably the biggest start of his Red Sox career.
So with that being said here are my keys to tonight's game.
1.) With a much-beleaguered bullpen which saw Ryan Braiser throw 1.1 innings, and Kimbrel throwing 32 pitches in his 2 inning stint, most likely unavailable tonight, the reliance on Price going at least 5 if not 6 innings tonight is CRUCIAL.
If Price is able to control and keep the Astros hitters from teeing off and putting some runs on the board then I can see him succeeding and putting the Sox into a great position late in the game.
2.) Keeping the pressure on the Astros pitchers. In all of the games in this series the Sox have continued to put pressure on the Astros and perhaps that is getting to the Astros especially their catchers who are each and every night having their difficulties in catching any thrown ball that is in the dirt successfully. Maldonado who was acquired by the Astros on the reputation of having some of the best catching skills of any catcher has had probably the worst defensive series of any player on either team.
His inability which I have talked about (follow me on twitter to see just what I have said.) But he came into this series heralded for his bazooka of a right-arm which was shown off last night when he threw a strike to nail JBJ on an attempted steal of second base. Yet, he has struggled mightily with anything that's been thrown into the dirt being tagged with multiple passed balls and wild pitches.
When the Red Sox get runners on base, I'd expect them to continue to test the defensive inadequacies of the Astros catchers and push the pedal to the metal.
3.) JBJ ( 9 RBI's over the past two games) He has and should be the MVP of this series. His bases-clearing double in Game 2 reignited the Red Sox to a 6-4 win. He followed that up by in Game 3 hitting a dagger of a GRAND SLAM to increase what was a 4-2 lead prior to his at-bat to an 8-2 lead. Then last night he once again put the offense on his back and dropped the BOOM on a 90mph changeup and driving it deep into the rightfield bleachers.
4.) Red Sox outfield defense. Last night the Killer B's of from leftfield to rightfield Benintendi (2 doubles scored 2 runs )and then defensively he made the catch of the ALCS when on a low line drive by Alex Bregman, Benintendi dove and with his outstretched glove was able to secure the ball and saved the game for Kimbrel and the Red Sox last night
JBJ look at #3.
Betts. First, he had what would have been a 2 run game tying home run reversed when it was noticed by the right field umpire, Joe West that a fan had interfered with Betts attempting to make the catch and Altuve's homer was overturned. ( for those curious check out MLB.com/rules and it is (Rule 6.01 (E) which focuses on spectator interference)
Then in the 9th inning on the first pitch from Kimbrel, on a shot down into the rightfield corner by Tony Kemp, Betts hustled over grabbed it pirrioueted and fired a strike to Xander to get the speedy Kemp and keeping is fast feet off the bases.
Overall the Sox had multiple players step up and tonight they have a chance to for the first time since 2013, win the American League Pennant and represent the AL in the World Series.
PS: Special shout out to Steve Pearce who risked life and limb for a foul pop up by the Astros dugout. Pearce dove and while he missed the ball he fell onto the bench on the dugout and was LUCKY not to have been seriously hurt.
SO if the Red Sox are able to win they will be heading back to the World Series!!!!
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