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John Farrell is not shy with his use of challenges. After just one out in the game he asked Tom Hallion’s crew to take a closer look at Mookie Betts’s play at first where the center fielder was called out. The out call was reversed but the Red Sox didn’t capitalize on the call as David Ortiz grounded into an inning-ending double play. But in the second inning the Red Sox offense came alive. Mike Napoli, Blake Swihart, and Betts all drove in runs to build a five-run lead. Eduardo Rodriguez used that cushion well by holding the Royals to a single run in six and one-third inning of work. But the Red Sox’s Rodriguez wasn’t the one who made baseball headlines. Instead it was New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez, who homered off Justin Verlander for his 3,000th hit. Zach Hample, the season ticket-holder who caught the milestone piece of memorabilia, said he was keeping it. Hample said he has returned the first home run balls of Mike Trout and Didi Gregorious but that “this is something more special.” If Trout continues the path he is blazing, perhaps Hample will regret giving up that particular ball. Even though Major League...
Rick Porcello was pitching fairly well up until Albert Pujols took him long in the fourth inning. After the circuit clout Porcello loaded the bases by surrendering two singles and walking seven-hole hitter Chris Iannetta. The Red Sox starter got out of the jam when Blake Swihart caught Matt Joyce off third base to end the inning. The Red Sox took the lead in the bottom of the fourth only to have Porcello get into even more trouble in the fifth inning. Johnny Giavotella and Erick Aybar worked walks. Mike Trout’s ball deflected off Brock Holt to Xander Bogaerts, plating both baserunners for the lead. Bogaerts butchered the throw and Trout advanced to second base. The fun for the Angels didn’t stop there. Trout dashed to third base with Kole Calhoun batting. His slide was an amazing display of dexterity. He avoided Holt’s tag and just as his hand lost contact with the base his foot touched. John Tumpane called him out and Trout informed Mike Scioscia that they should challenge the call. The replay displayed Trout’s perfect coordination. Rusney Castillo had a rough outing in his first major league game in 2015. In the fifth he failed to hold...
The Angels’ leadoff hitter and rookie phenomenon Mike Trout only went 1-for-4, but his single in the sixth inning loaded the bases with two down. The steller center fielder can run from home plate to first in 3.53 seconds, fast enough to be mentioned in the same breath as Mickey Mantle. He effortlessly advanced to third on Torii Hunter’s line drive to right. Trout didn’t steal a base but he did tag up from first in the fifth inning on Hunter’s fly ball to Jacoby Ellsbury. I always wonder why more runners don’t do such a thing, but perhaps one needs Hall of Fame-level speed like Trout. His GIDPs don’t cure the blind but the one he hit into in the third inning drove in his team’s first run. Dustin Pedroia tried to out-Trout Trout in the first inning by reaching first on a passed ball strikeout and then swiping second. Pedroia was one of the players who didn’t go to Johnny Pesky’s funeral, but he could be given a pass because his wife is nine months pregnant. Only Clay Buchholz, David Ortiz, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Vicente Padilla attended. That last name is not a mistake. I’m not angry at...
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Photo courtesy of the Boston Public Library’s Sports Temples of Boston.