Brew up double play
Liner leads to tricky call
MILWAUKEE — Rarely does a team get rewarded for dropping a line drive, but the Brewers found a way to make it happen against the Red Sox yesterday.
With Xander Bogaerts on first base and one out in the third inning of the Sox’ 4-1 win, Mitch Moreland hit a liner straight to Jonathan Villar at second base. Villar clearly caught the ball with his glove close to the ground, held it for a second, just long enough for Bogaerts to run back to first, then Villar let the ball roll out of his glove. Second base umpire Manny Gonzalez ruled no catch, and Villar smartly threw to Orlando Arcia for one out, then Arcia threw to first for a double play.
Standing on first, Bogaerts argued but the umps weren’t having it.
“He caught it and he let it fall,” Bogaerts said. “That’s what I saw. I saw he caught it, then dropped it on purpose. He dropped it with his back toward the umpire so the umpire couldn’t see it but I saw it.”
Bogaerts had a legitimate reason to be upset. According to rule 5.09(a), if “an infielder intentionally drops a fair fly ball or line drive, with first, first and second, first and third, or first, second and third base occupied with less than two out, the ball is dead and runner or runners shall return to their original base or bases.”
Red Sox manager John Farrell had a word with crew chief Fieldin Culbreth, but he wouldn’t let the Sox challenge the play, Farrell said.
“We saw it as it was a catch and a drop intentionally,” Farrell said. “That’s why I asked them to convene and at least talk it through. But to their view, they didn’t see it as a catch, which I still dispute. And it was ruled that it was a non-reviewable play, which again, that’s not to be the case because the play was behind the umpire positioned on the grass with a man at first base.”
The call was pivotal in the Red Sox’ attempt to get a rally going. They were tied, 1-1, until Mookie Betts hit a threerun homer in the ninth. The Red Sox salvaged a 3-3 record on the road trip with yesterday’s win, but should be most encouraged by the way their offense showed signs of life. They scored 31 runs in the three games against the Minnesota Twins and 15 in three games against the Brewers.
Bogaerts is now riding a 14-game hitting streak, hitting .375 in that span.
“It was a nice win today,” Bogaerts said. “Going back home, happy flight. Everyone pitched in.”
With Bogaerts heating up in the three-hole and Betts doing the same from the leadoff spot, the Red Sox are likely to stick with their new batting order for the time being.
But if Betts’ power continues to reveal itself the way it did on the road trip, when he homered three times, moving him back down in the order is “possible,” Farrell said.
“But we’ve taken this alignment and we’ve responded in a positive way,” he said. “Whether he’s in the one-hole or the three-hole, we need contributions from everyone, not just him. Thankfully we were able to put a couple of guys on before him today.”
Betts has said many times he doesn’t care where he hits.
“I just try and continue to be who I am,” he said.
Hanley Ramirez was not used off the bench, as Chris Young was the choice for a pinch-hitting opportunity in the seventh inning.
Ramirez left Wednesday’s game after just three innings at first base due to muscle spasms in his right shoulder.
“Some of the symptoms he had last night, the spasming, has kind of relieved itself somewhat,” Farrell said.
The Sox are hopeful Ramirez won’t need a stint on the disabled list.
Could this injury cause Farrell to be hesitant using Ramirez at first base again this season?
“We have to get him healthy first,” Farrell said. “I can’t say three innings caused the shutdown last night.” . . .
Mitch Moreland made his 34th appearance in 34 games and remains on pace to shatter previous career highs in games played and plate appearances.
“The other guys we would have at first base, one is in Pawtucket on rehab ( Brock Holt), and the other is our everyday third baseman right now ( Josh
Rutledge). Options are limited.”
With Kyle Kendrick optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket in exchange for lefty reliever Robbie Ross Jr., the Red Sox will take their time deciding when to use a fifth starter next, and who that fifth starter might be.
They don’t need another one until May 20.
“There’s a couple of things we may look to do,” Farrell said. “With both
Chris Sale and Rick Porcello working deep into games, one approach we could take is insert someone in between those two guys to spread out the bullpen. Or just add the fifth starter on the back end.”