Sale struck out by illness
Southpaw hospitalized due to stomach ailment
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
A day after starting in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series for the Red Sox, Chris Sale was not at Fenway Park to watch Game 2.
Around 9:30 last night, the Sox announced Sale reported a stomach illness and was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital for observation earlier in the afternoon.
Sale was scheduled to be kept overnight for evaluation.
He threw with diminished velocity and poor command in his Game 1 start on Saturday, but allowed just two runs in four innings in the Sox’ eventual 7-2 loss to the Houston Astros.
“From what I know it’s nothing serious, but obviously whenever you have to go to the hospital you have to be quote-unquote worried,” said Sox manager Alex Cora, who added Sale didn’t start feeling bad until after Saturday’s game.
“But he should be fine. Hopefully we get news in the upcoming hours and he’ll join us in Houston.”
There had been no announcement about when Sale would pitch next, but if the Sox wanted to keep him on regular rest, he won’t be ready to start again until a potential Game 6 back at Fenway Park on Saturday.
Porcello delivers again
Rick Porcello entered in the eighth inning of last night’s 7-5 win, making it likely Nathan Eovaldi will start Game 3 in Houston tomorrow.
Both were available in the bullpen for the first two games, though Eovaldi was never used.
Cora didn’t want to announce a Game 3 starter, given he wasn’t sure who would be needed out of relief, and said the Red Sox were “all-in” to win Game 2 last night.
Stating his case
It’s going to be difficult for Cora to keep Rafael Devers out of the starting lineup.
Devers got a start last night a day after Eduardo Nunez failed to turn a routine double play at third base and missed another chance on a hot shot that led directly to a run earlier in Game 1.
Devers then made two great plays at third base, including a do-or-die play to nail Jose Altuve on the run at first base. He also was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI single off Gerrit Cole in the first inning.
“We know how talented he is, the upside of him, so hopefully he stays disciplined, puts good swings on it, and gets on base,” Cora said before the game.
It’s unlikely Cora would turn to Devers again in Game 3, since the Astros are starting lefty Dallas Keuchel. Charlie Morton was announced as Houston’s Game 4 starter.
Talking walks
Until the 2018 Red Sox, no playoff team had ever walked 10 opposing players in a game while also hitting at least three batters.
There hadn’t been a playoff team to walk 10 since the 2008 Tampa Bay Devil Rays walked 10 Red Sox in a 9-8 win in Game 2 of the ALCS.
But the Red Sox ugly performance in Game 1 on Saturday night had nothing to do with the Sox’ lack of focus or ability to handle pressure, Cora said yesterday.
“No, no, none of the above,” Cora said. Chris “Sale was off . ... There was a walk there by (Ryan) Brasier to (Carlos) Correa, which we don’t mind. The hit-by-pitches, actually Kelly), the 1-2 to (Alex) Joe Bregman(was
a close pitch and we have to get him off the plate. We have to establish the inside part of the plate.
“It’s not that we’re trying to hit him, but we have to let him know that we will pitch there because last year, going into the playoffs, that’s one thing I told that group. I said, ‘This group doesn’t pitch inside.’ They know. They do their scouting report. And that’s something that we have to do a better job of. If we can at least own one side of the plate, then we can expand the other side.”
Bregman reached on three walks and a hit-by-pitch in Game 1, then reached on three more walks in Game 2.
Dish decision
Pitching to Christian Vazquez during the season, Game 2 starter David Price had a 4.68 ERA compared to a 2.37 ERA throwing to Sandy Leon. But the Sox wanted Vazquez’ bat in the lineup last night and started him over Leon.
“It doesn’t matter,” Cora said. “We feel like Christian has been doing an outstanding job the last month.”
Price allowed four runs in 42⁄3 innings throwing to Vazquez last night.
Leon is 0-for-7 this postseason and hasn’t had a multi-hit game since July 15. He’s hitting .095 with a .330 OPS in that span.
Cora said it’s not an issue “because we know how we’re going to work on it. Like, (Saturday) we got to a spot like I told you guys, we’re going to be aggressive. We had Mitch (Moreland pinch hit) in the right spot to hit for him, knowing that we have Christian and we’ve got Blake (Swihart). Obviously he hasn’t been good. He knows it. He’s been working on it. But it’s not like we’re losing games because of his bat.”
Moreland wasn’t available to start last night but could start in Houston this week, Cora said . ...
Mookie Betts doubled and later scored in his first at-bat off Cole last night and finished 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs. He is 6-for-24 this postseason and still looking for his first career playoff home run . . . .
J.D. Martinez is 0-for-7 to start the series and is just 5-for-33 with two homers against the Astros since he signed with the Sox.