Porcello on inside track
Carries himself like fearless ace
BALTIMORE — Rick Porcello does not have the fastball of a classically intimidating pitcher, or even the build. He’s tall but far from a hulk.
He’s acting like one anyway.
RED SOX BEAT Evan Drellich
A newly knighted ace, Porcello furthered his Cy Young bid with a complete game in the Red Sox’ 5-2 win last night against the Baltimore Orioles. He also dug in his spikes at Camden Yards, holding his ground as Manny Machado barked at him after being hit by a pitch that more than likely was not intentional considering Porcello was carrying a perfect game with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and nursing a 2-0 advantage.
“It’s September baseball. Obviously emotions are running high,” Porcello said after his major league-best 21st win. “Nobody wants to get hit by a pitch. That’s why I completely understand. I wouldn’t like it if I was up there and I got hit.
“At the same time, there’s absolutely no reason why I would hit him right there, especially with Mark Trumbo standing on deck. I mean, he’s hitting missiles all over the ballpark off me, so I don’t want to face him in a 2-0 game, especially when I have a perfect game going.”
The Sox should be thrilled they have not only a dominant pitcher but one who’s not afraid to stand up to the other dugout. Porcello barked right back at Machado, and the moment was diffused short of the benches clearing.
Machado, immature or just overreacting, had no business saying anything to Porcello, even if the ball stung. But just like Porcello did when he thought the Yankees’ Chase Headley was peeking at signs earlier this season — that’s what manager Joe Girardi said at the time was the issue — the right-hander chose not to brush it off and turn away.
Porcello seemed to make clear to Machado how silly his reaction was, and after they had words, a warning from home plate umpire Tim Timmons followed.
“You’re not going to be a pushover, by no means,” David Price said. “He knows we all have his back as well. . . . That was just the heat of the moment. I’m sure if they see each other tomorrow, they’ll laugh it off and he’ll be fine.”
But Machado probably wasn’t laughing when Porcello went up and in again for a swinging strike three to open the ninth inning. Even after the incident, Porcello had no fear going for that half of the dish.
The out pitch was letterhigh but over the plate, and Machado bit.
“You have to be able to establish inside,” Price said. “Especially a guy like Manny. He wants to get extension. You know that’s where you’re going to have most success of getting him out is in and in off the plate.”
The game plan all night was to get the Orioles to expand, Porcello said, and it worked marvelously. His 89 pitches were the fewest in a nine-inning complete game in nearly a full calendar year, since Jeff Samardzija threw 88 for the Chicago White Sox in a win against Detroit on Sept. 21, 2015.
Porcello didn’t allow a walk. He’s issued just one free pass in his past six starts, a span of 452⁄ innings. His walk rate has dipped significantly this season to the lowest of his career. That’s no surprise as Porcello has become, if not the singular Sox ace, a co-ace with Price.
“Absolutely (he’s an ace),” Price said. “You see what he’s done this year. Non-aces don’t win 21 games and have a couple more to go.”
Is it just a coincidence that in Porcello’s best season, when he’s exhibiting such great command, he’s already hit more batters in his career than he ever has, 13?
The innings have something to do with it, but still, maybe a few bruised arms and backs are the cost of taking back one side of the plate.
“We talked a great deal about it at the outset of spring training, that we wanted to pitch inside as a team,” pitching coach Carl Willis said last night. “(We) mention it occasionally now. Every day is such an individualized plan, obviously for the starters. But you know there are guys (who specifically) our attack is inside.
“There are guys that when their strength is in, we try to go in further because we know we’re going to get swings. More or less tease them beyond their strength to keep their weak side open, and he has no fear in doing that. I think his ability to sink the ball along with his ability to four-seam the ball really helps him do that.”
No fear of confrontation goes a long way, too.