Anti-Spam Discussion Forums

[hongwei28]

Chris Sale got an earful from the biggest crowd at Yankee Stadium this season while walking from the bullpen to the bench prior to the first pitch.

The Red Sox ace said he didn’t hear the boos and insults.

By the second inning [url=http://www.raidersfootballauthentics.com/ryan-switzer-jersey-authentic]Youth Ryan Switzer Jersey[/url] , the catcalls weren’t for him, anyway.

Sale pitched his latest Bronx gem, Rafael Devers went 5 for 5 with a first-inning grand slam and Boston held New York to two hits during an 11-0 rout Saturday night to take back baseball’s best record.

Sale (8-4) allowed only Giancarlo Stanton’s clean single over seven innings, striking out 11. He has a 1.73 career ERA against the Yankees, best among pitchers with at least 10 starts against them since 1920. His ERA at Yankee Stadium is 1.86, second only to Seattle’s Felix Hernandez among pitchers with five starts.

”He looks like the best pitcher in the big leagues right now,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.

Boston is a major league-leading 56-28, just ahead of the Yankees at 53-27. New York held the best mark by percentage points after winning Friday’s series opener 8-1.

Yankee Stadium hosted a season-high sellout of 47,125, and the crowd ripped into starter Sonny Gray (5-6) after he gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander dropped to 0-4 with a 9.35 ERA against Boston since being acquired by New York from Oakland last season.

”I expect to come out and perform and make it fun,” Gray said. ”The way I’ve thrown the ball, I don’t think it’s been fun. I feel like we’re the best team in baseball four out of five days, and then I come out and do that.”

Devers had a career-best five hits. He nearly socked another homer in the seventh, but right fielder Aaron Judge reached over the wall and knocked Devers’ shot back into play with his glove. Devers ended up with a double following a video review.

Since June 5 [url=http://www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com/jalyn-holmes-jersey-authentic]Youth Jalyn Holmes Jersey[/url] , the 21-year-old Devers has raised his OPS from .675 to .741.

”We take it for granted because he’s talented and did what he did last year, but he’s still a kid,” Cora said, adding that Devers has been working hard with Boston’s staff to shore up the holes left in his game from racing through the minor leagues. ”He’s staying with the program.”

Sandy Leon brought in Devers with a two-run homer into the second deck in right field. J.D. Martinez had three hits and three RBIs, and Mookie Betts added two hits and two walks as Boston piled up 17 hits.

Heath Hembree and Hector Velazquez closed it out with a hitless inning each. Velazquez gave up a groundball single to Gleyber Torres in the ninth for New York’s second hit.

New York had won seven consecutive games against left-handed starters and was a major league-best 19-5 against them this season, but Sale had them spinning. The Yankees hit just four balls out of the infield against Sale, and he retired his final 16 batters.

”Got punched in the face last night, so you obviously want to respond well,” Sale said.

Judge struck out three times against the lefty in three at-bats, giving him 13 punchouts in 18 career at-bats against Sale. That’s the most strikeouts for Judge against any pitcher.

Torres also struck out three times against Sale during his first career start in the leadoff spot. This was the fourth time New York was shut out this season, all in the past 18 games.

GRAY DAY

Gray quickly disposed of Betts and Andrew Benintendi to open the game, but a well-placed grounder by Martinez sparked a big first inning. After Martinez’s infield single, Mitch Moreland’s walk and Xander Bogaerts‘ single, Gray floated a waist-high 1-2 curveball that Devers lofted just over the left-field wall. It was Devers’ second career slam – both this season – and his 14th homer of the year.

Benintendi and Martinez each added an RBI in the second [url=http://www.eaglesfootballauthentics.com/paul-worrilow-jersey-authentic]Youth Paul Worrilow Jersey[/url] , and Yankee Stadium fans jeered loudly as Gray walked off in the third.

JUMPING JACKIE

Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. caught Aaron Hicks’ drive in the third while leaping and slamming into the wall in front of New York’s bullpen.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Boston reliever Tyler Thornburg pitched two innings for Double-A Portland on Friday and a clean inning Saturday with Triple-A Pawtucket, perhaps a final hurdle for the right-hander before he returns to the majors following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last June.

Yankees: Hicks was visited by a trainer after being hit by a pitch on his right foot or ankle in the first inning. He remained in the game. … C Austin Romine was pulled in the seventh inning and sent for a precautionary MRI with left hamstring tightness. Results were negative, and he is day to day.

ROSTER MOVE

After the game, the Yankees optioned RHP Giovanny Gallegos to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

UP NEXT

Boston LHP David Price (9-5, 3.66 ERA) and Yankees ace Luis Severino (12-2, 2.10) square off in prime time Sunday. Price is 7-1 with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts since being diagnosed with a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome that caused him to miss a turn against the Yankees in early May. Severino had his worst start this season vs. Boston on April 10, allowing five runs in five innings, but then matched a season high with 11 strikeouts in a strong outing against the Red Sox on May 8.

—


The Latest on the NFL playoffs on wild-card weekend (all times EST):

7:10 p.m.

A 14-yard touchdown pass from Carolina quarterback Cam Newton to tight end Greg Olsen has cut the Saints’ lead to 24-19 early in the fourth quarter.

It was the first Panthers TD of the game on their fifth trip inside the Saints 22-yard line.

The other four drives deep into Saints territory ended with field-goal attempts, one of which missed.

The Saints led 21-6 in the final minute of the first half, but the Panthers have since rallied to pull within less than a touchdown with more than 12 minutes to go.

—

6:45 p.m.

Wil Lutz’s 57-yard field goal has given New Orleans a 24-12 lead in its NFC wild-card game against Carolina.

The Saints were threatening for more when the Panthers’ pass rush forced Saints quarterback Drew Brees to throw the ball away on third-and-5 from the Carolina 22.

Brees was called for intentional grounding, resulting in a 17-yard loss to the Carolina 39.

But Saints coach Sean Payton made the aggressive decision to try the field goal when a miss would have given the Panthers the ball near midfield with 6:05 to go in the third quarter.

—

6:35 p.m.

Graham Gano’s 29-yard field goal has trimmed New Orleans’ lead over the Panthers to 21-12 early in the third quarter.

However, the possession also marked the fourth time in the game Carolina drove as far as the Saints 21-yard line, only to settle for a field goal attempt.

The Panthers do not have a touchdown in the game, despite gaining 254 yards.

—

6:20 p.m.

The New Orleans Saints’ ability to convert in the red zone has given them a 21-9 halftime lead over the Carolina Panthers in their NFC wild-card matchup.

But the Panthers [url=http://www.eaglesfootballauthentics.com/richard-rodgers-jersey-authentic]Youth Richard Rodgers Jersey[/url] , who’ll receive the kickoff to open the second half, took some momentum into the locker room after Graham Gano narrowly made a 58-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in the second quarter.

Brees went 13 of 18 for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the half, including an 80-yard pass to Ted Ginn for the first points of the game late in the first quarter.

Brees’ other scoring pass went to tight end Josh Hill from 9 yards.

Fullback Zach Line scored on a 1-yard run in the final minute of the half, but Carolina QB Cam Newton was able to drive the Panthers to the New Orleans 40 in about 40 seconds, setting up Gano’s long field goal, which grazed the left upright.

Newton drove the Panthers inside the Saints 25 three times, but Gano pushed his first attempt wide from only 25 yards. It was an unusual miss for Gano, who went 29 of 30 during the regular season with his only miss from beyond 50 yards.

He made his next three attempts, including from 27 and 39 yards.

The Saints were unable to convert both of their third downs in the half, but had first down gains on eight straight second down plays, including four times from 10 yards.

—

5:55 p.m.

Graham Gano’s 39-yard field goal has cut the Saints’ lead over the Panthers to 14-6 late in the second quarter of their NFC wild-card game.

Gano’s kick capped a 12-play 54-yard drive that included quarterback Cam Newton’s fourth-and-1 conversion on a keeper near midfield. The Panthers also converted on third-and-8 with a pass over the middle to Brenton Bersin before the drive stalled on the New Orleans 21-yard line.

The Panthers have been moving the ball, but struggling in the red zone, settling three times for Gano field goal attempts, the first of which sailed wide.

—

5:45 p.m.

Drew Brees’ 9-yard pass to wide open tight end Josh Hill has given the New Orleans Saints a 14-3 lead in the second quarter of their NFC wild-card game against the Carolina Panthers.

Brees completed all seven of his passes on the 75-yard drive [url=http://www.the49ersfootballauthentic.com/mike-mcglinchey-jersey-authentic]Youth Mike McGlinchey Jersey[/url] , highlighted by a 19-yard completion to Michael Thomas, who also made a sudden move after a catch along the left sideline for a 13-yard gain to set up the score.

Brees is 9 of 12 for 163 yards and two touchdowns, nearly half of that coming on an 80-yard scoring pass to Ted Ginn on the previous drive.

—

5:35 p.m.

The Saints appear to have lost starting left guard Andrus Peat to a lower left leg injury.

Peat went down while blocking on a short run by Alvin Kamara with 12:38 left in the second quarter.

Saints medical staff brought out a cart to take Peat off of the field as teammates gathered around him to show their support.

The 6-foot-7, 316-pound Peat was the Saints’ first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Stanford, where he played left tackle. He has played both at guard and tackle as needed during his three-year NFL career.

—

5:30 p.m.

Graham Gano’s 27-yard field goal has given the Carolina Panthers their first points of their NFC wild-card game in New Orleans.

The kick, which trimmed the Saints’ lead to 7-3 early in the second quarter, came after Carolina quarterback Cam Newton overthrew Greg Olsen near the right sideline on third down.

The Panthers got within striking distance thanks to Ken Crawley’s 39-yard pass interference penalty on Kaelin Clay, giving Carolina a first down on the Saints 13-yard line.

New Orleans’ defense held from there, however.

—

5:15 p.m.

Two plays after Graham Gano surprisingly missed a 25-yard field-goal attempt for only his second miss this season, the Saints used a big play to take a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter of New Orleans’ playoff matchup with Carolina.
_________________
hong wei wei