Vini Jr. 'almost Perfect' As Brazil Get Back On Track
BOSTON -- — Jackson Merrill hit a three-run homer and Kyle Higashioka added a two-run shot in a nine-run fifth inning, leading the San Diego Padres to a 9-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
“That was the most dope moment ever,” said Merrill, who grew up a Red Sox fan and was playing his first game at Fenway Park. “I don’t usually like to talk about what I do. I like to talk about the wins, but that was probably the dopest moment. I’ve watched so many games here, growing up a big Red Sox fan, to come in and hit a homer, that’s an unreal feeling."
The Padres sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth, with nine scoring on eight hits and two walks. The first nine batters reached base safely. Every batter in the Padres starting lineup had at least one hit and scored a run.
The nine runs scored matches the most in an inning for the Padres this season. They also scored nine runs in the eighth inning on May 31 against the Kansas City Royals. The nine runs allowed surpassed Boston’s previous season high of seven runs scored by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning on Tuesday.
“A lot going on,” Padres manager Mike Schildt said of the fifth inning. “We talk about, you can never have enough runs. So, we stay hungry to get more. We want to continue to add on as much as possible all the time.”
After Nick Pivetta (4-5) gave up four hits — including Higashioka’s ninth homer of the season — and a walk to open the fifth, he was replaced by Greg Weissert, who gave up four straight hits including two-run singles to Jake Cronenworth and Donovan Solano and Merrill’s 11th homer of the season.
“The sweeper didn’t perform in that inning,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Pivetta’s pitch. “Just wasn’t able to execute and everything happened so fast. I’m usually not that aggressive bringing in the bullpen, but I wanted to give them a different look with the lefty there. It was still early in the game.”
Pivetta called his outing "dissatisfying.”
“I was hanging pitches in the middle of the zone and they took advantage of it because they’re a good baseball team," he said.
Right-hander Randy Vásquez started for the Padres and went four-plus innings, giving up one run on five hits and a walk with one strikeout. He was replaced by Wandy Peralta after Ceddanne Rafaela’s comebacker hit him on his pitching arm and he suffered a forearm contusion.
“Thankfully, X-rays negative, no fracture or anything. Got him in the forearm pretty good,” Schildt said. “That was a shame because this guy was pitching really well.”
Right-hander Stephen Kolek (2-0) threw two scoreless innings, giving up a hit with two strikeouts.
Connor Wong’s two-out single scored Wilyer Abreu from second base in the fourth to give Boston a 1-0 lead. Rafael Devers hit his 17th home run of the season in the sixth.
Xander Bogaerts, who won two World Series titles in his 10 seasons in Boston, received a standing ovation from the Fenway crowd after the Red Sox showed a video tribute before the second inning. It was his first time back since signing with the Padres as a free agent in December 2022.
ROSTER MOVES
The Red Sox reinstated C Connor Wong from the paternity list and called up LHP Bailey Horn from Triple-A Worcester. C Tyler Heineman and RHP Isaiah Campbell were optioned to Worcester on Thursday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: LHP Tom Cosgrove was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 27, with left elbow inflammation. LHP Austin Davis was called up from Triple-A El Paso to take his spot on the roster. … RHP Joe Musgrove, out since May 29 with right elbow inflammation, was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Padres continue their three-game series on Saturday. RHP Tanner Houck (7-5, 2.18 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston, opposed by RHP Michael King (5-5, 3.75).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
81RCUw5ixTL. SX679 Multi LED 150ft Rope Light Spool Glow 8857 Multi LED 150ft Rope Light Spool 8865 56423 W3 Multicolor LED 18ft Rope Light Kit 8020 Led Rope Light Dark Warm White No Wm 1 2 Ledropemulti 1 Green LED 150ft Rope Light Spool Glow 8598 6d5887d9 34a0 4358 B4bf C45c9dd1b66f 1.2080601e5e91b5c5519813e85244c4d1 81iO%2BB72bTL. AC SL1500 Dd 0008064 Pure White Led Custom Rope Light Kit 12 2 Wire 120v Banner2 3314cb22 C527 47e9 A5f4 5ad0c8460379 1168x418 ?v=1621650365Quality LED Rope Lights Battery Operated 5M 10M LED Rope Tube String Lights Remote Flash Fairy Garland Waterproof Christmas Wedding Led Rope Light Best LED Rope Lights BG 2 1024x632 Rope Lights 23 Cf623838 Eb3b 43c3 9ead A22c9aebe82d.60c1582bbfd0cb569231ddbe881d88af Cool White LED 150ft Rope Light Spool Glow 8785 Best LED Rope Lights BG 1 1024x645 Led Rope Light 1 611VXmto22L. AC SX522 212 Wam White 1 Products Warm White LED Rope Light Newow Rope Led Rope Light Led Strip Light 500x500 Multi Color Rope Lights Usli1002color 64 600 LED Rope Light Rl001ww 29 1 15 Clear Hampton Bay Outdoor Specialty Lighting 82056 055sr 64 1000
Vini Jr. 'almost Perfect' As Brazil Get Back On Track
BOSTON -- — Jackson Merrill hit a three-run homer and Kyle Higashioka added a two-run shot in a nine-run fifth inning, leading the San Diego Padres to a 9-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
“That was the most dope moment ever,” said Merrill, who grew up a Red Sox fan and was playing his first game at Fenway Park. “I don’t usually like to talk about what I do. I like to talk about the wins, but that was probably the dopest moment. I’ve watched so many games here, growing up a big Red Sox fan, to come in and hit a homer, that’s an unreal feeling."
The Padres sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth, with nine scoring on eight hits and two walks. The first nine batters reached base safely. Every batter in the Padres starting lineup had at least one hit and scored a run.
The nine runs scored matches the most in an inning for the Padres this season. They also scored nine runs in the eighth inning on May 31 against the Kansas City Royals. The nine runs allowed surpassed Boston’s previous season high of seven runs scored by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning on Tuesday.
“A lot going on,” Padres manager Mike Schildt said of the fifth inning. “We talk about, you can never have enough runs. So, we stay hungry to get more. We want to continue to add on as much as possible all the time.”
After Nick Pivetta (4-5) gave up four hits — including Higashioka’s ninth homer of the season — and a walk to open the fifth, he was replaced by Greg Weissert, who gave up four straight hits including two-run singles to Jake Cronenworth and Donovan Solano and Merrill’s 11th homer of the season.
“The sweeper didn’t perform in that inning,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Pivetta’s pitch. “Just wasn’t able to execute and everything happened so fast. I’m usually not that aggressive bringing in the bullpen, but I wanted to give them a different look with the lefty there. It was still early in the game.”
Pivetta called his outing "dissatisfying.”
“I was hanging pitches in the middle of the zone and they took advantage of it because they’re a good baseball team," he said.
Right-hander Randy Vásquez started for the Padres and went four-plus innings, giving up one run on five hits and a walk with one strikeout. He was replaced by Wandy Peralta after Ceddanne Rafaela’s comebacker hit him on his pitching arm and he suffered a forearm contusion.
“Thankfully, X-rays negative, no fracture or anything. Got him in the forearm pretty good,” Schildt said. “That was a shame because this guy was pitching really well.”
Right-hander Stephen Kolek (2-0) threw two scoreless innings, giving up a hit with two strikeouts.
Connor Wong’s two-out single scored Wilyer Abreu from second base in the fourth to give Boston a 1-0 lead. Rafael Devers hit his 17th home run of the season in the sixth.
Xander Bogaerts, who won two World Series titles in his 10 seasons in Boston, received a standing ovation from the Fenway crowd after the Red Sox showed a video tribute before the second inning. It was his first time back since signing with the Padres as a free agent in December 2022.
ROSTER MOVES
The Red Sox reinstated C Connor Wong from the paternity list and called up LHP Bailey Horn from Triple-A Worcester. C Tyler Heineman and RHP Isaiah Campbell were optioned to Worcester on Thursday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: LHP Tom Cosgrove was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 27, with left elbow inflammation. LHP Austin Davis was called up from Triple-A El Paso to take his spot on the roster. … RHP Joe Musgrove, out since May 29 with right elbow inflammation, was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Padres continue their three-game series on Saturday. RHP Tanner Houck (7-5, 2.18 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston, opposed by RHP Michael King (5-5, 3.75).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
