PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:…Opened their three-game series against the Red Sox with a 7-6 comeback win last night at Fenway Park…Dropped each of the final two games of their season-opening series against the Reds at Great American Ball Park…Opened their 137th season as a member of the National League with a 5-4 win against the Reds Thursday afternoon.
ROSTER MOVE: The Pittsburgh Pirates today placed catcher Austin Hedges on the seven-day concussion injured list… Catcher Tyler Heineman had his contract selected from Triple-A Indianapolis…To make room for Heineman on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Edwin Uceta has been designated for assignment…Heineman will wear uniform No. 54…In addition, outfielder Ryan Vilade has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Indianapolis.
THE BATTLIN’ BUCCOS: The Pirates scored three times in the first inning last night before surrendering five runs to the Red Sox in the bottom of the first inning…It marked the third time since 2018 that the Pirates allowed at least five runs in an inning on the road but went on to win the game…Prior to last night, the Bucs lost 19 straight road games when allowing at least five runs in an inning since winning for the last time on July 11, 2021, at Citi Field against the Mets…New York scored five times in the first before the Pirates emerged as 6-5 winners.
ALSO FROM LAST NIGHT: The Pirates won in interleague action for the second time in the last 25 games after allowing at least six runs in a game…Prior to last night, Pittsburgh’s only other win against an American League team in the last 25 games after allowing at least six runs in a game came on June 18, 2021, against Cleveland at PNC Park.
ABOUT TONIGHT’S STARTER: Roansy Contreras will make his season debut tonight in the middle game of this series against the Red Sox…Contreras ranked fifth among all National League rookies in ERA (3.79) and strikeouts (86) and third in batting average against (.225) during the 2022 season…The 23-year-old righthander also posted the seventh-lowest ERA (3.53) among all rookies in MLB with at least 50.0 innings pitched beginning with his start on July 7 through the end of the season while his .202 batting average against in that time ranked third among MLB rookies with at least 50.0 innings of work.
BACK-TO-BACK B. REY: Bryan Reynolds went deep for the second straight game last night with his two-out solo shot in the second inning before also connecting for his second homer of the night in the fourth…Reynolds has now homered in back-to-back games 12 times in his career…He did it four times during the 2022 season (last from September 12-13).
TWICE AS NICE: Last night Bryan Reynolds recorded the fourth multi-homer game of his career and his first since August 18, 2022, which came against the Red Sox at PNC Park…Last night Reynolds became the eighth player all-time (and only National League player) with back-to-back multiple-homer games vs. the Red Sox and the first to do it since Baltimore’s Anthony Santander from September 26-27, 2022.
HEY 1900: Andrew McCutchen’s next game played will be the 1900th of his career… McCutchen ranks sixth among all active players in games played…McCutchen has played in 1350 career games as a Pirate, which ranks 14th all-time in club history (Honus Wagner is first with 2437).
THE RENEGADE: David Bednar earned his second save of the season Monday night that was highlighted by striking out each of the last two batters he faced…Bednar has recorded a 1.27 ERA (21.1ip/3er) in 22 career appearances during the month of March/April.
DAURI DEALING: Dauri Moreta worked 0.1 scoreless inning Monday night while also stranding his third inherited runner of the season…Dating back to his outing on July 10 of last year while pitching for the Reds, Moreta has posted a 1.08 ERA (16.2ip/2er), 18 strikeouts, .130 batting average against and 0.84 WHIP.
CRUZ’N RIGHT ALONG: Oneil Cruz enters today with a career-best 14-game on-base streak dating back to September 23 of last year…During his current 14-game streak, Cruz is hitting .351 (20-for-57) with four doubles, a homer and six RBI.
TODAY’S STARTER – #59 RHP ROANSY CONTRERAS
ROANSY CONTRERAS: The 23-year-old righthander is making his season debut tonight.
vs. BOSTON: 0-1 in one career start…Lost an 8-3 decision (6.0ip/4r) to Rich Hill on 8/17/22 at PNC Park
BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox lost last night’s series opener to the Pirates, 7-6. The Red Sox scored 5 runs in the 1st inning, including 3 HR, before scoring 1 run over the final 8 innings. Beginning with the 7th inning of Saturday’s game through the 1st inning last night, the Red Sox scored in 9 of their 12 offensive innings, totaling 18 runs over that span.
LEADERS OF THE PACK: The Red Sox lead the AL and are tied for the MLB lead in runs scored (33)…They lead MLB in SLG (.554). The Sox also rank in MLB’s top 5 in various offensive categories (see below).
RED SOX OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Stat MLB Rank
33 runs …………………..T-1st
46 hits…………………………. 4th
18 extra-base hits………. T-3rd
8 home runs…………………. 5th
Stat MLB Rank
.311 AVG……………………… 2nd
.391 OBP……………………… 2nd
.554 SLG…………………….1st
.945 OPS ……………………… 2nd
HOT START: Over the last 20 seasons (beginning 2004), the only teams in MLB to score at least 6 runs and record at least 10 hits in each of their first 4 games were the 2016 Red Sox and 2023 Red Sox. This marks the 5th time in club history that the Red Sox have scored at least 6 runs in each of their first 4 games in a season (also 2016, 1995, 1985, 1950). The Sox have recorded at least 10 hits in each of their first 4 games in a season for the 7th time in club history (also 2016, 1999, 1985, 1977, 1950, 1902). The Red Sox have scored 33 runs, 5th most in club history through a season’s first 4 games and their most since 2003 (34 runs).
WHAT A RELIEF: The Red Sox bullpen combined for 5.0 scoreless innings last night (H, BB, 4 SO)…They did not allow a hit or walk to their final 9 batters (see below). Dating back to the 7th inning on Opening Day vs. BAL, 15.0 of the bullpen’s 17.0 innings have been scoreless.
RED SOX BULLPEN LAST NIGHT VS. PIT
Pitcher Pitching Line
Zack Kelly 2.0 IP, H, BB, 2 SO
Richard Bleier 1.0 IP, SO
Kaleb Ort 1.0 IP
Ryan Brasier 1.0 IP, SO
CLOSE SHAVES: 3 of the Red Sox’ first 4 games have been decided by just 1 run, including each of their 2 losses (1-2 record). Prior to this year, the last time the Red Sox lost by 1 run in each of their first 2 losses in a season was 2001. Since 1993, the only other season in which 3 of the Sox’ first 4 games were decided by 1 run was 2018. The Sox are the only AL team and 1 of 2 teams in MLB to play 3 games decided by 1 run this season (ARI).
TEAM OF THE CENTURY: The 2023 season is the 22nd for the Red Sox’ current ownership group (Henry-Werner, 2002-2023)…In the last 22 seasons, the Sox have won more World Series titles (4) than any other team. Among MLB and the NFL, NBA, and NHL, the only other franchises to win as many as 4 championships since the start of 2002 are the New England Patriots (6), Los Angeles Lakers (4), San Antonio Spurs (4), and Golden State Warriors (4).
MOST WORLD SERIES TITLES, 2002-2022
Rk. Team World Series
- Boston Red Sox 4 (2004, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18)
- San Francisco Giants 3 (2010, ‘12, ‘14)
- St. Louis Cardinals 2 (2006, ‘11)
Houston Astros 2 (2017, ‘22)
DUV-ALL ABOUT IT: Adam Duvall yesterday was named AL Player of the Week for 3/31-4/2, after recording 6 extra-base hits and 8 RBI in his first 3 games with BOS. He recorded another RBI last night, becoming the 4th player in Red Sox history to record 9 RBI over the Sox’ first 4 games of the season…He joined Vern Stephens (1950), Ted Williams (1942), and Bobby Doerr (1941). Over the last 3 games, Duvall is 9-for-13 with 6 runs scored, 3 doubles, a triple, 2 HR, 8 RBI, and 2 BB…He has recorded an RBI in each of the Sox’ first 4 games.
MACHO MAN: Masataka Yoshida hit his 1st MLB home run last night, a 2-run HR in the 1st inning to tie the score, 3-3. Yoshida has hit from the 4th spot in the lineup in each of his 4 career games…He is first player since Jack Hoey in 1906 to bat 4th for the Red Sox in each of his first 4 MLB games. Since 1993, the only other players to hit from the 4th spot in the lineup in each of their first 4 MLB games were Kris Bryant (2015) and Justin Morneau (2003).
SOX & BUCS: The Pirates are visiting Fenway Park for the 1st time since April 2017 (3-game Red Sox sweep). Last night’s loss snapped the Sox’ 4-game winning streak vs. PIT at Fenway Park, which began on 6/19/2005…It was the Pirates 2nd win all-time against the Red Sox at the venue (also 6/18/2005).
ON THE MEND: James Paxton today will pitch at the Fenway South Player Development Complex in an intrasquad game. Brayan Bello is scheduled to pitch in an intrasquad game at Fenway South tomorrow. Garrett Whitlock made a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on 3/31 (4.0 IP, 6 H, R, BB, 6 SO)…He is scheduled to pitch for Double-A Portland on Thursday.
AT THE HELM: Alex Cora returns for his 5th season as manager of the Red Sox (2018-19, ‘21-23)…He has led the Sox to a 364-288 (.558) record, the 3rd-highest win percentage in franchise history (min. 500 games managed).
THE NEW GUYS: Eleven members of the Red Sox’ Opening Day roster or injured list were not in the organization during the 2022 season (see below). 6 players made their first career Opening Day roster: 1B Triston Casas, RHP Zack Kelly, RHP Kaleb Ort, RHP Josh Winckowski, C Connor Wong, and OF Masataka Yoshida.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 37 NICK PIVETTA – RHP
Is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA (4 ER/18.0 IP) in 4 career games (3 starts) vs. PIT…Allowed 1 hit over 7.0 scoreless innings in his last start vs. PIT on 8/16/22 (H, 3 BB, 6 SO). Owns a career 3.34 ERA (42 ER/113.1 IP) in 23 Interleague games (18 starts). In 2022, set career highs in wins (10), starts (33), and innings pitched (179.2)… Led the Red Sox in each category, as well as in strikeouts (175). Tied for the MLB lead in starts (33)…Ranked among AL leaders in innings (13th), strikeouts (14th), complete games (T-3rd, 1), and fWAR (17th, 1.5). Made 30+ starts for the 3rd time in his career and 2nd consecutive season (also 32 in 2018, 30 in ‘21). In 2022, was 1 of 19 pitchers in AL to toss 5.0+ IP in at least 25 starts.
