Regeln » three starts spanning 17 2/3 innings

More than two weeks after he returned to the disabled list for a second time this season Cody Barton Jersey , the Boston Red Sox have no timetable for second baseman Dustin Pedroia’s return.

Pedrioa underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee last October and began the season on the disabled list. He began a minor league rehab assignment last month and was added to the Boston roster on May 26.

But Pedroia lasted just three games, going 1 for 11 with a pair of walks, and when soreness in the knee remained, the team put him back on the shelf on May 30.

“It was a major surgery,” manager Alex Cora said. “We didn’t know what to expect, so we are where we are now. We’re hoping that, yeah, he’ll be back. When? We don’t know. But I still believe he’s going to contribute this season and he’s going to help us to win.”

Without Pedroia in the lineup, Cora has turned primarily to Eduardo Nunez at second base with Brock Holt getting 17 starts as well. Overall, Red Sox second basemen have combined for a .614 OPS and rank second-to-last in baseball with a minus-12 Defensive Runs Saved.

Nunez will likely get the nod again Wednesday night as the Red Sox continue their three-game series with the Twins at Target Field behind left-hander David Price, who is 6-0 with a 2.64 ERA over his last seven starts.

“Better fastball command, just commanding the baseball better,” Price said of his recent success. “Making better pitches with runners in scoring position. That was a big problem for me in the times I struggled this year http://www.cardinalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-zach-allen-jersey , just runners in scoring position. Four two-out runs in Oakland that day. All the runs were with two outs. Same thing my third outing against Tampa back at home. That was two-run outs as well.”

Price is 10-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 17 games, 16 of them starts, against the Twins.

Lance Lynn, the Twins’ scheduled starter, is starting to look much more like the pitcher Minnesota had in mind when it signed the veteran right-hander to a one-year deal during spring training.

Lynn slumped out to a 8.37 ERA through his first five starts but has gone 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA in eight starts since, working at least six innings in all but two of those outings.

He struck out a season-high nine with just one walk his last time out but took his first loss since May 16 after the Tigers for tagged him for three runs in the seventh inning.

“You’ve got to get through the seventh there. I wasn’t able to do it,” Lynn said after the game. “Everything was still there. Just made one bad pitch and ran into a barrel. … Ended up giving up three runs and it cost us the win.”

Lynn has three career starts against the Red Sox, going 0-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 19 innings of work. He last faced Boston late in the 2017 season but did not take a decision after allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings.

When Brewers pitchers went over the strengths and weaknesses of Cincinnati’s hitters to prepare for their series, they included reliever Michael Lorenzen in the mix.

They need to do more studying.

Lorenzen hit the second grand slam by a Reds pitcher in a week – and his third homer in his last three at-bats – as Cincinnati pulled away to a 12-3 victory Saturday, ending a seven-game losing streak against Milwaukee.

Lorenzen’s pinch-hit grand slam off Jacob Barnes in the seventh inning completed an eight-run rally, Cincinnati’s biggest of the season. Lorenzen’s fifth career homer drew a curtain call from the crowd of 24,640.

”It was a surreal feeling, for sure Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey ,” Lorenzen said. ”I love this game and everything about it.”

It was the reliever’s second homer in the series. He also had a solo shot Friday during Milwaukee’s 8-2 win.

”The guy’s swinging the bat really well, that’s for sure,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ”We treat him as a position player. We covered him in scouting meetings. We’re going to have to make some adjustments.”

One week earlier, Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani hit a grand slam off Cubs left-hander Brian Duensing at Great American Ball Park.

Lorenzen avoided the temptation to swing at a slider, and then hit a fastball deep to left field.

”The Reds have always put together some good-hitting pitchers, going back to Travis Wood and those guys,” Brewers catcher Erik Kratz said. ”You have to know who those guys are and where they want the ball and not throw it there.”

Tyler Mahle struck out a career-high 12 batters in 5 2/3 innings, three shy of the Reds’ rookie record. David Hernandez (3-0) pitched the top of the seventh.

The Reds fanned 18 batters, a club record for a nine-inning game.

The Brewers’ depleted bullpen couldn’t hold a one-run lead in the seventh. Cincinnati’s first eight batters reached safely against three relievers, with left-hander Mike Zagurski (0-1) taking the loss in his first major league appearance since 2013.

The NL Central leaders also were missing two starting position players. Christian Yelich left Thursday’s game with back tightness, and Ryan Braun came out of Friday’s game with the same issue. Counsell said Braun could be available on Sunday.

Eric Thames homered off Mahle, his 14th home run in 22 career games against Cincinnati. Thames hit 10 last year, the most by a Brewers player against the Reds in one season.

LORENZEN LORE

The last pinch-hit grand slam by a Reds player came from Chris Heisey on April 13 Phil Haynes Jersey , 2014, against Tampa Bay. Lorenzen’s three homers this season are the most by a Reds pitcher since Micah Owings had three in 2009. The last major league pitcher to homer in three straight at-bats was Colorado’s Mike Hampton in 2001.

POWER SURGE

In the last eight days, Reds pitchers have produced four homers – three by Lorenzen, one by DeSclafani. For the season, Lorenzen is 4 for 6 with three homers and six RBIs.

MAHLE’S STRIKEOUTS

Mahle’s 12 strikeouts were the most by a Reds pitcher since Amir Garrett also fanned 12 Orioles on April 19, 2017. The club record for strikeouts by a rookie is 15 by Gary Nolan on June 7, 1967, against the Giants.

TRADING PLACES

With the game out of hand, Kratz moved to the mound for the eighth inning – his third career pitching appearance – and gave up a pair of runs.

”I’d rather catch nine innings and do high-fives,” he said.

REDS DEAL

The Reds sent minor league catcher Joe Hudson to the Angels for cash. The 27-year-old Hudson has never played in the majors. He batted .235 with no homers and three RBIs in 16 games for Triple-A Louisville this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies had a setback in what was expected to be his final minor league rehab assignment as he recovers from a sore shoulder. He lasted only three innings and gave up 10 runs and three hits for Class A Wisconsin on Friday night, leaving after just 48 pitches because of a sore back.

Reds: RHP Homer Bailey will make his fourth rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Louisville. He’s been sidelined since June 2 because of a sore right knee. Bailey is 1-7 with a 6.68 ERA.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Freddy Peralta (3-0) makes his fifth start. The Brewers are 4-0 in his starts. Opponents are batting .093 against the right-hander.

Reds: Matt Harvey (3-5) makes his 10th start for the Reds, who got him from the Mets in a trade for catcher Devin Mesoraco on May 8. Harvey has allowed six runs in his last three starts spanning 17 2/3 innings.

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