Morning sports update: Why Alex Cora decided not to pinch-hit for Jackie Bradley Jr. in the 9th inning
"That pinch-hitting thing is not that easy."
Mitch Garver hit a tiebreaking RBI double with two outs in the eighth inning as the Twins beat the Red Sox 2-1 on Thursday night. Boston has lost three of five and its lead in the AL East shrunk to 4½ games over the Yankees.
Why Alex Cora decided not to pinch-hit for Jackie Bradley Jr. in the ninth inning
Jackie Bradley Jr. threw one incredible strike at Fenway Park on Thursday. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, he also watched two straight strikes — with the bases jammed — and whiffed at the third to end the game against the Twins.
In the first inning, the center fielder scooped a dribbling Eduardo Escobar single and delivered a perfect throw to home plate. Joe Mauer’s attempt to score from second base was quickly snuffed out as Bradley Jr. picked up his fifth outfield assist of the season.
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— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 26, 2018
He was less successful in the final frame with the Red Sox trailing 2-1. After Xander Bogaerts singled off Twins closer Fernando Rodney to start the inning, Rodney picked up two outs, then Blake Swihart and Brock Holt both walked to keep the comeback alive. To the plate stepped Bradley Jr.
He kept his bat on his shoulder for three straight balls, but kept it there for two strikes as Rooney worked back to a full count. A swing and a miss on a 96-mph fastball stranded the runners and sent the Sox home empty-handed.
Manager Alex Cora explained post-game that he “didn’t think there was a spot” to pinch-hit Mitch Moreland, who was sitting in the dugout. In Moreland’s pinch-hitting career, he’s batting .288 with 18 RBIs. The first baseman is 6-for-10 lifetime against Rodney.
“No, I mean we’ve got all the lefties that were in,” Cora told reporters, per NESN. “That pinch-hitting thing is not that easy. We have men in scoring position with Raffy [Rafael Devers], and then we felt the at-bats after that were good ones. We’re not going to hit there for Brock, he has a good at-bat there, and Jackie’s one of our best hitters the last month. I don’t think there was a spot there.”
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Daily highlight:
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1022545457917001728
