WBOB Original Reads

PawSox: Pomeranz + PawSox Pepper Some Pigs

4/8/2018

Ryan L. Fox

It wasn’t the start of the 2018 MLB season that Red Sox LHP Drew Pomeranz would have liked. After just one inning pitched in spring training, Pomeranz suffered an elbow injury. MRIs later confirmed that he had a left forearm flexor strain and he was placed on the 10-day disabled list.

He began his major league rehab assignment today in Pawtucket, taking the mound for the Pawtucket Red Sox against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs in the final game of the weekend series.

In the 1st inning, it seemed that Pomeranz ran into some issues with his pitches. He ended up surrendering 1 walk and 2 hits, one of which was a 2-run home run to Iron Pigs RF Collin Cowgill that gave his team an early 2-0 lead.

Then in the 2nd inning, Pomeranz seemed to have settled down after getting the first two Iron Pig batters out on 6 pitches. However he then proceeded to walk the next two batters but was able to get out of the jam with a defensive gem play by PawSox 1B Sam Travis at first base.

Pomeranz’ issues continued on in the 3rd inning as he walked the leadoff man to begin things. After getting up 0-2 on the next batter, Pomeranz ended up walking him to put men on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Two batters later, he was able to record his first strike out of the game as he got Cowgill looking and then got 1B Joey Meneses to pop out to first to end the inning.

The 4th inning, however, was in fact his best and fastest inning of the game. It took only just 6 pitches as Pomeranz was able to mow through the bottom of the order of the Iron Pigs, including inducing a popup and a lineout.

Finally in the 5th, after getting the leadoff man (CF Roman Quinn) to ground out to first Pomeranz ended up walking the next batter. PawSox skipper Kevin Boles decided at that point that Pomeranz did enough for today and decided to go to the bullpen rather than overwork the southpaw.

Pomeranz’ stat line for the day was as followed: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 6 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, and 1 HR given up on 85 pitches (47 for strikes). He ended up picking up the No Decision for the game.

For the rest of the PawSox, they were able to answer the 2-run home run in the top of the 1st with an RBI sac fly by 2B Ivan De Jesus Jr that scored CF Rusney Castillo to make it 2-1. Then in the following inning, both Castillo and C Dan Butler each contributed an RBI to push the PawSox to an early 3-2 lead The runs still continued in the bottom of the 4th as PawSox LF Ramon Flores then launched his first home run of the season, as well as the first PawSox homerun of the season, to push the lead to 4-2.

The Iron Pigs were able to claw back in the bottom of the 6th as 3B Mitch Walding lead off with a double and then later scored in the inning on a fielder’s choice to make the score 4-3. However that's where the score ended as the PawSox held off to win 4-3, getting their first victory of the 2018 season.

After the game, Boles sat down with the media for a minor Q & A session to talk about his team's performance during the game, Pomeranz' performance, and more.