Boston.com Today
Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning.
Tonight, the Red Sox made three errors in one inning, failed to record a hit with runners in scoring position, and struck out 14 times. They stunk!
Despite this, there was actually a decent portion of the game where it felt like they might somehow pull it out. Going into the bottom of the seventh, Cutter Crawford had retired ten Reds in a row after giving up three solo home runs early, and was holding the score close at 3-2. Then, the avalanche of errors happened!
Enmanuel Valdez, who continues to prove he’s a massive liability defensively at second base, derailed Crawford’s streak of retired batters when he made an error to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Then, after later surrendering a one out double, Crawford’s night was done, which led to this mess:
Amazingly, within minutes of this botched play, Cooper Criswell (remember him?) and the Woo Sox were able to execute a similar play and get out of their jam.
Well that’s one way to get out of a jam!
Great play by Criswell to get the first out — then he induces a double play to end the third inning threat pic.twitter.com/gsIFP0gHHQ
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) June 22, 2024
In a complete mirror image of fortune, they were winning their game 5-2 when the final out was recorded in Cincinnati. (They later won 6-2.)
In any case, it wasn’t to be for the big club tonight. They then added another error later in the seventh frame when Rafael Devers couldn’t make this play and instead made his fifth errors of the season.
Offensively, ten of the 14 strike outs the Red Sox racked up came against Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott, which brings us to the unusual nature of the Reds’ roster.
As of this evening on baseball reference, they have only five guys with a WAR above 1.0:
Hunter Greene: 2.9
Nick Lodolo: 2.3
Andrew Abbott: 2.2 (This will be going up after tonight’s game)
Elly De La Cruz: 2.1
Tyler Stephenson: 1.1
The top three of those five are members of their rotation. So the Reds are one of those teams that’s far more difficult to play depending on which part of the rotation you run into. While this is technically true for every team, it’s especially true for them, because if you don’t have to deal with any of those top three guys on the mound for the first 60 percent of the game, the rest of the roster is pretty easy to navigate.
The good news is that the Red Sox do not face one of those three starters tomorrow. The bad news is the Reds announced today they’re jumping Nick Lodolo’s spot in the rotation and he’s now slated to make the start on Sunday. This is the same day the Red Sox are backing Tanner Houck off his turn in the rotation and going with a bullpen day.
In other words, you better take the Saturday affair!
Only two guys scored a run for the Sox tonight. Only two guys recorded multiple hits for the Sox tonight. Those same two guys also hit solo home runs. Here they are:
Take your pick, but these three stood out:
Rafael Devers, for going 0-4 with three strike outs and making an error.
Masataka Yoshida, for going 0-4 and posting a -.114 WPA.
Cam Booser, for not executing the play on that bunt. While harsh, and a legitimate tough spot, this is the moment the game got out of control.
(18 votes)
(11 votes)
29 votes total
Vote Now
BOSTON — It certainly wasn’t pretty at times, but the Bruins pulled off an overtime victory against the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
The Bruins and Flames traded goals in the opening period, but then Boston scored twice in the second frame to take a 3-1 lead into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Calgary didn’t fold. They pushed back with two goals of their own in the third period to force overtime. The Black and Gold were determined to not lose the extra point and Brad Marchand scored the game-winning goal with 20 seconds left of three-on-three play.
“We stuck with it,” Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm said. “Obviously, we don’t want to give up a 3-1 lead in the third, but we found a way to win a hockey game and that’s hard in this league. So, I’ll try to focus on the positives here.”
Lindholm opened the scoring for the Bruins with a first-period strike from newly reunited Czech mates David Pastrnark and Pavel Zacha.
Story continues below advertisement
“I feel really good about my game,” Lindholm said. “It’s nice to get put out there in situations to succeed and it makes it fun for me. Feel that reward and obviously, get a goal, is always a good feeling.”
Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery praised Lindholm not only for the goal but also for his overall performance in the game.
“I thought Hampus was really skating. I thought he was on his toes tonight,” Montgomery said. “The really good thing, when Hampus is playing really well, and that goal is a perfect example, is he’s moving his feet in the neutral zone, he’s moving it north, and he’s jumping into the offensive zone to support the play. That way it’s easier for the defensemen to be uncovered.”
Not only did Pastrnak and Zacha connect on the Lindholm goal, but the duo also helped generate some of the Bruins’ best scoring chances and Zacha scored his first five-on-five goal of the season.
Story continues below advertisement
“They played really well,” Montgomery said. “I thought that line was our best offensive line.”
3 Min Read
3 Min Read
Here are more notes from Thursday’s Bruins-Flames game:
— Marchand now has 21 overtime goals in his career, which is the most in franchise history and third-most among all NHL players behind Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The game-winner was the 79th of his career and ranks him third in Bruins history, trailing only Johnny Bucyk (88) and Patrice Bergeron (81).
— Zacha’s second goal of the season was his 300th NHL point. He joined linemate Pastrnak, Tomas Hertl and Ondrej Palat as the fourth active player born in Czechia with 300 points.
Story continues below advertisement
— Cole Koepke joined Charlie Coyle and Matt Poitras on the third line and tallied his fourth goal of the season to extend the Bruins lead to 3-1 in the third period. Coyle earned his first assist of the season when he set up Koepke’s tally.
“As long as I’m playing the right way and creating opportunities, getting opportunities, that’s what I worry about. … I’m not really too worried about individual stuff,” Coyle said. “I want to play the right way for my team, make sure I’m on the right side of the puck, and pick my spots when to go and find that balance too.”
— The Bruins will look to build on the overtime win when they host former teammate Linus Ullmark and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
The matchup could feature Boston’s former formidable goalie tandem — Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman — facing each other for the first time since the former was traded to the Senators in the offseason, or Ullmark could possibly face the goalie the Bruins received in the trade — Korpisalo.
Story continues below advertisement
Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pre- and postgame coverage on NESN.
Politics
Two Boston city councilors who have butted heads with the body’s progressive majority are voicing their concerns about City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune’s “conduct in meetings.”
Boston City Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn sent a formal communication to City Clerk Alex Geourntas dated Monday, which was listed in Wednesday’s City Council meeting agenda.
“The Council President frequently engages in commentary following the remarks of certain councilors, particularly myself and Councilor Flynn, which undermines the impartiality expected of the presiding officer,” Murphy wrote.
Louijeune was sworn into her two-year term as president earlier this year, replacing Flynn in the role.
When reached for comment, Louijeune said her focus is “to keep this honorable body and our great city moving forward.”
“As Council President, I continue to maintain an open-door policy to all of my colleagues if they have any questions or concerns that they would like to discuss in a professional and respectful manner,” she said in a statement.
Murphy and Flynn, who are moderates, have previously raised concerns in the press about the City Council. She told the Boston Herald that she sees “chaos and resistance” on the council, while Flynn said he feels “isolated” and bullied as he considers a mayoral bid next year.
Murphy lost her bid for Suffolk County clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court in September. The little-known seat turned into a proxy battle between progressive Boston pols like Mayor Michelle Wu, who backed Murphy’s opponent, and moderates like Flynn backing Murphy.
Late last month, Flynn was a sole objection to adding a home-rule petition filed by Wu as a last-minute addition to the council’s agenda. Audible gasps could be heard from the chamber, and someone cried “shame on you!” after the objection.
The communication filed Wednesday didn’t mention any specific incidents but noted that “several colleagues and members of the public have noted this behavior and expressed their discomfort with the perceived bias.”
“This behavior raises concerns about adherence to our established rules, specifically regarding the expectation that the Council President must step down from the dais to express personal opinions that are not procedural in nature,” the communication read.
Councilor Brian Worrell, who represents Mattapan, Dorchester, and parts of Jamaica Plain and Roslindale, also weighed in. He said Flynn and Murphy’s portrayal “is far from reality.”
“That politically-motivated plot has been a constant on social media and in the press since the start of the term. I urge councilors to sit down and communicate directly with the Council President,” Worrell said in a statement.
Councilor Liz Breadon, who represents Allston/Brighton, is the second-longest tenured member of the council and has served under four council presidents, she said.
“I vehemently disagree with these unfair and baseless characterizations of the Council President,” Breadon said. “These grievances reflect a brand of petty politics that I had hoped this body was above.”
In their letter, Murphy and Flynn ask Geourntas to take their concerns seriously, “as they affect the integrity of our council and the public’s perception of our work.”
“It is our hope that we can foster a more collaborative environment where all voices are heard and respected, adhering strictly to the rules that govern our conduct,” they wrote.
Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning.
The PWHL’s Boston Fleet have a new look to to go along with a new name.
The Fleet and five other teams on Thursday released uniform designs for the league’s second season. The announcements come two months after the league unveiled new logos and names for each team: Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres.
Boston’s jerseys feature the team’s signature “B” across the chest and wave motifs in stripes along the bottom, as well as on the numbers on the back. The Fleet’s home jerseys feature a dark green background, and the away jerseys are white, each with “oceanic blue” accents, according to a release.
“Our Boston Fleet jerseys are so much more than just a uniform,” Fleet coach Courtney Kessel said in a release. “These represent our commitment to excellence and the pride we take in playing for Boston. Every time we step onto the ice wearing these, we’re not just representing ourselves — we’re honoring our fans, our history, and our future.”
Having team names, logos, and branding on the jerseys is a major step for the league, which played its inaugural season with generic uniforms. Last season, each team’s kit featured the team’s colors and the name of its city written diagonally across the front.
“Players and fans alike have been waiting for this moment and we couldn’t be happier with the six unique looks each team will don moving forward,” PWHL senior vice president of business operations Amy Scheer said in a release. “These jerseys mark the latest evolution in our league’s history, and we can’t wait to see them showcased both on the ice and in the stands.”
The uniforms were made in partnership with Bauer Hockey, the league’s official jersey partner. Replica jerseys are available to purchase via the league’s online shop and will be available at retail stores starting Nov. 14, according to the release.
The league designed the jerseys in collaboration with New York-based creative agency Flower Shop, which also had a hand in the teams’ new names and branding.
“Working alongside the team at Bauer, we put thought behind every color, every stitch, every fabric choice — every element — to ensure these uniforms are of the highest quality,” PWHL SVP of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said in the release.. “From the design process to final production, we aimed to create uniforms that not only reflect the spirit of each team but also deliver top-tier performance and comfort for our athletes.”
The Fleet will open training camp on Tuesday, Nov. 12 and will play two preseason scrimmages, the first against the Montréal Victoire on Nov. 20 and the second against the Ottawa Charge on Nov. 21. Boston will open the regular season on the road in Toronto on Nov. 30 and will play its home opener at Tsongas Center on Dec. 4. Check out the full schedule here.
Emma can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @_EmmaHealy_.
Carol Lombardini, studio negotiator during Hollywood strikes, to step down
Just Walking Can Help You Lose Weight: Try These Simple Fat-Burning Tips!
Hall of Fame won't get Freddie Freeman's grand slam ball, but Dodgers donate World Series memorabilia
Yankees’ Gerrit Cole opts out of contract, per source: How New York could prevent him from testing free agency
Try This Quiz on Books That Were Made Into Great Space Movies
Apple is trying to sell loyal iPhone users on AI tools. Here's what Apple Intelligence can do
An Okta login bug bypassed checking passwords on some long usernames
Trump pledges 'America's new golden age' as he rallies in PA's post-industrial third-largest city