Rick Porcello rocked in Boston Red Sox 5-3 loss

Rick Porcello hammered for three home runs in loss to O’s.

If pitchers giving up home runs were a crime Rick Porcello would be on Death Row as the count today at Jet Blue Park was three in a 5-3 Boston Red Sox loss to the Orioles. The Boston offense responded by going into hibernation for most of the afternoon until a late surge provided some garbage time runs.

The Boston Red Sox did some significant roster trimming with players sent to the minors, released or placed on the disable list. For further details find the story here. The training schedule is now reaching to a close and what you see on the field will certainly resemble what will open the regular season.

The Red Sox Porcello has had a spring that the word forgettable would be an understatement. Porcello entered the game with a 12.00 ERA, 2.22 WHIP and allowing 19 hits in nine innings. In the world of pitching rotations that has a large question mark next to Porcello on the roster.

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Porcello wasted no time inflating his ERA as Xavier Avery said hello and good-bye to a Porcello offering for a home run. Joey Rickard – the next batter – kept it in the ballpark for a triple. The shaky Porcello then walked Pedro Alvarez and Nolan Reimold to load the bases. Paul Janish singled, but Reimold was nabbed at second by Rusney Castillo. Two more no damage outs and that was it for the first and 2-0 O’s advantage with the Red Sox coming up.

The Red Sox responded with singles by Jackie Bradley and Dustin Pedroia, but Xander Bogaerts lined into an unassisted DP at first and David Ortiz – in his last Jet Blue Park appearance – flew out.

Porcello allowed only a lone hit in the top of the second and the Red Sox got a run back off Orioles starter Mike Wright (3-5, 6.04 in 2015). After quick outs to Hanley Ramirez and Travis Shaw, the O’s right-hander gave one up to Chris Young for home run number three of the spring.

The Red Sox wasted another opportunity in the fourth. With one out Ramirez singled and Shaw walked to bring up Young. No home run this time and Wright struck out Young and Blake Swihart popped up to leave two on.

Porcello, who had quieted down, worked his way around a jam in the fifth. With one out Avery doubled and stole third. Rickard grounded to short and the runner was held leaving the opportunity up to Alvarez who became Porcello’s fourth strike out the game.

Porcello had a HR/9 rate of 1.31 in 2015 and that was fifth in the American League among starters. Reimold led off the sixth with a shot that made it Porcello’s second of the day. Reimold had just finished his congratulatory romp in the dugout when Francisco Pena hit the third of the day off Porcello and give the O’s a 4-1 lead.

Ramirez demonstrated just what kind of ineptness can surface for even an experienced player when Hanley – with two outs in the sixth and down 4-1 – attempted to extend a single to a double. Inning over.

Lead-off walks are the bane of managers, coaches and players and Porcello started the seventh with one to Avery who eventually scored the fifth O’s run. With two outs manager John Farrell gave the hook to Porcello and brought in Noe Ramirez. Ramirez – who has impressed this spring – retired hot hitting Garabez Rosa to keep it 5-1.

The Red Sox responded to the snooze alarm in the last of the eighth against the O’s Brad Brach – a 25-year-old right-hander.  David Murphy – who may or may not be with the team tomorrow – walked. Allen Craig – who will be with the team called PawSox singled. Henry Ramos singled for one run and to put runners at the corners for Taiwan’s own Tzu-Wei Lin who brought in another run with a force out. Andrew Benintendi lashed a double and Sandy Leon was given the intentional pass to load the bases.  Donnie Hart replaced Brach and Luis Alexander Basabe finished off the opportunity with a ground out.

Next: Red Sox need to be weary of Brock Holt in LF

Game Notes

* Pablo Sandoval is expected to return on Tuesday.

* Deven Marrero leads the team in errors with three.

* OPS leader (25+ at bats) is Sam Travis (1.305).

* Toronto has the best AL East record this spring (17-5).

* Entering today’s game Ramirez had no errors in 92 chances.

* Matt Barnes has a 0.77 WHIP this spring.

* Mike Yastrzemski – grandson of Carl – appeared in the game for the O’s.

The first inning for Porcello (6.2 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 3 HR) could have been a far worse disaster, but the O’s ran into an out and Porcello settled down to escape further damage. In the fifth Porcello got Alvarez on a key strikout with a runner on third. The three home runs allowed is a continuation of the Porcello circa 2015 season.

Ramirez (0.1 IP) continued to do the job this spring.

(IP, H) has a 1.29 ERA. Barnes (Ip, 2 K) has zeros for an ERA.

Ramirez had two hits. Young his HR. Benintendi doubled in his only PA. Craig had a single and will take his .344 average to Pawtucket. RISP 1-7. Some late scoring action by the Red Sox made it appear closer than it was.