House Of Cards: Red Sox On The Road

“Pack up the babies, grab the old ladies, everyone goes. Everyone knows.” – Neil Diamond

The 2015 Boston Red Sox traveling spring snow salvation show lands in Jupiter today.

Grapefruit League home of both the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins (the only MLB team who goes NORTH for spring training) Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida and the surrounding complex is massive, with separate minor league complexes for both organizations and a huge clubhouse where neither Cardinals nor Marlins mix with the visiting team or each other unless by choice.

The Red Sox had a very nice weekend after a home loss to the Miami Marlins on Friday. Miami rapped out 11 hits including two by former Met Jordany Valdespin and defeated Boston 5-3

Saturday was a split squad day with the Sox winning both games, a home contest against (who else) the neighboring Minnesota Twins 4-2 and in Sarasota defeating the Baltimore Orioles 7-6.

In the home game, Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a triple and Clay Buchholz pitched three innings allowing only a walk, and striking out four. The Red Sox held the Twins hitless until the 7th inning.

Versus Baltimore, the Sox held on to a one run victory as the Orioles scored three in the bottom of the ninth. Blake Swihart hit a three run home run in the first inning for Boston and Bryce Brentz, who has played three career games in Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium and has homered each time, did not disappoint on Saturday hitting a solo home run off Orioles reliever Wesley Wright in the 4th inning.

Sunday the Red Sox took to the road for the only overnight trip of the spring (at least for a few players and staff members….another bus of Sox players and prospects headed to Jupiter this morning), facing the New York Mets at Port St, Lucie’s Tradition Field.

Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts homered and drove in four runs on the day as the Red Sox defeated the Mets 6-3 for their third straight victory. Rick Porcello started for Boston allowing one unearned run on four hits over three innings. Brian Johnson picked up the win. Lefty Tommy Layne pitched a 1-2-3 6th inning, striking out one, and Keith Couch earned a save to extend the Sox current spring winning streak to three.

Six Mets pitchers, including prospects Cory Mazzoni and Akeel Morris combined to walk ten hitters.

After today’s game versus the Cardinals, the Red Sox return home to jetBlue Park for a Tuesday afternoon contest against the Tampa Bay Rays. On Wednesday, Boston plays the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa followed by a game versus the Pirates at McKechnie Field in Bradenton. All games are at 1:05 PM.

In other baseball news during this road trip, former Tigers and Red Sox first baseman Tony Clark, now head of the Major League Baseball Players Association paid a visit to the Mets camp Sunday on his annual trip around spring training sites. Also, St. Louis pitcher Lance Lynn left the Cardinals game versus the Marlins on Sunday with a left hip flexor strain. He will be reevaluated today.

Postscript : Boston extended it’s winning streak to four with a 3-0 victory over St. Louis in the house of Cards. Red Sox starter Wade Miley pitched three scoreless innings combining on a shutout with former Cardinal Edward Mujica picking up the victory. Junichi Tazawa also pitched scoreless baseball as did Matt Barnes who earned a two inning save, striking out three. Minor league camp callup Blake Tekotte had an RBI single off Cardinals pitcher Seth Maness.