Bill Koch

Friday

Jul 10, 2020 at 4:45 PM


BOSTON — We’ll never know what the real final score of Friday’s Red Sox intrasquad game would have been.


Three half-innings ended prematurely due to rising pitch counts. Two of those belonged to Martin Perez, who is currently penciled in as Boston’s No. 3 starter.


The divided version of the Red Sox finished in a 5-5 tie over six innings at Fenway Park. Jett Bandy’s two-run homer into the Monster Seats off Phillips Valdez forced the deadlock, [...]

BOSTON — We’ll never know what the real final score of Friday’s Red Sox intrasquad game would have been.


Three half-innings ended prematurely due to rising pitch counts. Two of those belonged to Martin Perez, who is currently penciled in as Boston’s No. 3 starter.


The divided version of the Red Sox finished in a 5-5 tie over six innings at Fenway Park. Jett Bandy’s two-run homer into the Monster Seats off Phillips Valdez forced the deadlock, a one-out liner that stayed just inside the foul pole.


"A lot of good things happened," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. "Nice to see some really good at-bats."


J.D. Martinez checked in with three hits, including a long two-run homer onto Lansdowne Street off Mike Shawaryn. Andrew Benintendi racked up three more, spraying a double down each line and lashing a single through the shift into right-center. Jonathan Lucroy notched a second straight two-hit day and continues to look fully recovered from offseason neck surgery.


"I do feel really, really good," Lucroy said. "I do feel like I can compete at a very high level and be consistent. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here and have a chance to do that."


Lucroy said he played in pain over the last three seasons, and he also suffered a broken nose in a collision at home plate with Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick in 2019. Doctors replaced his damaged disk by inserting a metal facsimile. The same company manufactured a disk for Tiger Woods when he underwent the latest of his multiple back surgeries.


"The past three years I’ve felt late on everything — just late, late, late," Lucroy said. "There’s the reason why. Now I know. I figured it out, finally, and got it taken care of."


Perez faced just five batters while throwing 28 pitches in the top of the first. Benintendi doubled down the line in right, Kevin Pillar walked, Martinez dunked a broken-bat single into right and Jackie Bradley Jr. drew a walk to force in a run. Jose Peraza popped softly to first before the inning was brought to an early finish.


"He depends on his command," Roenicke said. "I think early in camp that’s obviously why we have these games — why you know you need a certain amount of starts from starters to get that command in."


It was more of the same in the fourth when Perez needed 22 pitches to record just two outs. He issued the last of his four walks to Jonathan Arauz and was allowed to escape with runners at the corners. Perez threw just 42 of his 77 pitches for strikes.


"Couldn’t get the ball to the inside part of the plate to right-handers," Roenicke said. "He’s usually so good at that."


Left-hander Jeffrey Springs impressed among the seven pitchers to work in the game. He started opposite Perez and struck out all but one of the seven hitters he faced. Alex Verdugo drew a leadoff walk to put the lone blemish on what was a strong afternoon for the 27-year-old Springs.


"He threw the ball real well today," Roenicke said. "Really, when you talk about the guys who threw the ball real well, he and (Matt) Barnes were real good."


Springs cut through a host of Red Sox regulars while maintaining his near-spotless line. Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts were fooled badly by breaking balls down in the zone and Mitch Moreland took a called third strike to end the bottom of the first. Springs will be in contention to serve as an opener or earn innings at the back end of the rotation.


"There are four or five guys who can be in that role," Roenicke said. "We’ll see how they pitch and we know the history they have. We’ll make the decision on those two things."


Shawaryn was touched for two runs in the top of the sixth when Peraza lined a two-run double to the corner in left. Valdez inherited a 5-3 lead but found trouble when he issued a one-out walk to Christian Vazquez. Bandy followed with the tying swing.


"He’s got some big pop," Roenicke said. "It’s just a matter of making more contact."


Bandy, a catcher and first baseman, debuted with the Angels in 2015 and appeared in 70 games the following season while Roenicke served as third-base coach under manager Mike Scioscia. The 30-year-old played his next two seasons with the Brewers and spent all of 2019 with the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate in Nashville.


"Does a nice job behind the plate," Roenicke said. "He’s a big body back there, but he still moves well. He’s that depth that we talk about in our catching situation."


bkoch@providencejournal.com


On Twitter: @BillKoch25