ANAHEIM, Calif. -- A few matters of note as the Boston Red Sox prepare to play the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of a four-game set here.
Who knew that there was a tarp at Angels Stadium? But there it was, a giant plastic sheet covering the infield because it was raining Saturday afternoon, a rare summer event in these parts.
The Angels have not had a rainout since June 16, 1995, when they were scheduled to play the Chicago White Sox. There have been 10 rainouts in the 49-year history of the ballpark, but Marcel Lachemann, who was managing the Angels at the time, was not particularly sentimental about the last one. Asked by veteran L.A. Times reporter Mike DiGiovanna what he was going to do with his scorecard from that night, Lachemann replied:
"It's right here. You want it?"
Red Sox manager John Farrell said that he was told to expect Saturday night's game to start on time.
The Sox made a roster move, sending Travis Shaw to Pawtucket and recalling right-handed reliever Noe Ramirez. Next time you're inclined to grumble about the glamorous big-league life, consider Shaw's existence this season.
He was called up from Pawtucket on May 8 and sent back the next day. He was called up again on June 14 and sent out again the next day. He was recalled a third time June 18 and sent out June 27th. His fourth big-league promotion came July 7 and lasted until Saturday.
For all of that back and forth, he has appeared in nine games for the Sox, with 16 plate appearances, three hits in 15 at-bats, a walk and a strikeout.
Meanwhile, Farrell confirmed that knuckleballer Steven Wright will be summoned from Pawtucket to start Monday night's series finale here. Wright also knows what it's like to be a yo-yo. He started the season with the big-league team, but was optioned April 10 when Joe Kelly was activated. He was recalled April 27 and sent back the next day. He was recalled again on May 10 and stuck around until June 23. He was recalled July 4 and sent back July 7. This will be his fifth stint with the team.
Mike Trout's walkoff home run off Koji Uehara on Friday was the first by a right-handed hitter off the Sox closer since May 1, 2014, when Yunel Escobar of the Rays took Uehara deep. Escobar's home run broke a 5-all tie in the top of the ninth at Fenway and proved to be the deciding run in a 6-5 Rays win.
Since coming to the Red Sox, Uehara has been beaten four times by a walkoff home run in his career. The first came in Game 3 of the ALDS against Tampa Bay in 2013, when catcher Jose Lobaton hit a home run to break a 4-all tie. The second came last Sept. 4, when Uehara gave up a home run to Chase Headley in Yankee Stadium and was taken out of the closer's role for the rest of the season.
The third came May 25 in Oriole Park at Camden Yards, David Lough beating Uehara and the Sox in the 10th inning.
Uehara has not given up more than two home runs to any batter in the big-leagues. Those with two: Johnny Damon, Jose Bautista, Mark Teixeira and Howie Kendrick.
While All-Star MVP Trout was beating the Sox, Boston's only '15 All-Star, Brock Holt, was on the bench. He was back in the lineup Saturday night, playing first base instead of Mike Napoli against Angels right-hander Garrett Richards. Interestingly, Napoli has great numbers against Richards (5 for 9, 2 HRs) while Holt is 1-for-8. Napoli homered off Richards in Boston on May 22, a game the Angels would win, 12-5.
Napoli went 0-for-3 with a walk Friday night. He is batting .103 (3-for-29) in nine July games (seven starts) and .191 overall.
