Notebook: Sticking with Sale in the sixth; method to Pedroia's baserunning madness

HOUSTON – With the Red Sox already behind by three and Chris Sale’s pitch-count climbing, it was more than a bit of a surprise that he was sent out for the sixth inning of Game 1 of the ALDS Thursday.

The move didn’t work. Sale yielded a leadoff double to Evan Gattis and then walked Josh Reddick.

“To start the sixth inning,’’ explained John Farrell, “we’re in a spot where we would like to ideally stay lefthanded in that part of the lineup (with lefty Reddick due second, Yuli Gurriel who hits righties better due third and switch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez to follow). But after the double and walk, we felt like we had to make a move at that point.’’

Joe Kelly was the move, and he didn’t work well, either.  He allowed a single to Gurriel to load the bases, and after fanning Gonzalez, gave up a two-run single to Brian McCann.

“(Kelly’s) a guy that’s come into those situations before,’’ said Farrell.  “(He’s someone) with power stuff, the ability to get a strikeout, the ability to throw two types of breaking balls.’’

Sale didn’t question the decision to send him back out.

“Why not?’’ he aside. ‘It’s go-to time.’’

***
The Sox are known for their aggressiveness on the bases, and occasionally it backfires. Such was the case in the second inning.

Trailing 2-0, the Sox had Mitch Moreland on second and Dustin Pedroia on first with two outs and Sandy Leon at the plate. Leon drove a pitch on the ground that got through to the right of second base.  Moreland chugged home from second, but Pedroia was out going first-to-third on a strong throw from right fielder Reddick.

“With the positioning of their outfielders,’’ offered Pedroia, “the base hit was right to Reddick and I wanted to make sure that he threw at me instead of home, to get that run. That was basically it. From playing with him and against him, he’s got a pretty good arm. We wanted to get that run.’’

They did – eventually.

Initially, home plate umpire Dan Bellino signaled that Pedroia was tagged out at third before Moreland crossed the plate. The Sox challenged and upon review, the call was overturned and the run counted, though Pedroia’s out ended the inning.