Chris Sale has another 'good' start in Portland, next comeback stop could be Worcester

PORTLAND, Maine — Chris Sale's first rehab start got Red Sox fans and the organization revved up to his possible quick addition to the roster.

Sunday's start, in which Sale was tagged for two runs including a home run over the scoreboard, on six hits for Double-A Portland, probably had most easing up on the throttle. But the big left-hander was happy with the outing.

"Today was good," Sale said after 64 pitches, 46 for strikes. "I don't think I was quite as consistent with my pitches and all my misfires or mistakes just caught the zone too much. The last time (48 pitches on Tuesday in which he allowed no hits or runs) when I would make a bad pitch or miss, they were more on the outside of the zone, it was either up down or to the sides. Today, if I made a bad pitch it was just in the middle of the plate and they obviously capitalized on it."

Through two innings, Sale looked to be cruising once again as he threw 13 pitches and nine strikes in each of the first two frames. The first batter for the Harrisburg Senators flew out to right field on a 93-mph fastball, but then Sale got his next five outs via strikeouts.

Sale struck out nine total, and his last seven strikeout victims were on devastating sliders that had the Senators twisted up at the plate.

"That's something that I really want to sharpen a lot, because I know that that's going to be a big tool for me when I get back to Boston," Sale said.

After cruising in his first nearly six innings for the SeaDogs, he stumbled badly in the third inning against Harrisburg.

Osvaldo Duarte, who doubled in the first, launched Sale's 86-mph changeup over the scoreboard in left-center field with an exit velocity of 104. Cole Freeman followed by taking a slider and doubling off the left-field wall, and Rhett Wiseman laid down a perfect bunt that Sale was not able to get to quick enough, but he did make a nice pivot and throw.

"I mean I got surgery on my elbow ... I'm still an athlete," Sale joked.

The Senators had runners at first and third with no outs, but Sale settled down to strike out the next two batters on eight pitches before Sale hit Nick Banks with a 93-mph fastball to load the bases. Sale had previously said he was doing these rehab starts with the hope of getting into more game situations. He found those in the third.

"Obviously no pitcher wants to go out there and give up, homeruns and hits and stuff like that but it's good to have that before I get back to the big leagues, having to pitch out of some stuff," Sale said. "I had a guy on third base, I had the bases loaded. That's the time when your backs up against the wall and you got to make some pitches."

After the hit by pitch, Sale was at 51 pitches and pitching coach Lance Carter paid a visit, but not to remove Sale.

"That was just kind of giving me a break," Sale said. "I had thrown probably 20 pitches or upwards of that up to that point so he's just kind of giving me a breather. He even said at the time, 'Hey this is good for you, you know? You're gonna have to pitch out of this or you got some traffic on the basis. This would be a good test so go get 'em.'"

Sale struck out Jackson Cluff on four pitches to end the threat.

Sale took the mound in the fourth at 55 pitches and almost finished the inning — he nodded to the bench he was good after getting the first two batters out on six pitches — but was done when Duarte doubled again.

Final line: 3.2 innings (again), 6 hits, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 Ks, 1 HR, 1 HBP.

If there's some concern from this outing, it's that Sale's velocity was consistently 2-3 mph lower than his first start in cooler temps on Sunday. And when he tried to gear it up a few times to get out of trouble in the third, Sale couldn't get higher than 93 or 94. Sale himself wasn't bothered by it and said his continued good health is the top priority.

"I felt like it was fine today, I don't know what I topped out at but I saw a couple fours and fives up there which is good for me," Sale said. "Velocity isn't exactly the number one thing on my list when I'm going out there to pitch so... that, that'll take care of itself.

"The one thing that I'm happy about with all this is feeling strong from start to start, and even the first couple days after my start I'm bouncing back pretty good so I just got to keep it rolling."

Sale said he'd drive home to Boston on Sunday night and rejoin the team on Monday. His next start will be Saturday in Worcester.