PITTSBURGH — The Red Sox were expected to piggyback Rich Hill’s start with a multi-inning appearance from Josh Winckowski in relief.
Hill laid rest to those plans, producing the strongest start since his return from the injured list in the Red Sox’s 8-3 win over the Pirates at PNC Park on Wednesday.
It seemed the piggyback option would come to fruition early. Hill’s last start at PNC Park was on Aug. 23, 2017, when he lost a nine-inning no-hit bid in the 10th on a walk-off homer from Josh Harrison. Kevin Newman nixed any hope of that on the first pitch of Hill’s start, as he lined a high-zone fastball for a base hit.
Bryan Reynolds took two low pitches before sending another high-zone fastball from Hill to the visiting bullpen in left-center field for a homer.
“For whatever reason, it didn’t come out of my hand the way I wanted to,” Hill said. “As I got into the game, the ball started coming out better.”
But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, right? Using what he called a closer’s mentality, Hill stepped on the gas and retired the next 12 batters in order, reminiscent of that famous outing at PNC Park, before he allowed a ground-ball single by Rodolfo Castro to begin the fifth inning.
Hill recorded four strikeouts on the evening, three more than he had over his first two starts since he returned on Aug. 3 from a left knee sprain. Three of them came on his sweeping slider, while his trademark curveball produced a steady stream of ground-ball outs.
It turned out to be huge that Hill was able to go five innings, not to mention that Hirokazu Sawamura was able to complete two innings in relief. Nathan Eovaldi’s scheduled start in Thursday’s series finale was delayed by right trap tightness, so Winckowski will draw Thursday’s start instead — with a fresh bullpen intact.
“That’s what we needed,” Cora said of Hill’s start. “Now, we’re kind of like a full force tomorrow with [Winckowski]. It’s a regular start for him, [John] Schreiber got a day and should be available, [Matt] Barnes is available. We should be good.”
Earlier this month, Hill volunteered his services out of the bullpen, wanting to contribute to the team in any way. It’s unclear how long of a rope the 42-year-old will be given in the rotation as the Red Sox try to make a come-from-behind push in the American League Wild Card race.
Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta and Michael Wacha each have a firm grip on a starting spot. James Paxton is expected to begin a rehab assignment and throw three innings on Thursday as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery. Brayan Bello, who is in the clubhouse after a rehab assignment, is the club’s top pitching prospect, but with few reps at the Major League level, will the Red Sox lean on him in a tough stretch to finish the season?
For now, Hill is in the rotation, and Cora has liked the work he’s seen out of the lefty after he got a phone call on short notice from the Red Sox to make his first start off the IL in Houston on Aug. 3.
“He hasn’t pitched in a while,” Cora said. “He’s a guy who relies on command — and it’s not command in the zone, it’s the fastball up in the zone that they chase. The breaking ball was sharp today. The slider was good. He got some lefties out, and that’s what we needed.”
It’s not just Hill providing, either. Shortly after the news that Chris Sale underwent season-ending surgery on Aug. 8, the Red Sox’s rotation has stepped up in a big way. Over their last turn through, the starters have produced a 1.71 ERA in 31 innings, including seven scoreless innings by Pivetta in Tuesday’s series opener.
Hill’s start as he makes a case to stick in the rotation only bolsters confidence in the unit as the team makes an uphill push for the postseason.
“Starting pitching is huge,” said outfielder Alex Verdugo, who matched a career high by reaching base safely five times (three hits, two walks). “For us, it’s big to hold leads, right? We gave up two early, got three back right away and we held them. That’s one of those things that it just gives the hitters confidence, kind of gets us back out there [saying,] ‘Hey, let’s add on.'”
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