ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It was Rick Porcello’s best start in a month, and John Farrell decided to make it Porcello’s shortest start of the season.
At just 82 pitches, the fewest he’s thrown since a seven-inning outing in a blowout win against Atlanta last year, Porcello was removed with two on and nobody out in the seventh inning Wednesday night.
He allowed just two runs while striking out seven, a productive start for the struggling Cy Young winner. His face tightened and he said nothing as Farrell took the ball out of his hands, but saving the starter with nine outs left is what the Red Sox top-ranked bullpen was built to do.