Notes: Davis gains confidence; Jimmy Fund

BOSTON -- In Wednesday’s 9-6 loss to Minnesota, Kyle Schwarber gave Boston a fighting chance with his first Red Sox homer -- a game-tying, two-run blast in the ninth. In the three innings prior, reliever Austin Davis quietly put Boston in a similar position to win.

In his 10th appearance with Boston since joining the club at the Trade Deadline, Davis relieved starter Nick Pivetta in the fifth inning and proceeded to retire all eight batters he faced.

“Little by little, he’s found his rhythm,” manager Alex Cora said. “He’s made some mechanical adjustments. And I think we kind of understand who he is and his stuff. Yesterday the changeup was outstanding, the fastball has been playing since Day One here, and he did an amazing job.”

Wednesday night, Davis’ fastball matched his season average (93.6 mph) and topped out at 94.8. He got Jorge Polanco to swing on a 92.7 mph fastball in the seventh for the reliever’s third and final strikeout of the night. Davis' changeup yielded the best results, with three whiffs on 11 pitches.

Davis made his Red Sox debut vs. the Rays on July 31, one day after joining the club from the Pirates. The lefty gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two over two-thirds of an inning. Davis got off to a shaky start with Boston, tallying a 7.71 ERA (four runs in 4 2/3 innings) in his first five appearances. Since then, the left-hander has given a struggling bullpen 6 1/3 scoreless innings, recording seven strikeouts in the process.

“He’s gaining confidence,” Cora said. “[And] we’re gaining confidence because we see him more often now [and] we know who he is. And what he did yesterday, he gave us a chance to win the ballgame.”

Recent results have been encouraging for Davis, who came to the Red Sox with a 5.59 ERA in 10 outings with the Pirates, and for a bullpen in serious need of stability. Matt Barnes, who had been stellar for Boston as its closer (2.30 ERA, 23 saves through July), has hit a major skid this month. The right-hander has posted a 16.88 ERA in nine August appearances, prompting Cora to consider giving the reliever a break from his role as closer. Another Trade Deadline acquisition, Hansel Robles, has also had a tough go, with a 7.84 ERA in 11 appearances for the Red Sox.

Jimmy Fund telethon concludes
The 19th annual WEEI-NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon came to an end Wednesday night, raising over $3.7 million for cancer research and treatment. The Red Sox have been involved with the Jimmy Fund since 1953, with one player annually being named a “Jimmy Fund Captain” to spread awareness and support for the organization’s mission. Nathan Eovaldi holds the title for this season, with past players in the role including Mitch Moreland, Brock Holt, Pablo Sandoval, Will Middlebrooks, David Ross, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Daniel Bard, Tim Wakefield and Clay Buchholz.

This year, Cora made an initial donation of $8,145.36, pledging to give $113.13 for each additional Red Sox win this season. Though the telethon has ended, donations can still be made at jimmyfund.gives/kcancer.