The BoSox jumped on Danks immediately in the top of the first as Dustin Pedroia doubled to the left field wall to start. Xander Bogaerts lined a base hit up the middle to score Dustin to put Boston ahead. David Ortiz dumped a base hit to right but Jonny Gomes popped up to right. Grady Sizemore also popped up to right and AJ Pierzynski grounded out to third to end the inning with Boston up 1-0.
Things went south for Clay Buchholz immediately in the bottom of the first as Adam Eaton was hit with a pitch to start. Buchholz had Eaton picked off but Daniel Nava misplayed the ball for an error to move Eaton to second. Marcus Semien flied out to left and Connor Gillaspie struck out swinging to bring up Jose Abreu. Jose hit a grounder to Ryan Roberts who threw the ball away for an error to score Eaton. Adam Dunn walked and Dayan Viciedo singled to right to load the bases, but De Aza popped up to first to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Nava grounded out to short to start the top of the second before both Roberts and Jackie Bradley Jr struck out swinging to end the inning. Alexei Ramirez flied out to center to start the bottom of the second and Adrian Nieto got a base hit to center. Eaton forced Nieto at second but Semien drove a base hit to center. Gillaspie took strike three to end the inning.
Pedroia lined out to center to start the top of the third but Bogaerts was hit with a pitch. Bogaerts moved to second on the Ortiz grounder to Abreu but Gomes walked. Sizemore walked to load the bases but Pierzynski grounded out to third to end the inning. Abreu flied out to center to start the bottom of the third before Dunn also flied out to center. Viciedo completed the trifecta with a fly out to center to end the inning.
Nava took strike three to start the top of the fourth but Roberts drew a walk. JBJ popped up the bunt to the catcher and Pedroia forced Roberts at second to end the inning. De Aza caught Roberts asleep with a bunt single down to third to start the bottom of the fourth but Ramirez flied out to center. De Aza swiped second but Nieto took strike three. Eaton grounded out to first to end the inning.
Bogaerts walked to open the top of the fifth but Ortiz flied out to left. Bogaerts swiped second but Gomes popped up to second. Sizemore flied out to center to end the inning. Buchholz matched Danks in the bottom of the fifth as Semien took strike three to start. Gillaspie also was frozen for strike three and Abreu flied out to center to end the inning.
Pierzynski grounded back to the mound to start the top of the sixth before Nava flied out to left. Roberts grounded out to third to end the inning. The White Sox struck again in the bottom of the sixth as Dunn walked to start. Viciedo struck out swinging but Dunn moved to second on a grounder to the mound by De Aza. A wild pitch moved Dunn to third and Ramirez hit a home run all the way to Luxembourg to put Chicago on top. Nieto singled to center but Eaton lined out to the left field wall to end the inning with the White Sox up 3-1. Buchholz made one mistake to Ramirez but was solid, allowing 3 runs in 6 innings off 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out six.
One mistake cost Clay
Ronald Belisario came in to pitch the top of the seventh and JBJ flied out to left to start. Pedroia took strike three and Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning. Craig Breslow came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Semien took strike three to start. Gillaspie singled to center but Abreu grounded into a double play to end the inning.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura blew threw his bullpen in the top of the eighth as Scott Downs started the frame just to pitch to Ortiz. Big Papi drew a walk and Jake Petricka came in just to face Gomes. Gomes walked and that was it for Petricka. Donnie Veal came in to face Sizemore and Grady forced Gomes at second to put runners at the corners. Pierzynski hit a sac fly to center to score Ortiz and Nava walked to chase Veal. Maikel Cleto came in to face Roberts but Sox manager John Farrell countered by pinch hitting Mike Carp for Ryan. Carp walked and Jonathan Herrera pinch ran for him. JBJ popped up to short to end the inning with the BoSox down 3-2. The White Sox burned three relief pitchers just to get to Cleto and that would prove costly later.
Dunn struck out swinging to open the bottom of the eighth and Farrell pulled Breslow in favor of Junichi Tazawa. Viciedo grounded out to third and JBJ popped up to short to end the inning.
Jordan Danks took over in right to start the top of the ninth and Pedroia walked to start. Pedroia stole second but Bogaerts walked to chase Cleto. Matt Lindstrom came in to pitch and Ortiz flied out to right. Gomes got a swinging bunt base hit in front of the plate to load the bases and Sizemore hit a sac fly to left to score Pedroia with the tying run. A wild pitch moved the runners over but Pierzynski grounded out to third to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Andrew Miller came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Ramirez struck out swinging to start. Paul Konerko pinch hit for Nieto and grounded out to short before Eaton struck out swinging to end the inning.
Tyler Flowers took over behind the plate for the top of the tenth and Nava flied out to center to start. Herrera flied out to center and JBJ grounded out to second to end the inning. Semien struck out swinging to start the bottom of the tenth but Gillaspie grounded a base hit up the middle. Abreu forced Gillaspie at second and Dunn grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Daniel Webb came in to pitch the top of the eleventh and Pedroia walked to start. Bogaerts was hit with a pitch and Ortiz forced him at second to put runners at the corners. Gomes hit a sac fly to left to score Pedroia but Sizemore lined out to left to end the inning with the BoSox ahead 4-3.
The White Sox answered in the bottom of the eleventh with Edward Mujica now on the mound. Danks walked to start before promptly stealing second base. De Aza struck out swinging but Danks moved to third on the grounder to first by Ramirez. Flowers then grounded a seeing eye single up the middle to score Danks and tie the game. Eaton flied out to left to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
The BoSox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the 12th inning as Pierzynski grounded out to second to start. Nava grounded out to short and Herrera hit a comebacker to Webb to end the inning. Chris Capuano came in to pitch the bottom of the 12th and Semien flied out to right to start. Gillaspie lined out to short and Abreu took strike three to end the inning.
The BoSox blew a rally in the top of the 13th as JBJ walked to start. Pedroia beat out a roller to short but Bogaerts grounded into a double play. Ortiz was intentionally walked to get to Gomes and Jonny took strike three to end the inning. Capuano came back for the bottom of the 13th as Dunn struck out swinging to start. Danks grounded out to second and De Aza lined out to center to end the inning.
The BoSox broke through in the top of the 14th with Leury Garcia on the mound. Sizemore grounded out to first and Pierzynski to right, but Nava drew a walk. Herrera walked as well and JBJ doubled into the left field corner to clear the bases. Pedroia grounded out to short to end the inning with Boston ahead 6-4.
Capuano returned for the bottom of the 14th and Ramirez struck out swinging to start. Flowers got a base hit to left but Eaton flied out to right. Sox manager John Farrell wanted Burke Badenhop to pitch to Semien. Semien grounded out to short to end the game with the BoSox winning 6-4 in 14 innings.
Red Sox win
Jackie Bradley Hero
Hero of The Night is Jackie Bradley Jr. His two run double was enough to win the game in the fourteenth.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 6 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, two hit by pitches and an rbi.
Mike Carp walked as a pinch hitter.
Clay Buchholz tossed 6 solid innings allowing 3 runs (2 earned) off 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out six.
Craig Breslow pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Junichi Tazawa tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Andrew Miller tossed two scoreless innings.
Chris Capuano got the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Burke Badenhop got the save by getting the final out of the game.
The Bad:
Edward Mujica allowed a run in the bottom of the eleventh to blow the save.
The Ugly:
David Ortiz was just 1 for 5 but walked twice and scored a run.
Jonny Gomes was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked twice and drove in a run.
Grady Sizemore was 0 for 5 but walked and drove in a run.
AJ Pierzynski was 0 for 6 but drove in a run.
Daniel Nava was 0 for 5 with a strikeout but walked twice and scored a run.
Ryan Roberts was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Jonathan Herrera was 0 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.
Final Thoughts:
That was a gutty win for a struggling Red Sox team. They haven't been able to win close games lately but this was a big win even if its early in the season. They were down 3-1 before rallying to tie it in the 9th. They blew an 11th inning lead but stayed tough to take the lead again in the 14th. They didn't make it look easy but they slammed the door in the ninth. The offense is a little lacking but they did just enough to win this one, thank you Jackie Bradley Jr. Mike Napoli apparently dislocated his finger last night but they popped it back in, so he'll be okay in a few days. Mujica isn't exactly lights out as a closer but luckily they're getting Koji Uehara back soon. Last year the trio of Breslow, Tazawa and Uehara shortened a lot of games and getting all three on track would bring this pitching staff back to last year. Good work by the bullpen otherwise including Badenhop and Capuano to slam the door at the end as well. Hopefully this game will be the spark this team needs to get back to last year's form. The BoSox look to make it two in a row against the ChiSox tomorrow night for a big pitcher's duel when Jon Lester (1-2) matches up with White Sox ace Chris Sale. The game begins at 8:10 PM Eastern time at Comiskey Park.
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