As for the game, Fenway Park's home opener was the Mookie Betts show as he homered, robbed a homer, stole bases and delighted the home crowd in a win over the visiting Washington Nationals. After the failure of Jackie Bradley Jr and Xander Boagerts last year, its nice to see Betts live up to the hype so far. It was also nice to see Sox starter Rick Porcello (1-1, 3.86 ERA) gobble up 8 innings to save the tired bullpen. All this added up to a 9-4 victory over the Nationals at Fenway Park.
Porcello got the ball in the top of the first and struck out Michael Taylor swinging to open the game. Yunel Escobar poked one over the head of Napoli for a single and then it was Mookie Betts time. Bryce Harper smashed what looked to be a sure 2 run home run into the Red Sox bullpen....only he was DENIED by a leaping Mookie Betts at the wall. Escobar tagged and went to second but Porcello was fired up. Jayson Werth struck out to end the inning, what a catch!
The Sox wasted no time getting on the board. Mr. Mookie walked but Dustin Pedroia popped up to center. With the shift on for David Ortiz, Betts swiped second and looked up to see no one covering third. He made a mad dash for third and just barely got under the tag from Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann (1-1). Nationals manager Matt Williams challenged the play at third but the call stood. Ortiz then lined one over the head of Werth in left to score Betts from third. Hanley Ramirez beat out a double play ball and Pablo Sandoval singled down the right field line. Mike Napoli popped up but the Sox had grabbed the 1-0 lead.
Porcello got the top of the second started by getting Ryan Zimmerman to ground out to second. Clint Robinson looked at strike three and Ian Desmond grounded to third to end the inning. Then it was Mookie time again in the bottom second. Shane Victorino grounded out to third and Xander Bogaerts lofted a routine grounder to Desmond who's terrible throw pulled Ryan Zimmerman off the bag. Sandy Leon then lashed a single through Jordan Zimmerman up the middle. This brought up Mr. Mookie who then brought the crowd to a frenzy with a three run blast into the monster seats to give the Sox a commanding lead. Pedroia continued the hit parade with a single but Ortiz banged into a double play to end the inning. Betts had about a month's worth of highlights in just two innings as the Sox led 4-0.
Steals a home run, then hits a home run
Jose Lobaton greeted Porcello with a ground out to second to begin the top of the third. Danny Espinosa flied out to left and Taylor flied out right to end the inning. Good to see Porcello make quick work of the Nationals the first time through. The Nationals became a comedy of errors in the bottom of the third. Things got a little testy when Ramirez and Sandoval were both plunked but no warnings were issued. Napoli then hit what looked to be a routine fly to center but Taylor lost it in the sun. The ball dropped and everyone was safe, no error was charged. Victorino popped up to second but Bogaerts poked one into shallow right to score Ramirez. Tanner Roark began warming in the bullpen as Leon then hit another routine fly in between Harper and Taylor. Both looked at each other and neither called for it...plop! Sandoval scores and Leon gets credit for a hit and an rbi. Betts then hit a routine grounder to short but Escobar blocked Desmond's view and he couldn't make the play. It was ruled a single and an rbi and Matt Williams had seen enough, pulling Zimmerman for Roark. Pedroia hit a sac fly to center to increase the lead. Ortiz flied out to end the brutal inning for the Nats with the Sox ahead 8-0.
Escobar hit a routine grounder to Bogaerts to begin the top of the fourth but he turned around and fired the ball into the third base grandstand for no apparent reason for an error. Porcello recovered to strike out Harper and Werth banged into a double play to end the threat. The Nats defense finally woke up in the bottom of the 4th. Ramirez popped up to Roark, Sandoval grounded out to second, and Napoli grounded one to third but Escobar made a great play and throw to rob him of a hit to end the inning.
The Nats finally broke through in the top of the 5th when Zimmerman greeted Porcello with a 425 foot blast to dead center, not even Mookie could leap THAT high. Robinson then tripled over the head of Betts but Desmond lined out to Pedroia. Lobaton walked to put runners at the corners then Espinosa grounded out to first, scoring Robinson and moving Lobaton to second. Pedroia made a basket catch on Taylor that was more exciting than it should have been, but the Nats were on the board, now trailing 8-2.
Victorino flied out to left to begin the bottom of the fifth and Bogaerts hit one in the hole at short for another base hit. Leon poked one into right for a single but Mr. Mookie lined out to center. Pedroia grounded into a force to end the inning.
As Pedro Martinez looked on, Escobar flied out to center to begin the top of the sixth. Harper smashed one to Pedroia who made a great stab and throw to get him at first. Werth squibbed one in front of Leon who threw badly to first, causing Napoli to have to make a falling pick to make the play. Napoli probably said "Can ANYONE throw the ball directly to me?" but the inning was over. Ortiz made his presence felt with a 431foot bomb to left center, his 468th lifetime (tying him with Chipper Jones) to extend the lead to begin the bottom of the sixth. Ramirez walked and Sandoval singled, but he was erased on the force by Napoli. Victorino then made everyone beg for Rusney Castillo by banging into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-2.
Sandoval joined the error parade in the top of the 7th by tossing a grounder by Zimmerman into the Sox dugout, allowing Ryan to reach second. Robinson moved him to third with a grounder and he scored on the Desmond ground out. Porcello whiffed Lobaton to end the inning with the Nationals down 9-3. Porcello had tossed 7 innings of 3 run ball, I'd say that's a quality start. Reed Johnson took over in left and Aaron Barrett replaced Roark for the bottom of the 7th. Bogaerts walked but Leon banged into a double play. Mr. Mookie struck out swining to end the inning.
Porcello returned for the top of the 8th and was greeted by an Espinosa home run to cut the lead. Rick recovered to get Taylor to ground out to third, Escobar to fly out to center and Harper to strike out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-4. Porcello tossing 8 innings allowing 3 earned runs while striking out 6 was just the tonic the Sox needed.
Xavier Cedeno relieved Barrett for the bottom of the 8th and Pedroia walked to start. Allen Craig pinch hit for Ortiz and forced Pedroia at second. Two straight wild pitches advanced Craig to third, brutal defense by Lobaton. Ramirez fouled a pitch off his foot and hobbled around in pain. He stayed in to work a walk but was pinch ran for by Daniel Nava. Uh oh! Sandoval lined out to second and Napoli struck out swinging to end the inning.
Junichi Tazawa came on to close out the top of the 9th. Johnson struck out swinging and Taz buzzed Zimmerman before walking him, possibly payback for the beanballs earlier. Robinson and Desmond both struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox took the Fenway Park opener against the Nationals 9-4.
Hero of the Night is easy, Mookie Betts. He was 2 for 4 with a walk, a game saving catch, a 3 run blast and two stolen bases.
The Good:
Rick Porcello put in yeoman's effort with 8 solid innings to save the exhausted bullpen. He allowed 3 earned runs (4 total) for his first win of the year.
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with two rbi's including a 431 home run.
Hanley Ramirez walked twice, was hit and scored a run
Pablo Sandoval was 2 for 4 with a run scored and was hit with a pitch
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 runs scored and an rbi.
Sandy Leon was 3 for 4 with a walk and run scored.
Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Allen Craig was 0 for 1 on a force out.
Shane Victorino was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Mike Napoli was just 1 for 5.
Honorable Mention:
Daniel Nava pinch ran for Ramirez and played left field in the 9th.
Final Thoughts:
Just what the doctor ordered. After the 19 inning marathon and Buchholz' stinkbomb, Rick Porcello's start & Mookie Betts' heroics got the win the team needed and the rest the bullpen needed. Watching Betts and Bogaerts hit well early is a breath of fresh air after last year and Porcello winning his first game will instill confidence for sure. The only drawback is Ramirez fouling the ball off his foot, hopefully he's not too hurt. Ortiz tied Chipper Jones on the all-time home run list and he could possibly hit 500 home runs before the year is over. Tomorrow's pitching matchup will be Justin Masterson (1-0) taking on Stephen Strasburg. Get ready for a lot of heat tomorrow night at 6:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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