Steven Wright took the mound for the Red Sox and struck out the side to begin the game. Only college kids, but still, very good to see. Mr. Mookie Betts led off the game against BC closer Justin Dunn and flied out to left field. Dustin Pedroia singled to right but Xander Bogaerts flied out to right. Hanley Ramirez reached second on an error when Polomaki chucked a ground ball into the dugout, Pedroia took third. Jerry Remy on commentary tried to tow the company line by saying Pablo Sandoval looks the same as last year....which isn't a good thing, Jerry. Speaking of Pablo, he flied out meekly to left to end the inning.
Joe Cronin (no relation but wears #4 in honor) led off the top of the second with a credited single when Sandoval flubbed a grounder. Remy tried to bail him out by saying Cronin would have reached anyway, but when he has a weight problem and can't bend down to field a ball...come on Jerry! Luckily Bogaerts turned a 6-4-3 double play on the next pitch. Hanley Ramirez held onto the ball to boot....even though the throw was perfect. Michael Strem singled and Wright struck out Logan Hoggarth to end the inning. Carmen Giampetruzzi (what a mouthful) took the mound to start the bottom of the second inning. Chris Young, getting the start today in place of Rusney Castillo (out with the flu, how unusual) flied out to right. Blake Swihart singled to center but Allen Craig grounded out meekly to first. Jerry Remy claimed that the ankle injury Craig suffered two years ago really effected him. Unless he pulled a Brian Pillman and completely shattered it, I don't buy it. Jackie Bradley Jr walked and Mr. Mookie hit one out of the yard....twenty feet left of the foul pole unfortunately. Betts then popped up to end the inning when Joe Cronin made a great sliding catch.
Matt Barnes took over for Wright in the top of the third. Ramirez fielded a weak grounder and made the play as Dave O'Brien on commentary claims he could have had that one. Gabriel Hernandez popped up to Pedroia and Barnes struck out the final batter to end the inning. Bobby Skoggsbergh got Pedroia to pop up to right. Bogaerts singled to right-center and was replaced on the bases by Marco Hernandez. Ramirez stroked a double off the mini-monster and was replaced by Sam Travis. Sandoval then whiffed badly to a chorus of boos. Young popped up to end the inning. They have now left 6 men on base...against college kids.
2015 Minor League Pitcher of the Year Williams Jerez took over on the mound to start the top of the 4th. Sean Coyle took over at second base for Pedroia. Jerez struck out Johnny Adams and Stephen Sauter popped to Bradley Jr. Cronin lined out to right to end the inning. Brian Rapp (no relation to Pat) took over for the bottom of the 4th. Swihart popped up to Cronin who moved from first base to third. Craig worked a walk and so did Bradley Jr. Mr. Mookie lit up the crowd by launching a 3 run bomb over the mini-monster to give the Sox a 3-0 lead. Sean Coyle struck out and Hernandez grounded out to third to end the inning.
Roman Mendez took over on the mound in the top of the 5th and struck out the side in short order. Just college kids but still, a good sign. Sam Travis, the 2015 Minor League Player of the Year led off the bottom of the 5th against Sean Hughes with a hustle double. Henry Ramos pinch hit for Chris Young and singled him over to third. Cole Sturgeon hit a sac fly to score Travis to increase the lead 4-0. Old friend Dan Butler returned as Ramos swiped second base. Butler worked a walk and Craig walked to load the bases. Forrest Allday pinch hit as Gambino pulled Hughes for Zach Stromberg. Allday walked to force in a run and Mike Miller pinch hit and banged into a double play turned by Cronin. The Sox now had a commanding 5-0 lead with just two innings left.
Pat Light was brought in to pitch the top of the 6th. Hudson, MA native Connor Bacon flied out to Sturgeon to begin the inning. Hernandez popped up to Allday but Anthony Maselli singled to center. Dominic Hardaway grounded out to end the inning. Jack Nelson got the ball to begin the bottom of the 6th as Cronin moved from 3rd to short and just missed a line drive single off the bat of Coyle. Mitch Bigras was now playing first for BC. Hernandez flied out to center. Travis then doubled off the wall as Ramos scored Coyle with a sac fly. Sturgeon walked and Butler struck out to end the inning.
Robbie Scott closed out the game in the top of the 7th. Gian Martenelli grounded out and Joe Cronin singled before being pinch ran for. Nick Sciortino banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox win 6-0
No sense doing a Good, Bad, Ugly in the first Spring Training Game but the unofficial hero of the day is Mookie Betts for his 3 run homer. Worthless Bum of the day would be Pablo Sandoval for striking out and flubbing a grounder.
Other than Sandoval, it was a ho-hum day as the Sox routed a college team. Its nice to see Hanley extending his arms for his hit earlier as well. The Sox take on Northeastern in about 45 minutes.
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