The bad news was the Boston Celtics lost Game 1 of their first round NBA playoff series but the good news was the Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays. Craig Kimbrel is going to win or save a lot of games for the Boston Red Sox this year, today was one of them. David Price is going to win a lot of games for the Red Sox this year, today was one of them. They (along with Koji Uehara) combined with Xander Bogaerts to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 at Fenway Park.
Price began his day in the top of the first by striking out Kevin Pillar. Josh Donaldson started the rally with a triple into the gap and Jose Bautista doubled him home...but was thrown out at third base by Jackie Bradley Jr trying to stretch into a triple. Or was he? Blue Jays manager John Gibbons wanted a replay and he got one....out! Price blew away Edwin Encarnarcion with a 93 mph fastball but the damage was done. Marco Estrada shut out the Red Sox last week and he began the bottom of the first by striking out Mr. Mookie Betts. Dustin Pedroia flied out right and Xander Bogaerts popped up to left to end the inning.
Troy Tulowitzky started the top of the second and flied out deep to left field at the wall. Chris Colabello grounded out to Hanley Ramirez at first on a full count. Russell Martin popped up to Bradley but Price was up to 31 pitches. David Otiz tried to get something going in the bottom of the second with a leadoff walk. Hanley Ramirez beat out a double play ball. Somehow, Travis Shaw singled. Holt brought things back to normal with a strikeout and Christian Vazquez waved at strike 3 as well.
Darwin Barney flied out to center in the top of the third inning. Ezequiel Carrera grounded out to third and Pillar struck out on pitch 49. It didn't look like Price would last 6 at this rate. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the third. Jackie Bradley Jr legged out an infield single. Mr. Mookie popped up but Pedroia somehow singled off Donaldson's glove. Sox analyst Dave O'Brien was just getting done saying Bogaerts hasn't homered yet and right on cue...BANG! 3 run homer into the monster seats.David Ortiz grounded out but Hanley Ramirez nearly hit the Pesky Pole but had to settle for a double. Ramirez made a boo-boo by not sliding into home on the double by Shaw, but he was barely safe and it was 4-1 Boston. Holt grounded out to end the inning. What a rally.
Could Price hold the 3 run lead in the top of the fourth? NO! David struck out Donaldson to open the frame. Bautista hit one off the monster and so did Encarnarcion that scored Jose. Tulowitzky grounded out to third on the first pitch he saw. Colabello popped up to Pedroia to end the inning, but the Jays struck back and it was 4-2 Boston. Vazquez found a hole in the bottom of the fourth with a seeing eye single. JBJ advanced him to second with a ground out to Estrada. Mr.Mookie popped up to center and Pedroia popped up to first to end the inning. Estrada had an ankle injury and was laboring through it.
Price got a scare in the top of the 5th when Martin singled to center 3 feet over his head. Price recovered to strikeout Barney and Carrera lined out to Ramirez. Pillar tried to catch the infield asleep but popped up the bunt and Vazquez chased it down for the third out. Price was up to 78 pitches but had gotten through five innings. Estrada hung tough in the bottom of the 5th, getting Bogaerts to ground out. Ortiz popped up to left and Ramirez flied out to right.
Price survived the heart of the order in the top of the 6th. Donaldson singled but Price somehow struck out Bautista. Even more shocking, Encarnarcion flied out to left. Tulowitzky smashed a 3 foot ground ball that Vazquez gunned to first for the third out. Price had gotten through 6 but had thrown 93 pitches to do it. Shaw popped up to begin the bottom of the 6th. Hitman Holt broke an 0-14 slump with a base hit up the middle. He was erased on the double play hit by Vazquez.
Price attempted to go where no pitcher had gone before this season, the end of the 7th inning. Price whiffed Colabello to open it then struck out Martin amidst a chorus of cheers. Could Price get that final, elusive out? Barney looked at strike 3 to end the inning. Price went 7 innings, striking out 9 and allowing just 2 runs. THAT'S an ace.
Gavin Floyd replaced Estrada in the bottom of the 7th inning. JBJ grounded out to begin the frame. Mr. Mookie flied out to deep center but Pedroia walked. Bogaerts flied out to end the inning.
It was Koji Time in the top of the 8th. Carrera caught everyone asleep with a bunt base hit. The Sox defense pitched in with HANLEY RAMIREZ being the star when Barney stroked a ground ball to Bogaerts. Xander flipped it to Pedroia but the throw was a little to the left, but Hanley snared it with his foot on the bag for the double play. Koji induced a pop up from Donaldson and the entire infield convened on it, Ramirez taking it for the third out. Brett Cecil, the former 15 game winner and now lefty specialist met David Ortiz to begin the bottom of the 8th. Ortiz won the battle with a base hit. Hanley Ramirez banged into a double play....except Barney never touched second base and Ortiz was safe at second. The "neighborhood" rule is no longer in effect so fielders actually have to touch the bag. The umpires went to the replay and the call was reversed, double play. Apparently Barney's knee grazed the bag. Shaw grounded out to end the inning.
Craig Kimbrel took the mound for the top of the 9th to close the game out. He struck out Jose Bautista on a 3-2 questionable pitch. Edwin Encarnarcion waved at air for strike 3. Troy Tulowitzky then looked at strike 3 to end the game. The Red Sox had won it, 4-2.
Hero of the Night is easy. David Price was outstanding. He went 7 innings, gave up 2 runs on 6 hits, struck out 9 and walked none.
The Good
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
David Ortiz was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Travis Shaw was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Brock Holt was 1 for 3.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the 9th for his 4th save.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a go-ahead 3 run blast into the monster seats.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a go-ahead 3 run blast into the monster seats.
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 4 with a run scored.
Final Thoughts:
That's more like it. 5 days after Price and Kimbrel failed on the home opener, they shined today. THIS is what Sox brass saw when they signed Price and traded for Kimbrel. The heart of the order is a killer for Toronto but Sox pitchers have been able to navigate through it by hook or crook. The Sox offense has averaged 4 runs a game through the first 10 games. If they had any semblence of good starting pitching, they'd be 9-1. Steven Wright looks for his second straight quality start when he faces Aaron Sanchez at 1:35 PM tomorrow.
That's more like it. 5 days after Price and Kimbrel failed on the home opener, they shined today. THIS is what Sox brass saw when they signed Price and traded for Kimbrel. The heart of the order is a killer for Toronto but Sox pitchers have been able to navigate through it by hook or crook. The Sox offense has averaged 4 runs a game through the first 10 games. If they had any semblence of good starting pitching, they'd be 9-1. Steven Wright looks for his second straight quality start when he faces Aaron Sanchez at 1:35 PM tomorrow.
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