The Bosox wasted no time scoring in the top of the first inning. Mr.Mookie Betts looked at strike 3 to begin the game. Dustin Pedroia greeted Johnson with a solo shot to left field to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. Xander Bogaerts struck out but David Ortiz lashed a single. Hanley Ramirez walked but Travis Shaw whiffed to end the inning.
The Chisox answered in the bottom of the first against a wild Henry Owens. Adam Eaton led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and swiped third. Jimmy Rollins walked and Jose Abreu banged into a double play, scoring Eaton from third to tie the game 1-1. Todd Frazier walked but Melky Cabrera grounded into a force to end the inning.
The Sox took the lead back in the top of the second. Brock "Hitman" Holt singled and Ryan Hanigan doubled him home to put the Sox up 2-1. Jackie Bradley Jr struck out but Mr. Mookie Walked. Pedroia singled to load the bases but Bogaerts lined out to second and Ortiz grounded out to end the inning. Owens returned for the bottom of the second and walked Brett Lawrie to open the frame. Asvail Garcia popped up and Hector Sanchez did as well. Austin Jackson lined out as well to end the inning.
The Sox got some more in the top of the third. Ramirez led off with his 3rd home run of the year and Shaw tripled off the glove of Jackson. Hitman Holt scored Shaw with a sac fly to make it 4-1. Hanigan walked but was erased on the JBJ force. Mr. Mookie flied out to end the inning.
Could Owens hold the lead in the bottom of the third? He walked Eaton and Rollins as Heath Hembree began warming. Owens bore down to punch out Abreu but walked Frazier to load the bases. Ramirez nearly misplayed a routine pop up but dove to retire Cabrera. Owens struck out Lawrie to end the inning. Farrell left Owens in to see what he can do under duress and he got out of it. Talk about a close call.
Pedroia opened the top of the fourth with a single to center. Bogaerts popped to first and Ortiz banged into a double play to end the inning. Farrell allowed Owens to return for the bottom of the fourth but that was a mistake. Owens promptly gave up a line drive bomb to Garcia to cut the lead 4-2. Sadly it was the only ball hit hard off Owens in his outing, but he was gone after just 3 innings. With the possibility of a rainout tomorrow, having the bullpen finish the final 2/3's of the game may be worth the risk. Heath Hembree came in and retired Sanchez on a fly ball to JBJ that took so long to come down, JBJ was spotted doing his taxes before it came down. Jackson poked one over the head of Pedroia for a base hit but was thrown out at second trying to steal by Hanigan. Eaton hit one in the hole at short to reach on a single and Rollins walked. That's 7 walks so far by Bosox pitching. Abreu lofted a short fly ball and Holt sprinted to run it down to end the inning. The Sox bullpen needed to get 15 more outs in this one.
Ramirez grounded out to begin the top of the fifth. Shaw whiffed and Holt looked at strike three to end the inning. Hembree returned for the home half of the fifth and got hammered. Frazier was retired on a fly ball to Betts. Then Cabrera then reached on a swinging bunt that Hanley Ramirez failed to pick up. Lawrie followed with a single and Garcia singled to load the bases. Sanchez walked to cut the lead 4-3 and that was it for Hembree. Neither he or Owens had it tonight and it was Matt Barnes (2-1, 2.45 ERA) turn to stop the bleeding.
Jackson then lofted a ball to Betts who gunned it home....OUT! Or was he? White Sox manager Robin Ventura challenged whether or not Hanigan illegally blocked the plate. After a long review, the call stood as out and the Sox escaped with the lead.
Old friend Matt Albers came in to pitch the top of the sixth and got Hanigan to ground out, but JBJ extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an opposite field home run to extend the lead 5-3. Mr. Mookie singled but Pedroia popped up. Bogaerts grounded out to end the inning. Could Barnes protect the lead? Eaton hit one in the hole but it was gobbled up by Bogaerts who slung it to first for the out. Rollins grounded out and Abreu did as well to end the inning. Good work by Barnes.
Dan Jennings was brought in to face Ortiz in the top of the seventh. Ortiz walked and so did Ramirez to put the pressure on Jennings.....and Shaw let him off the hook by waiving at strike 3. Holt then hit a swinging bunt along the first base line and Jennings fell down trying to make the play, allowing Holt to reach first. Jennings redeemed himself by getting Hanigan to bang into a double play to end the inning. So much for that. It was time for the Orient Express as Junichi Tazawa came in for the bottom of the seventh. He whiffed Frazier but Cabrera singled. Lawrie struck out and Garcia flailed at strike three to end the inning. Good work Taz.
JBJ worked a walk to begin the top of the eighth. Mr. Mookie walked as well then both runners advanced on the ground out by Pedroia. Bogaerts lashed one to center but it was caught by Jackson, allowing JBJ to score and advance Betts to third. Ortiz then stepped in for his last at bat in Chicago and doubled home both runners to put the game away. White Sox manager Robin Ventura pulled Jennings for Zach Putnam. Ramirez grounded out to end the inning but the Bosox now led 7-3. Robbie Ross Jr came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Ross blew away Sanchez and Jackson grounded out. Eaton walked and Rollins fanned to end the inning.
Shaw lined out to open the top of the ninth. Holt grounded out and so did Hanigan to end the inning. Ross returned for the bottom of the ninth. Abreu hit a rocket to the wall but Mr. Mookie ran it down, crashing into the wall for the out. Frazier whiffed and Cabrera grounded out to end the game. The Bosox had won 7-3
Hero of the night is Matt Barnes. He was brought in to protect a 4-3 lead and did his job.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored. Dustin Pedroia was 3 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored. David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a walk. Hanley Ramirez was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored. Brock Holt was 2 for 4 with a run and an rbi. Ryan Hanigan made the game saving play at the plate plus walked and drove in a run with a single. Jackie Bradley Jr hit a home run to earn a run scored, an rbi plus walked. Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless 7th inning. Robbie Ross Jr pitched 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Henry Owens didn't have it again. Once again he walked the ballpark, lasting 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and SIX walks. Heath Hembree got pounded for 5 his and 2 walks, allowing a run in 1 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 but drove in a run. Travis Shaw was 1 for 5 with a run scored.
Final Thoughts:
Many wondered what the Red Sox could do against a good team and they just took 2 of 3 from the AL Central leading White Sox to remain in first place in the AL East at 17-11. The Yankees lost to remain firmly in last place and it doesn't look like they have any hope of escaping. The Sox offense continues to roll and the bullpen had to toss 6 innings last night yet allowed only 1 run. The Sox open a 3 game set with the New York Yankees, if there was ever a time to bury them it would be now. Only problem is, there's a 100% chance of rain. The good news is if that happens, they could push everyone back so they don't have to start Henry Owens on Tuesday.
No comments:
Post a Comment