Wright got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jurickson Profar grounded back to the mound to begin. Ian Desmon struck out swinging and Rougned Odor flied out to left to end the inning. Martin Perez got the ball in the bottom of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to short to start. Dustin Pedroia grounded out to second but Xander Bogaerts singled off the glove of Elvis Andrus. David Ortiz then launched his 20th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Hanley Ramirez flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
The Rangers struck back in the top of the second as Adrian Beltre ate up Pedroia with a grounder for an error. Prince Fielder was hit with a pitch but Ryan Rua flied out to right. Nomar Mazara got a base hit to left to score Beltre to cut the lead. A wild pitch moved the runners over but Andrus struck out swinging. Bobby Wilson struck out swinging with the Rangers down 2-1.
Beltre scores a run
The Sox exploded in the bottom of the second as Jackie Bradley Jr walked to start. Bryce Brentz hit a double play ball to Rougned Odor but JBJ ran in front of him causing Odor to bobble the ball for an error. Travis Shaw hit a routine grounder to Beltre who bobbled that one for another error to load the bases. Ryan Hanigan dropped a base hit to right to score both JBJ and Brentz. Mr. Mookie doubled off the Monster to score Shaw and Pedroia hit a routine grounder to Andrus....booted for yet another error to score Hanigan. Bogaerts hit a fly ball to right to move Betts to third and he scored on the sac fly to left by Ortiz. Ramirez lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 7-1.
Profar flied out to the centerfield warning track to start the top of the third and Desmond got a base hit to center. Odor and Beltre both struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the third as JBJ lined a ball off the glove of Odor into centerfield and Bradley took second on the throw. Brentz hit a ground ball into right field and Mazara threw the ball over everything to score JBJ, advancing Bryce to second. Shaw doubled to the Monster to score Brentz but Hanigan lined out to a sliding Rua. Shaw stole third but Mr. Mookie grounded out to third. Pedroia grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 9-1.
Not even Giant Gonzalez catches THAT one
Fielder walked to start the top of the fourth but Rua struck out swinging. Mazara got a base hit to left but Andrus grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the fourth as Bogaerts drew a walk to start. Ortiz hit a bullet but right to Odor but Ramirez doubled to right. JBJ grounded out to second but Brentz blooped a single to right to score both runners. Shaw struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 11-1.
Wilson grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth before Profar struck out swinging. Desmond grounded out to short to end the inning. Jared Hoying took over for Beltre with Jose Leclerc taking over for Perez on the mound to start the bottom of the fifth. Hanigan struck out swinging to start before Mr. Mookie smacked a double off the bottom of the Monster. Pedroia walked but Bogaerts struck out swinging. Ortiz walked to load the bases but Ramirez forced him at second to end the inning.
The Rangers tagged Wright in the top of the sixth as Odor flied out to center to start. Hoying beat out a roller to third and Fielder hit a home run all the way to Columbia to cut the lead. Rua got a base hit to center but Mazara flied out to right. Andrus grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Rangers down 11-3.
JBJ grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the sixth and Brentz struck out swinging. Shaw flied out to left to end the inning.
The Rangers rallied in the top of the seventh as Wilson singled to center to start. Profar singled to right to move Wilson to third and Sox pitching coach Carl Willis sprinted to the mound to tell Wright that he forgot his gum in the locker. Desmond then tripled into the centerfield triangle to clear the bases, ending Wright's night. He got hammered for 6 runs in 6 innings allowing 9 runs and a walk. Tommy Layne came in to pitch and Odor struck out swinging. Hoying singled to center to score Desmond but Fielder struck out swinging. Rua struck out swinging to end the inning with the Rangers down 11-6
Hanigan grounded out to second to start the bottom of the seventh and Mr. Mookie struck out swinging to end the night for Leclerc. Tony Barnette got Pedroia to fly out to center to end the inning.
Marco Hernandez took over for Shaw to start the top of the eighth and Mazara was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to begin. Andrus walked to chase Layne and Matt Barnes came in to face Wilson. Wilson struck out swinging but Andrus swiped second base. Profar grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Bogaerts was plunked to start the bottom of the eighth but Ortiz flied out to right. Ramirez grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Desmond struck out swinging to start. Odor grounded out to first but Hoying walked. Hoying took second and third on defensive indifference then Fielder drew a walk. Pitching coach Carl Willis ran to the mound to tell Kimbrell that Bring It On: All or Nothing was on in the locker room. Kimbrel blew away Rua to end the game. The Sox had won it 11-6.
Sox win
Saluting the Hero
Hero of The Night is David Ortiz. His two run homer started the party and his sac fly in the second was the difference in the game.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk, hit by pitch and 2 runs scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Bryce Brentz was 2 for 4 with 3 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Matt Barnes tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
One of the ultra rare times the winning pitcher ends up on the Bad list but Steven Wright got hammered for 6 runs in 6 innings. He allowed 9 hits and a walk while striking out 7.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 but walked and drove in a run.
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Travis Shaw was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run.
Ryan Hanigan was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs and scored a run.
Tommy Layne allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 1 1/3 innings.
Honorable Mention:
Marco Hernandez played third base in the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Big win by the Sox with the All-Star game approaching. The Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays are hanging around the first place position but the Sox are hanging in there too. The Sox offense is as good as anyone in the league but the pitching isn't quite up to snuff. Today's game was a microcosm of the season as the Sox allowed 6 runs but scored 11. They can't beat up everyone like they did the Rangers, but Wright had an unusually bad day. Still, hats off to Brentz, Ortiz and the bullpen for locking it all down. The win improved the Sox to 46-38, 3 games behind the Orioles for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox are back in action Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Sean O'Sullivan gets the start for the Sox against Chris Archer of Tampa. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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