What a weird day for Boston sports. The Boston Bruins ended their season with their Game 6 first round NHL playoff loss to the Ottawa Senators in overtime but the Boston Celtics defeated the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of their first round NBA playoff series. As for the Boston Red Sox, you knew something was going to happen in the wake of Manny Machado spiking Dustin Pedroia on Friday night. It took two days but the Red Sox finally sent Manny a message courtesy of Matt Barnes plus they won the game. When the dust settled, the Sox had defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 at Camden Yards.
The Sox wasted zero time scoring in the top of the first inning. Xander Bogaerts led off with a bloop single to right. Andrew Benintendi singled to right to advance Bogaerts to third and Mr. Mookie Betts busted out of his slump with a 3 run home run to right. One pitch later Hanley Ramirez hit an absolute moon shot to left to give the Sox a 4-0 lead. Mitch Moreland grounded out and Jackie Bradly Jr struck out. Christian Vazquez looked at strike three to end the inning with Ramirez watching his homer again on camera.
The new father Eduardo Rodriguez got the start and he started off the top of the first with a 3-2 fastball that froze Craig Gentry. Adam Jones flied out to JBJ and then Jackie made a great running catch to rob Manny Machado to end the inning.
Pablo Sandoval led off the top of the second by grounding out but Marco Hernandez blooped a single to left. Hernandez was erased at second on the ground out by Bogaerts but Benny The Kid legged out an infield single and Mr. Mookie walked to load the bases. Ramirez gave one a ride but it died at the centerfield wall to end the inning. Mark Trumbo led off the bottom of the second by popping up to Bogaerts. Chris Davis looked at strike three and Trey Mancini whiffed to end the inning.
Gausmann settled down in the top of the third as Moreland flied out, JBJ tried to bunt his way on but failed, then Vazquez whiffed to end the inning. Rodriguez started the bottom of the third by striking out Wellington Castillo. Jonathan Schoop flied out and JJ Hardy flied out to end the inning.
The Sox threatened in the top of the fourth inning but did not score. Sandoval and Hernandez grounded out but Bogaerts walked. Benintendi hit a routine pop up to Hardy but he missed it. The ball dropped and Gentry threw the ball away allowing Bogaerts to reach third and Benny second. The rally ended when Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to end the inning. Too many wasted chances for the Sox even with the 4-0 lead. Right on cue Rodriguez walked Gentry to open the bottom of the fourth inning. Rodriguez whiffed Jones on a 3-2 count. Bogaerts bobbled a ground ball by Machado but got Gentry at second for the force. Trumbo looked at a 3-2 change to end the inning. Great work by Rodriguez.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fifth inning. Ramirez grounded out but Moreland blasted a home run to center just over the head of Jones to increase the lead. JBJ flied out and Vazquez launched his bat to shortstop on a strikeout to end the inning. The O's threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning when Davis singled for Baltimore's first hit. Eduardo recovered to strike out Mancini on a change at the knees and got Davis at second on a force by Castillo. Schoop walked but Hardy flied out to left to end the inning.
Sandoval walked to open the top of the sixth inning and was erased on the Hernandez force. That was it for Gausmann as he was pulled for Stefan Crichton. Hernandez was thrown out at second trying to steal.
Bogaerts singled and took second on a wild pitch. Benny The Kid singled home Bogaerts but was thrown out trying to stretch a double to end the inning. Still the Sox had a comfortable 6-0 lead. Right on cue Gentry walked to begin the bottom of the sixth inning. JBJ made a great catch to rob Jones of a hit. Machado walked but Trumbo hit one up the elevator shaft. Davis walked to load the bases as Sox analyst Jerry Remy says Eduardo was cooked. Rodriguez recovered to retire Mancini on a force to end the inning. He ran out of gas at the end but tossed 6 shut-out, one hit innings, good stuff.
Crichton returned for the top of the seventh inning and Mr. Mookie greeted him with a single. Ramirez banged into a double play but Moreland singled. That was it for Chrichton as he was relieved by Vidal Nuno. JBJ grounded out to end the inning. Could the Sox depleted bullpen hold on for the final 9 outs? Steve Selsky took over at third for Sandoval and Matt Barnes came in to pitch. Castillo flied out to begin the bottom of the seventh inning. Schoop was initially ruled safe on a grounder to Selsky but Sox manager John Farrell challenged the call. Shockingly the call went the Sox way as Schoop was called out. Barnes blew away Hardy to end the inning.
Vazquez joined the fun with a bloop double to begin the top of the eighth. Selsky failed to move the runner along with a ground out. It was revealed Sandoval left the game with a sprained knee. Vazquez moved to third on the Hernandez ground out but Bogaerts grounded out to end the inning. Barnes returned for the bottom of the eighth as Hyun-Soo Kim pinch hit for Gentry only to ground out. Jnes singled and retribution finally came for Machado. Barnes threw behind his head and struck the bat, leading to his ejection. For some reason even though he hit the bat, they called it a hit by pitch. The umpires huddled together and reversed the call, foul ball. Machado started chirping at Pedroia who surprisingly begged off like pro wrestler Ted Dibiase and said it wasn't his call. When things settled Joe Kelly came in and allowed an rbi double to Machado on a slider that didn't slide. Trumbo flied out to right as Machado took third base on defensive indifference. Chris Davis walked but Kelly blew away Mancini to end the inning with the Sox now up 6-1 after all the mayhem.
Nuno returned for the top of the ninth and Benny The Kid singled for his first 5 for 5 game of his career. He became the youngest Sox batter to go 5 for 5 since Tony Conigliaro on April 16, 1967 almost 50 years earlier to the day. That was it for Nuno as micro-managing Buck Showalter brought in Alec Asher to pitch to Mr. Mookie. Betts worked a walk but Ramirez banged into a double play. Moreland flied out to end the inning.
Fernando Abad had mop up duty in the ninth and Castillo greeted him with a double to right. Schoop flied out and Castillo moved to third on the grounder by Hardy. Kim singled home Castillo to make it 6-2. Jones singled and that was it for Abad as the boos rained down from mostly Sox fans remaining at Camden Yards. Craig Kimbrel came in to close it out. Machado popped up 3 pitches later to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-2
Hero of the Night is Mookie Betts. His 3 run blast proved to be the difference in the game, he also had another hit and 2 walks.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 5 for 5 with a walk and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched great to earn the win, tossing a 6 inning 1 hit shutout.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 7th save of the year after getting the final out of the 9th inning
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Steve Selsky was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Matt Barnes was tossed for headhunting Machado and could face a suspension, not what a depleted bullpen needs.
Fernando Abad gave up a run in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 5 but made the one hit count as it was a solo home run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 2 with a walk before leaving with a sprained knee.
Marco Hernandez was just 1 for 4.
Joe Kelly allowed an inherited runner to score but got the final 2 outs of the eighth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Looks likes we have the making of a rivalry here. Whether or not Barnes acted alone, it certainly raised the ire of the Orioles. Manny Machado pointed at his head while looking at Pedroia, injured closer Zach Britton said Pedroia is a lousy leader to allow this to go down and as usual Buck Showalter is running his mouth. Let them stew about it, the Sox have bigger problems on their hands. Now Sandoval is hurt and Barnes is facing suspension for his head hunting. The worst part was Pedroia telling Machado it wasn't his call and begging off rather than standing on the dugout shaking his fist saying "Yeah what are ya gonna do about it?" Maybe Britton is right about Pedroia if he's going to beg for mercy after what happened to him. After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox return to Fenway Park to face the rejuvenated New York Yankees on Tuesday Night. Drew Pomeranz gets the call opposite Luis Severino at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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