As for the game, the banged up Red Sox showed some life to take Game 3 of this 4 game set. The Sox used some late inning magic to down the Detroit Tigers 7-5 at Comerica Park.
Daniel Norris got the ball to start the top of the first and Dustin Pedroia greeted him with a single up the middle. Andrew Benintendi popped up to center and Pedroia was foolishly picked off. Mr. Mookie Betts made his return to the lineup by working a walk. Chris Young flied out to center to end the inning. What a waste.
"Slick" Rick Porcello took the mound in the bottom of the first and the Tigers quickly pounced on him. He struck out Ian Kinsler to start the afternoon but Nicholas Castellanos singled in the hole at short and Miguel Cabrera singled to right. Porcello recovered to strike out Victor Martinez for career strikeout number 1,000 but Justin Upton singled home Castellanos to make it 1-0 Tigers. Tyler Collins flied out to the wall in right to end the inning but Porcello had already thrown 25 pitches.
The Sox somehow tied the game in the top of the second. Mitch Moreland worked a walk but Steve Selsky whiffed. Sandy Leon jacked one into the gap but the Sox bad luck continued as it bounced over the fence for a ground rule double. Moreland would have scored had it not gone over the fence. Right on cue Moreland was thrown out at home on a ground ball by Pablo Sandoval. Leon did move to third and Marco Hernandez stepped up to single down the left field line to score Leon. Pedroia grounded out to end the inning but the game was tied 1-1. Right on cue the Tigers re-took the lead as Alex Avila worked a leadoff walk. Austin Romine then hit a picture perfect double play ball and Avila was out at second but NOBODY COVERED FIRST! Neither Moreland or Porcello knew what was going on and the ball got away, allowing Romine to reach second. Hernandez got the error and Romine moved to third on the force by Jose Iglesias. Kinsler made the Sox pay with a flare to center to drive in Romine to make it 2-1. Castellanos flied out to center to end the inning but it didn't look good.
The Sox refused to go quietly in the top of the third. Benny The Kid popped up to begin and Mr. Mookie grounded out but Young worked a walk. Moreland doubled into the gap and this time the ball stayed in play as Young motored around to score the tying run. Rally killer Selsky grounded out to end the inning but it was now 2-2. Porcello got Cabrera to line out to open the bottom of the third but Martinez singled to center. Upton beat out a double play ball and Collins singled him to third. Avila struck out to end the inning but it was a struggle.
Leon popped up to begin the top of the fourth inning. Sandoval grounded out to third and Hernandez popped up to end the inning. The Tigers pounced on Porcello again as Romine doubled in the gap to start the bottom of the fourth. Iglesias hit a line shot to Betts as Romine nearly got thrown out at second tagging up on a cross up with the third base coach. Porcello came up limping on the play and immediately surrendered an RBI single to Kinsler to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. That's 8 hits for the Tigers in just 3 1/3 innings. Castellanos hit one to the wall but it was snared down by Selsky. Porcello struck out Cabrera to end the inning but the Tigers had the lead back.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the fifth inning. Pedroia whiffed, Benny The Kid flied out to left and Mr. Mookie grounded out to end the inning. Porcello returned for the bottom of the fifth and Martinez flied out to the left field wall. Upton whiffed and Collins looked at strike three to end the inning.
Lefty killer Young stroked a single off Norris to open the top of the sixth inning but was erased on the Moreland double play. The DP loomed large as Selsky doubled into the gap. Leon grounded out to end the inning. Porcello came back for the bottom of the sixth and struck out Avila on 3 pitches to begin. Romine singled but Iglesias popped up. Kinsler took strike three to end the inning. Porcello battled but still gave the Sox six solid innings.
Sandoval grounded out to start the top of the seventh inning but Hernandez beat out an infield single to chase Daniel Norris. Old friend Alex Wilson was brought in to pitch to Pedroia and got him to bounce into a double play to end the inning.....BUT WAIT! Turns out second basemen Kinsler never touched second base so Hernandez was ruled safe. The "neighborhood" rule has been abolished and it gave the Sox new life. Benny The Kid made the Tigers pay by singling home Hernandez to tie the game but was foolishly thrown out at second trying to stretch. Still, the Sox had tied the game 3-3. Porcello returned for the bottom of the seventh and the Tigers wasted no time re-taking the lead a Castellanos crushed a solo home run to left field to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead. Hernandez then threw wide of first to allow Cabrera reach first. That was it for Porcello as Sox manager John Farrell pulled him for the returning Matt Barnes. Martinez looked at strike three and Cabrera was gunned down by Leon trying to steal. Upton grounded out to end the inning but the Tigers had the lead back.
Bruce Rondon came on to pitch the top of the eighth inning and the Sox sprang to life. Mr. Mookie worked a leadoff walk and Young singled but Upton inexplicably threw home which allowed Betts to reach third and Young to take second. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus had Moreland intentionally walked to load the bases as Sox manager John Farrell countered by pinch hitting Selsky with Brock "Hitman" Holt. Ausmus then relieved Rondon with lefty Kyle Ryan. Holt worked a walk to tie the game and re-load the bases. Leon then singled home Young and Moreland, sending Holt to third to give the Sox a 6-4 lead. Sandoval banged into a double play but Holt scored to make it 7-4. Hernandez stroked a single up the middle but Pedroia grounded out to end the inning.
Could the bullpen hold the lead unlike Friday? Benny The Kid moved to center and Holt took over in left as Barnes returned for the bottom of the 8th. Collins grounded out to second but Avila doubled. Barnes froze Romine for a called third strike and Barnes punched out Iglesias to end the inning. Outstanding effort by Barnes to put the fire out in the seventh and slam the door in the 8th.
Former Sox prospect Anibal Sanchez got the call to pitch the top of the ninth and he began by striking out Benny The Kid. Mr. Mookie grounded out and Young popped up to end the inning. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel was brought in to close out the bottom of the ninth. Right on cue he walked Kinsler and Castellanos on 9 pitches, none of which were close. Kimbrel recovered to punch out Cabrera but Martinez singled home Kinsler and advanced Castellanos to third to make it 7-5. Kimbrel managed to strike out Upton and Collins to end the game. The Sox had held on to win 7-5, whew.
Hero of The Night is Matt Barnes. Coming off the bereavement list, he tosses 2 scoreless innings including putting a fire out and slamming the door.
The Good:
Steve Selsky was 1 for 3
Chris Young was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, a run scored and an rbi.
Brock Holt walked to drive in a run and scored himself
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4 with a run scored and the big 2 rbi single.
Marco Hernandez was 3 for 4 with a run scored and an rbi.
The Bad:
Rick Porcello had his first stinker of the year, allowing 4 runs on 11 hits and a walk in 6 innings of work, getting knocked out in the 7th inning.
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 4
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 5
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 but walked twice and scored a run.
Craig Kimbrel allowed a run in the ninth on 2 walks and a hit but earned his second save of the season.
Final Thoughts:
That was a BIG, BIG win for Boston early in the season. With so many guys sick grieving and injured someone had to step up and a lot of the role players did today. The fact they were down in the game 4 times and came back all four showed some serious balls in the face of adversity. Porcello wasn't good but it was only one game. The good news is Xander Bogaerts comes back from bereavement tomorrow and Mookie Betts should be feeling better. Getting Robbie Ross Jr, Jackie Bradley Jr and Hanley Ramirez back is the next step. Tomorrow afternoon is the big monster matchup as Chris Sale (1-0) takes on Tigers ace Justin Verlander. You won't want to miss it.
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