Pomeranz got the ball in the top of the first inning after a 28 minute rain delay and Delino DeShields Jr struck out on a big curveball to start. Elvis Andrus struck out on another curveball but Nomar Mazara singled. Jonathan Lucroy grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the first off Texas starter Nick Martinez. Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out and Dustin Pedroia popped up, but Xander Bogaerts singled down the left field line. Bogaerts swiped second and scored on the Andrew Benintendi single to center to give the Sox the lead. Benintendi swiped second and Hanley Ramirez walked. Mitch Moreland singled home Benintendi and advanced Ramirez to third. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded into a force but the Sox had a 2-0 lead.
Pomeranz turned up the heat in the top of the second inning. Rougned Odor struck out swinging, Mike Napoli took strike three and Ryan Rua struck out swinging to end the inning. Christian Vazquez led off the bottom of the second with a single to right. Deven Marrero struck out and Mr. Mookie banged into a double play to end the inning.
Joey Gallo whiffed to start the top of the third and Vazquez ran off the field after Pete Kozma struck out looking, not knowing there were only two outs. DeShields Jr popped up to a falling Pedroia to end the inning. Yes, for real this time Vazquez. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second as Pedroia led off with a walk. Bogaerts blasted his first home run of the year to increase the lead. Benny The Kid flied out and Ramirez struck out, but Moreland singled. JBJ singled but Vazquez struck out to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.
The Rangers struck back in the top of the fourth when Andrus homered to left to break up the shutout. Pomeranz recovered to get Mazara to ground out and Lucroy to line out. Odor singled and Napoli hit one completely out of Fenway Park....foul. Napoli struck out to end the inning with the Rangers now down 4-1. Marrero whiffed to start the bottom of the fourth before both Mr. Mookie and Pedroia grounded out to end the inning.
Pomeranz returned for the top of the fifth and Marrero nearly ran into the 3rd base wall fielding a pop up from Rua. Gallo lined out to Betts and Kozma struck out to end the inning, that's 9 K's for Pomeranz. Bogaerts popped up to begin the bottom of the fifth. Benny The Kid flied out to left and Ramirez flied out to center to end the inning.
There was concern in the top of the sixth when Pedroia left the game with a leg injury, Josh Rutledge came in to replace him. Pomeranz made a boo-boo when he walked Deshields Jr. He did manage to strike out Andrus but DeShields Jr took second when Pomeranz was too slow on a pickoff throw. Right on cue Mazara singled home DeShields Jr. Lucroy flied out to center and Pomeranz earned his 11th strikeout by getting Odor to end the sixth inning. Good bounce back game for Drew.
Dario Alvarez took over in the bottom of the sixth and was all over the place. Moreland was plunked and JBJ walked on four pitches that wasn't even close. That was it for Alvarez as Tony Barnette replaced him and got Vazquez to ground into a double play after Vaz messed up a bunt attempt. Bogaerts whiffed badly to end the inning, terrible clutch hitting.
Heath Hembree relieved Pomeranz in the top of the seventh and struck out Napoli on a full count. Hembree struck out Rua and that was it for him. Sox manager John Farrell brought in Robby Scott for the lefty/lefty matchup with Gallo. Scott won the matchup with a strikeout to end the inning. Keone Kela came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh inning. He was wild too as Mr. Mookie worked a walk on four pitches. Rutledge struck out but Betts stole second on the throw. Bogaerts struck out but Andrew Benintendi was intentionally walked. Ramirez failed to make them pay by grounding out to end the inning.
Matt Barnes got the ball in the top of the eighth inning and Kozma fought for 11 pitches but eventually took the full count pitch at the knees for strike three. DeShields Jr flied out to right but Andrus whiffed to end the inning. That's 16 strikeouts for Red Sox pitching. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the eighth off Alex Claudio, Moreland and JBJ grounded out but Vazquez doubled off the Monster. Marrero then hit a 2 run home run into the Monster Seats to give the Sox a 4 run lead. Mr. Mookie singled but Rutledge lined out to end the inning with the Sox up 6-2.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel hadn't pitched in 5 days so he came in to pitch the top of the ninth. Mazara swung and missed at strike three but the ball hit Nomar's leg and he ran to first. He should have been called out but he was shockingly ruled safe. Sox manager John Farrell screamed at the umpire but stayed in the game, ruled as a strikeout and a passed ball.
Kimbrel recovered to strike out Lucroy and Odor in short order. Napoli struck out for the fourth time tonight to end the game. The Sox had won 6-2.
"We're the rain warriorrssssss...ain't gonna rain no more"
Hero of the Night is Drew Pomeranz. He put together his best start of the season, pitching 6 innings of one run ball and striking out 11 batters.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, a stolen base and a 2 run home run, his first.
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi, stolen base and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 3 with an rbi and was hit with a pitch.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Heath Hembree struck out the only 2 men he faced.
Robby Scott struck out the only man he faced.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel ultimately struck out 4 men in the ninth inning.
The Bad:
Josh Rutledge was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 2 but walked and a scored a run before leaving with an injury.
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 3 but walked.
Deven Marrero was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts, but hit his first home run and drove in another.
Final Thoughts:
After all the criticism Pomeranz took, this was a great way to bounce back. He still didn't go 7 innings but he struck out 11 and kept the Sox in the game. Its nice to see the offense continue to produce which led to the Sox 4th straight win. Amazingly the Sox struck out 20 batters, nice stat to have every once in a while. The Sox also got some news that David Price will start next Monday in Chicago rather than make another rehab start. He'll probably be rusty as hell so get the bullpen rested the night before. The win propelled the Sox to 25-21, 3 games behind the rained out New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Seattle Mariners come to town for a 3 game set at Fenway Park. Eduardo Rodriguez (3-1, 3.10 ERA) takes the hill opposite Yovani Gallardo in Game 1 at 7:05.
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