As for the game, this was by far the weirdest game of the year. It was supposed to be a monster match of aces between Chris Sale (6-2, 2.77 ERA) and Chicago White Sox ace Jose Quintana. Instead both aces got blasted by each team's worst hitters, leading to an unlikely home run derby. Still, Boston had enough firepower to top the Bears...errr White Sox by a score of 13-7 at Commiskey Park.
Quintana got the ball in the top of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts whiffed badly to begin the game. Josh Rutledge grounded out to second but Xander Bogaerts blooped a single to left center. Hanley Ramirez froze on a pitch right down the middle to end the inning. Sale got the start in the bottom of the first and struck out Leury Garcia to begin the game although Melky Carbera beat out an infield single. Jose Abreu walked but Todd Frazier whiffed. Asivail Garcia struck out to end the inning.
The Sox somehow exploded in the top of the second. Chris Young lined out but Sam Travis hit a line drive to center that Garcia bobbled, allowing Sam to reach second. The scorer's ruled it a double but Sandy Leon whiffed on a curve at the shoetops. Jackie Bradley Jr doubled into the gap to score Travis to take the lead. Suddenly Deven Marrero launched a no doubt 2 run home run to left to increase the lead. Mr. Mookie joined the homer parade with a solo shot to left and Rutledge doubled to left field wall as well. The Sox had more hits in this inning than all of yesterday's total. Bogaerts then hit a swinging bunt down the third base line to advance Rutledge to third. Ramirez ended the rally with a ground out but the Sox now led 4-0.
Suddenly Sale started pitching like garbage. Matt Davidson and Tim Anderson struck out but Kevan Smith blooped a single. Somehow Yolmer Sanchez walked and Garcia singled home Smith. Cabrera tapped a soft liner to Bogaerts who couldn't make the play and the bases were loaded. Abreu then cut the lead to 1 with a 2 run single. Frazier flied out but the damage was done, Boston only led 4-3 with all the runs coming with 2 outs for Chicago.
Not to worry, it turns out Quintana was just as incompetent as Sale in the top of the third inning. Young and Travis hit back to back single and Travis moved to third on the Leon fly out. JBJ struck out but the unlikely hero Marrero swatted a 3 run blast to light up the dug-out and increase the lead. That was it for Quintana as Michael Ynoa relieved him and got Mr. Mookie to strike out to end the inning. The Sox exploded for a 7-3 lead.
Right on cue the White Sox fought back in the bottom of the third inning. Garcia hit one to Bogaerts to short who inexplicably tried to run all the way to first base to tag him out rather than simply throw it, falling on his face making a last second lunge. This allowed Garcia to scamper all the way to third since Marrero had to come over and pick Bogaerts off the ground. Davidson struck out but Anderson singled home Garcia. Smith struck out and Sanchez grounded out to end the inning.
Ynoa settled down matters in the top of the fourth inning. Rutledge watched strike three go by and Bogaerts hit one up the elevator shaft. Somehow Ramirez was hit with a pitch but he made up for it by getting thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. Sale nearly gave up the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Garcia beat out an infield single but Cabrera lined out to center and Abreu lined out to right. This brought up Frazier who was hitting .179 at that point so naturally he belted a 2 run home run to cut the lead 7-6. Garcia doubled and with Sale on the ropes, he came back to strike out Davidson for the third time to end the inning.
Luckily the offense was there to pick him up in the top of the fifth. Young flied out but Travis doubled. Leon walked to chase Ynoa as Dan Jennings came in. Travis swiped third and JBJ cleared the bases with a 3 run homer. What a bizarre game, the worst hitters on each team produced and both aces stunk. Marrero and Mr. Mookie grounded out but the Sox now led 10-6.
With 99 pitches on his arm, Sale DEMANDED to go back out for the fifth inning. Sox manager John Farrell pulled Vazquez aside and said "Watch him." pointing to Sale. Chris responded by striking out Anderson, getting Smith to fly out and Sanchez to ground out to end the inning. He didn't have his best stuff but he put his money where his mouth was, going 5 to earn the decision if the score held up. He rewarded Farrell's faith by lasting this long.
Jennings settled down in the top of the sixth by getting Rutledge to ground out. Bogaerts singled and moved to second on the Ramirez ground out. Young grounded out to end the inning. Heath Hembree got the ball in the bottom of the sixth and cruised. Garcia whiffed, Cabrera flied out to right and Abreu lined out to end the inning.
Jennings came back for the top of the seventh and got Travis looking to begin the inning. Leon lined out but JBJ walked. Marrero whiffed to end the inning. Hembree came back for the bottom of the seventh with Mitch Moreland taking over at first for Travis. Frazier took strike three, Garcia grounded out and Davidson earned the golden sombrero with his fourth strikeout to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the eighth. Mr. Mookie grounded out and Rutledge struck out but Bogaerts joined the homer parade with a 413 foot bomb to dead center. Ramirez grounded out to end the inning but it was now 11-6.
Things got a little dicey in the bottom of the eighth with Blaine Boyer on the mound on his third consecutive day. Anderson crushed a home run to dead center and Smith singled, only for Sanchez to hit one to Moreland. Moreland stepped on the bag for the out then threw to second for the tag-out double play. Great play by Mitch. Garcia doubled and Cabrera beat out another infield single to put runners at the corners. That was it for Boyer and it meant having to summon Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel into the game for the four out save. Abreu grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the White Sox now down 11-7.
Boston wasn't done scoring yet, no sirree Bob. Juan Minaya took over in the top of the ninth and Young worked a walk. Moreland than crushed a 421 foot 2 run home run to right to increase the lead. Leon struck out but JBJ walked. Marrero whiffed but Mr. Mookie doubled. Rutledge flied out to end the inning with the Patriots in front of the Bears 13-7....wait, what?
With a 6 run lead, Kimbrel returned for the bottom of the ninth still in life for the save if you can believe it. Kimbrel somehow walked Frazier but Garcia whiffed. Frazier took second on defensive indifference and then third on a wild pitch. He was stranded as Davidson earned the platinum plunger with his 5th strikeout and Anderson flied out to end the game. The Red Sox had won it 13-7.
Hero of the Night is Deven Marrero. He hit not only a 2 run bomb but a 3 run jack as well.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 6 with a solo home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 4 for 5 with a solo home run.
Sam Travis was 3 for 4 with a stolen base and 3 runs scored.
Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Travis and blasted a 2 run home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, a 3 run home run, 2 total runs scored and 4 total rbi's.
Heath Hembree tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Craig Kimbrel got his 14th save by getting the final four outs.
The Bad:
Blaine Boyer gave up a solo home run and 3 other hits in just 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Josh Rutledge was just 1 for 6
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 4 but was hit with a pitch.
Chris Young was just 1 for 4 with a walk but scored twice.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 but walked and scored.
Chris Sale stunk the joint out by giving up 6 runs (5 earned) on 10 hits and 2 walks, but he demanded to go 5 to give the team a lift and he did, earning the win.
Final Thoughts:
What a weird one. The worst hitters stepped up and it came at a big time. Sale had his first real stinker of the year but he battled through and the offense picked him up big time. Marrero and JBJ combined for 3 home runs and 9 rbi's to lead the team to victory. Give credit to Heath Hembree who shut the White Sox down in the 6th and 7th as Boston continued to add to the lead. Sale was due for a stinker so no sense squawking about him going forward. The more pressing matter is the loss of Pedroia, there's no way Marrero, Rutledge and Sandoval can duplicate his success at the plate or defense in the field. Luckily there was no structural damage to Pedroia's wrist so he could be back in a few weeks. Still, the Sox have his big road trip and they need everyone in order to get back in the race for first place. The win propelled the Bosox to 28-23, 3 games behind the New York Yankees. Tomorrow night is the rubber game as the much maligned Drew Pomeranz (4-3, 4.70 ERA) takes on Mike Pelfrey in the finale at 8:10 PM.
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