Dylan Bundy got the hot start in the top of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts struck out to extend his slump to begin the game. Andrew Benintendi extended HIS slump by lining out to left. Xander Bogaerts somehow doubled down the left field line but Mitch Moreland flied out to end the inning. David Price got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Joey Rickard greeted him with a single. Adam Jones popped up then Price struck out both Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo to end the inning.
Bundy remained tough in the top of the second inning. Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley Jr both whiffed but JBJ put on a hell of an at bat. Christian Vazquez also singled on a full count but Pablo Sandoval grounded out to end the inning. Price matched Bundy in the bottom of the second. Chris Davis grounded out, Trey Mancini struck out and Jonathan Schoop grounded out to end the inning.
Deven Marrero grounded out to begin the top of the third inning. Mr. Mookie popped up and Benny The Kid flied out to end the inning. Price also dominated the bottom of the third inning. JJ Hardy lined out, Caleb Joseph popped up and Rickard flied out to end the inning.
The Sox finally tagged Bundy in the top of the fourth inning. Bogaerts walked then Moreland lined out after an 11 pitch at bat. Ramirez finally stepped up and belted a 2 run home run to give the Sox the lead. JBJ singled but Vazquez banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox had the lead 2-0.
Could Price pitch with the lead in the bottom of the fourth? YES! Jones worked a leadoff walk but Machado popped up and Trumbo banged into a double play to end the inning.
Bundy settled down in the top of the fifth inning as he got Sandoval to line out to begin. Marrero struck out and Mr. Mookie popped up to end the inning. Bundy had thrown exactly 100 pitches through 5 innings. Davis singled off Price to begin the bottom of the fifth but Mancini struck out. Davis was erased on the Schoop force and Hardy struck out to end the inning.
Richard Bleier took over in the top of the sixth inning for Bundy and Benny The Kid broke his slump with a single. Groundouts by Bogaerts and Moreland advanced him to third and Ramirez was intentionally walked. JBJ grounded out to end the inning. Price cruised in the bottom of the sixth inning. Joseph grounded out, Rickard flied out and Jones grounded out to end the inning.
Bleier returned for the top of the seventh and cruised. Vazquez, Sandoval and Marrero all grounded out in short order. Price was finally tagged in the bottom of the seventh inning. Machado blasted a solo home run to left to cut the lead in half. Trumbo flied out and Davis struck out but Mancini beat out a bang play at first....but wait! The Sox challenged the call and surprisingly they overturned the call. He was out and the inning was over.
The Sox got some insurance runs in the top of the eighth inning off Ubaldo Jimenez. Mr. Mookie stroked a lead-off double and advanced to third on the sacrifice bunt by Benny The Kid, Bogaerts grounded to Schoop who tried to gun down Betts at home.....SAFE! Moreland struck out but Ramirez doubled home Bogaerts. JBJ walked but Vazquez struck out to end the inning with the Sox up 4-1.
Price returned briefly in the bottom of the eighth and he did strike out Schoop, but the ball got away from Vazquez and Schoop was safe at first. That was it for Price who tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball to give the Sox a chance to win.
Joe Kelly came in and immediately got a double play ball from Hardy, but Kim singled. Rickard singled to chase Kelly and Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came on for the four out save. Jones looked at strike three to end the inning.
Another insurance run was added in the top of the ninth as Fransisco Pena took over at catcher and Donnie Hart came in to pitch. Sandoval popped up but Marrero doubled. Mr. Mookie singled home Deven but Benny The Kid banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox led 5-1 going into the bottom of the ninth where Kimbrel nearly crapped himself. Machado lined out but Trumbo singled. Davis whiffed but Mancini doubled home Trumbo to cut the lead to three. Schoop walked to bring the tying run to the plate. Seth Smith pinch hit for Hardy but watched strike three go by to end the game. It got hairy but the Sox pulled it out 5-2.
Hero of the Night is David Price. He tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball allowing just the mistake to Machado. He allowed just 3 hits and a walk while striking out 7.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 3 with a walk, a 2 run home run and 3 total rbi's.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk.
The Bad:
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4.
Deven Marrero was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Joe Kelly retired only 1 of the 3 men he faced.
Craig Kimbrel got his 16th save but gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Great to see Price back healthy and in a position to help the team win. With Rodriguez gone the Sox needed Price to come back, he did and he dominated. The Sox survived a stinker by Kimbrel but no sense squawking about him. The offense still needs work but that's not news. The win propelled the Sox to 30-25, 3 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon its a battle of the aces as Chris Sale (6-2) takes on Chris Tillman at 1:30 PM.
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