As for the game, its about time the impotent offense woke up for once. Riding the hot bats of the returning Marrero and Travis, the offense pounded the Kansas City Royals for 8 runs. Chris Sale (9-3) almost went the distance and the Sox evened the 3 game set with an 8-3 win at Kauffman Stadium.
Once again the incompetent Red Sox offense made a starting pitcher look like Cy Young in the top of the first inning. Matt "Don't call me Hank" Strahm got the ball and retired Mr. Mookie Betts on a pop up to short. Chris Young singled but Xander Bogaerts flied out to right. Hanley Ramirez grounded out to end the inning. Meanwhile Chris Sale breezed through the bottom of the first. Whit Merrifield popped up to first on the first pitch. Sale blew away Jorge Bonifacio on 4 pitches and Lorenzo Cain grounded out to short on just 2 pitches. 7 total pitches was all it took, take notes Drew Pomeranz.
The Sox caught a break when Jackie Bradley Jr worked a leadoff walk in the top of the second but Sam Travis flied out to right. Josh Rutledge and Sandy Leon both whiffed to end the inning. The Royals struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Eric Hosmer grounded out on just 2 pitches and Sale blew away Salvador Perez on 3. All of a sudden Mike Moustakas absolutely smoked a solo home run to center to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Cheslor Cuthbert popped up to end the inning but the Royals were on top.
The Sox finally broke through against Strahm in the top of the third inning. Marrero led off the inning with an inside-out double down the right field line. Mr. Mookie blooped a single to center and Cain threw home to try to nail Marrero...only the throw was off-line, scoring Deven and advancing Betts to second. The inept offense continued as Young whiffed on a full count and Bogaerts failed to advance Mookie by grounding out to third. Ramirez then watched strike three go by to end the inning but it was tied 1-1.
Alcedes Escobar greeted Sale with a single to lead off the bottom of the third inning. Alex Gordon successfully sacrifice bunted him to second but Merrifield grounded out right to Sale. Bonifacio struck out to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth inning. JBJ singled past the diving Merrifield and Travis doubled off the wall. JBJ slid in home safe to give the Sox the lead. Rutledge then beat out an infield single when he smashed one to Moustakas, beating out the throw. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position and Leon doubled into the gap to score them, chasing Strahm in the process. Scott Alexander came in and Mr. Mookie grounded out but Young singled. The Sox lead the league in outs on the basepaths and Young became the latest contributor as he tried to swipe second on a passed ball, but was thrown out at second to end the inning. Still, the Sox were up 5-1.
More than enough cushion for Sale who dominated the bottom of the fourth. Cain flied out to left, Hosmer grounded out to shrt and Perez grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox failed to score in the top of the fifth inning. Bogaerts grounded out to third but Ramirez walked. JBJ whiffed and Travis flied out to end the inning. Sale turned up the heat in the bottom of the fifth. Moustakas, Cuthbert and Escobar all struck out swinging in short order. Talk about domination.
The Sox struck again in the top of the sixth inning with Kevin McCarthy on the mound. Rutledge grounded out to short but Leon poked a single to left. Marrero walked but Mr. Mookie flied out to center. Young then doubled home Leon to increase the lead. Bogaerts then blooped a single to center to score both runners and ice the game. Ramirez grounded out to end the inning but the Sox were up 8-1.
Sale cruised in the bottom of the sixth inning. Gordon grounded out to second, Merriefield flied out to center and Bonifacio struck out again to end the inning.
McCarthy came back for the top of the seventh with old pal Brandon Moss in left field, Ramon Torres at short and Alex Gordon now in center. JBJ and Travis grounded out to short and Rutledge flied out to center to end the inning. Sale finished the seventh inning with a flurry as he got Moss and Hosmer to ground out. Perez whiffed to end the inning.
Chestor Cuthbert moved to first base with Drew Butera now catching which means the Royals lose the DH. Travis Wood came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Leon looked at strike three. Marrero singled but Mr. Mookie popped up. Young popped up to end the inning. Sale returned for the bottom of the eighth and blew away Moustakas. Cuthbert grounded out and Torres flied out to end the inning.
Bogaerts greeted Wood with a single to start the top of the ninth but Ramirez flied out. JBJ whiffed and Travis grounded out to end the inning. For some reason Sale demanded to come back out to finish the bottom of the ninth after retiring 18 straight batters. Gordon watched strike three go by but Sale walked Merrifield. Sox manager John Farrell let Sale continue after 102 pitches and Bonifacio made him pay with a 2 run bomb to center. Only after Moss singled did Farrell finally pull Chris after 8 1/3 innings. The final 2 runs killed his ERA but he pitched damn well.
Fernando Abad came into the game and because the Royals lost the DH by moving Cuthbert to first, Wood had to hit. Luckily Abad avoided the embarassment of walking him by getting him to bang into a double play to end the inning. The Sox had won it 8-3.
Hero of the Night is Chris Sale. He almost went the distance, tossing 8 1/3 innings and allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 10.
The Good:
Chris Young was 3 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 5 with 2 rbi's.
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 rbi's.
Deven Marrero was 2 for 2 with an rbi, walk and 2 runs scored.
Fernand Abad got the final two outs of the ninth inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 4 but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Sam Travis was just 1 for 5 but scored a run and drove in one.
Josh Rutledge was just 1 for 4
Final Thoughts:
Sale is something else. Michael Kopech and Yoan Moncada may turn into all-stars but if the Sox can get a few good years out of Sale then the trade won't matter. As it is, Sale powered the Sox in this one. It was great to finally see some offense behind Chris and it was a team effort rather than just one guy with a lucky swing. Everyone contributed to this one. Still, the Sox need better offense and maybe the additions of Travis and Marrero will give the team a morale boost as well as an on-field lift. The win moved the Sox to 40-31, 1/2 game ahead of the Yankees who have lost SEVEN in a row. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox play the rubber game with the Royals with Drew Pomeranz on the mound up against Ian Kennedy. Kennedy is 1-6 with an ERA over 5 so he'll most likely blind the Red Sox at 2:05 PM right?
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