Meanwhile everyone in New York and Boston radio personality Jimmy Stewart declared the New York Yankees the 2017 AL East division champions because they traded for Oakland ace Sonny Gray. Combined with Todd Frazier, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman ditched the rebuild for the future to try to win now. The Red Sox are considerably weaker than last year offensively and the Yankees feel they can catch them this year. It's a huge roll of the dice by the Yankees because if this fails, they gave up their prospects for essentially nothing. Still, most everyone in baseball are picking the Yankees to win the division now, and with the way the Red Sox have hit this season, it's hard to counter that. Games are not won on paper though, so we will see how this turns out.
As for the game, its about time Doug Fister (1-5, 6.27) contributed. The one-time All-Star finally pitched how he used to and threw nearly 8 solid innings. The offense did just enough and the Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians by a score of 6-2 at Fenway Park.
Fister took the mound in the top of the first and got the Indians to beat the ball in the dirt. Bradley Zimmer grounded out to second, Fransisco Lindor grounded out to first and Michael Brantley grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox blew a chance to take the lead early in the bottom of the first against Mike Clevinger. Mookie Betts struck out but Brock Holt walked. Eduardo Nunez hit one up the elevator shaft but Hanley Ramirez walked. Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to center to end the inning.
Jose Ramirez singled to open the top of the second inning but was erased on the force by Edwin Encarnarcion. Carlos Santana walked but Fister froze Austin Jackson for strike 3. Yan Gomes grounded into a force to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Rafael Devers singled. Xander Bogaerts lined out to center and Devers was erased on a force by Mitch Moreland. Christian Vazquez doubled and Betts singled both men home to put the Red Sox on top. Holt walked and Gomes mysteriously tried to pick Betts off at second base, but nobody was expecting the throw and it went into center field, advancing Mookie to third. Nunez doubled home Betts but Holt was foolishly thrown out at home to end the inning. Still, it was 3-0 Sox.
More than enough cushion for Fister in the top of the third inning. Erik Gonalez hit a comebacker to Fister, Zimmer grounded out to first and Lindor was retired on a tapper in front of home plate to end the inning. Ramirez struck out to open the bottom of the third before JBJ grounded out to second. Devers doubled and Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning.
Fister breezed through the top of the fourth as he struck out Brantley to start. Ramirez walked but Encarnarcion grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Moreland walked and Vazquez singled to start. Betts singled home Moreland and took second on the throw to chase Clevinger. Zach McAllister got Holt to hit a comebacker but Nunez singled home Vazquez. Ramirez grounded into a double play to end the inning, but it was 5-0 Boston.
Santana singled to open the top of the fifth but was thrown out at second trying to stretch a double. Jackson struck out and Gomes flied out to right to end the inning. JBJ was rung up to start the bottom of the fifth but Devers got his 3rd hit of the day with a single. Bogaerts lined out to short and Moreland flied out to left to end the inning.
Fister hung tough in the top of the sixth inning, retiring Gonzalez with a line out to right. Zimmer singled but was erased on the force by Lindor. Brantley lined out to center to end the inning. The Sox offense was asleep in the bottom of the sixth. Vazquez lined out to right, Betts struck out and Holt lined out to left to end the inning.
Fister was on fire in the top of the seventh as he got Ramirez to fly out to right before striking out Encarnarcion. Santana whiffed to end the inning. What a show by Fister. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the seventh against Shawn Armstrong. Nunez doubled but Ramirez flied out to center. Nunez stole third but JBJ struck out. Devers singled home Nunez with his fourth hit of the day before Bogaerts singled as well. Moreland walked to load the bases but Vazquez flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 6-0.
Fister returned for the top of the eighth but was greeted with a Jackson single. Austin was erased on the force by Gomes before Gonzalez lined out to right. Zimmer then ended the party with a 2 run home run to chase Fister after 7 2/3 outstanding innings. Brandon Workman came in and struggled, giving up back-to-back singles to Lindor. and Brantley. Ramirez flied out to left to end the inning with the score now 6-2. What a performance by Fister tonight.
Betts flied out to right to open the bottom of the eighth but Holt singled to chase Armstrong. Tyler Olson came in and got Nunez to ground out before Ramirez whiffed to end the inning.
Brandon Workman returned for the top of the ninth inning to close out the game. Encarnarcion grounded out to third, Santana struck out and Jackson flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had rode the rejuvenated Fister to a 6-2 win.
Hero of The Night is Doug Fister. He pitched 7 2/3 innings of 2 run ball, making one mistake to Zimmer. He allowed 5 total hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with a run scored and 3 rbis.
Brock Holt was 1 for 3 with 2 walks.
Eduardo Nunez was 3 for 5 with a stolen base, run scored and 2 rbis.
Rafael Devers was 4 for 4 with an rbi.
Mitch Moreland walked twice in four plate appearances, scoring both times.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Brandon Workman threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 4 but walked.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
So that was the Doug Fister that won 16 games for Washington 3 years ago. Maybe he just needed some time to get his wind back after not really having spring training. Either way the good start was a shot in the arm for this team that needed a win like this. Hopefully Eduardo Nunez and Rafael Devers can keeps off their hot streaks, but that's asking for too much. There are two months left in the season and it will be interesting to see how the deadline acquisitions work out for the Red Sox and the Yankees. As of right now it looks like the Yankees won the trade deadline. The win propelled the Sox to 58-49, tied in percentage points with the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Chris Sale takes on the Indians with Carlos Carrasco on the mound for them. The game starts at 7:10 PM.
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