The Sox failed to score against Texas starter Martin Perez in the top of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to third to begin the game. Dustin Pedroia began his big night with a base hit to right but Chris Young hit a bullet right to Adrian Beltre at third. Hanley Ramirez singled but Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to end the inning. Texas wasted no time scoring against Red Sox starter Rick Porcello in the bottom of the first inning. Shin-Soo Choo grounded out to third but Elvis Andrus doubled. Andrus moved to third on the ground out by Nomar Mazara and old buddy Adrian Beltre walked. Then Porcello uncorked a wild pitch that bounced all the way to Neptune, scoring Andrus. Rougned Odor struck out to end the inning but it was 1-0 Texas.
The Sox showed some balls by taking the lead in the top of the second inning. Sam Travis singled in the hole at short but Sandy Leon struck out. Deven Marrero singled to right bu Tzu-Wei Lin struck out. Mr. Mookie walked to load the bases then Pedroia drove in Travis and Marrero with a base hit to left to give the Sox a 2-1 lead. Young walked to put Perez on the ropes but the Sox let him off when Hanley grounded out to end the inning.
Travis and Marrero score to put Boston up 2-1
Porcello cruised in the bottom of the second as Mike Napoli grounded out to short, Carlos Gomez grounded out to second and Jonathan Lucroy grounded out to end the inning.
As usual when an opposing starter gets let off the ropes, he dominates. Perez pitched a clean top of the third as JBJ grounded out to short, Travis lined out to center and Leon popped up to end the inning. Porcello continued his good pitching in the bottom of the third as Joey Gallo watched strike three go by. Choo and Andrus lined out to center to end the inning.
Things looked promising in the top of the fourth when Marrero walked and Lin sacrificed him to second, moving to third on the fly out by Mr. Mookie. Pedroia grounded out to end the inning. Texas tied the game in the bottom of the fourth although Mazara lined out to JBJ to start. Beltre grounded out but Odor blasted a solo home run to toe the game. Napoli grounded out to end the inning but it was now 2-2.
Boston failed to score in the top of the fifth inning. Young singled to start but Ramirez struck out. Young was erased on the force by JBJ and JBJ himself was thrown out at second trying to steal. Porcello did well in the bottom of the fifth as Gomez flied out to center. Lucroy grounded out but Gallo walked. Choo lined out to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the sixth inning. Travis doubled to start but was foolishly thrown out at third on the force by Leon. Marrero flied out to right and Leon moved to second on a wild pitch, only to move to third on a ground ball hit by Lin that was booted by Odor. Mr. Mookie walked to load the bases and that was it for Perez. Tony Barnette came in and uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Leon and moving the runners over. Pedroia stepped up with a single to score Lin and Betts. Young struck out but it was now 5-2 Boston.
Porcello guided his way through the bottom of the sixth as he struck out Andrus to start. Mazara flied out to left but Beltre walked. Odor flied out to left to end the inning.
Nothing happend in the top of the seventh as Ramirez grounded out, JBJ struck out and Travis flied out to end the inning. Mitch Moreland was brought in for defensive purposes in the bottom of the seventh as Porcello began by getting Napoli to pop up. Gomez then hit a moon shot to dead center to cut the lead and chase Rick. That was a much better start for Porcello going 6 1/3 innings while giving up the 3 runs, he also got some run support for once.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch and Lucroy grounded out. Gallo struck out to end the inning but it was 5-3 Red Sox.
Jason Grilli got the call to pitch the top of the eighth and got Leon to fly out to left to start. Marrero looked at strike three and Lin struck out to end the inning. The Rangers struck back in the bottom of the eighth as Robby Scott came in to pitch to Choo....only to allow a leadoff double. Nice going Scott. Joe Kelly came in to get Andrus to fly out but Mazara singled in Choo to cut the lead. Delino DeShields Jr pinch ran for Mazara and moved to second on a wild pitch, then to third on the ground out by Beltre. Kelly whiffed Odor to end the inning but it was now 5-4.
Matt Bush had the top of the ninth and Mr. Mookie grounded out to start. Pedroia grounded out to short and pinch hitter Andrew Benintendi flied out to left to end the inning. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel got the call to close out the game but Napoli launched the first pitch he threw into the left field seats to tie the game. Gomez singled past the diving Moreland but was thrown out in a run-down trying to stretch a double by the alert Pedroia. Lucroy struck out bu Gallo was plunked. Choo flied out to end the inning but the game was tied. The normally reliable bullpen had blown it and it was 5-5.
Jose Leclerc had the top of the 10th but the offense was deflated. Ramirez popped up to second and JBJ struck out, but Moreland walked. Leon flied out to end the inning. Heath Hembree got the ball in the bottom of the 10th and got Andrus to ground out. DeShields Jr popped up to second and Beltre struck out to end the inning.
The Sox somehow took the lead in the top of the 11th inning against old nemesis Ernesto Frieri. Marrero flied out to center but Lin walked. Mr. Mookie doubled and Pedroia was intentionally walked to load the bases. Benny The Kid made Ernesto pay with a 2 run single to score Lin and Betts to put the Sox on top. Ramirez popped up and JBJ grounded out but it was 7-5 Red Sox.
Hembree came back to finish the job and he blew away Odor to start. Napoli watched strike three go by and Gomez flied out to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-5 in 11 innings.
We have Co-Heroes of the Night. The first one is Andrew Benintendi. His 2 run single in the top of the 11th gave the Sox the win.
The second Hero is Dustin Pedroia. He was 3 for 5 with 4 rbi's and his heads up play saved the bottom of the ninth.
The Good:
Chris Young was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Sam Travis was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Rick Porcello would have gotten the win with 6 1/3 innings of 3 run ball had the bullpen not blown it.
Matt Barnes got the final 2 outs of the 7th.
Heath Hembree got the win with 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 6 with 2 strikeouts.
Robby Scott faced one man who doubled and scored.
Craig Kimbrel blew the save in the bottom of the ninth.
The Ugly:
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 6.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 5 but scored a run.
Deven Marrero was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 0 for 3 but walked and scored 2 runs.
Joe Kelly allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own.
Honorable Mention:
Mitch Moreland played first base in the final 2 innings.
Final Thoughts:
This was a pretty good win considering usually when things go bad, the team goes bad. Not this time. After Kimbrel blew the save, the Sox stepped up to win the game anyway. Kudos to Pedroia, Benintendi, Hembree and the others for picking up their teamates. It sucked for Porcello to not get the win and he is snakebit as you can get. Either the offense doesn't score or the bullpen blows it. Kimbrel blowing the game sucked but you'd rather have him get beat on a fastball then see him walk 2 guys and hit 3 others like last year. The win improved the Sox to 48-35, 3 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night David Price (3-2, 4.61 ERA) goes to continue their winning ways opposite Rangers ace Yu Darvish. The game begins in Arlington Park at 7:05 PM.
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