Rays starter Jake Odorizzi was tough to start the game. Mr. Mookie Betts whiffed but Andrew Benintendi flied out to left. Dustin Pedroia struck out swinging to end the inning. Pomeranz began his game by walking Steven Souza Jr. He recovered to strike out Corey Dickerson and get Evan Longoria to fly out to right. Logan Morrison whiffed to end the inning.
Mitch Moreland lined out to center to begin the top of the second before Hanley Ramirez got the game's first hit with a single to right. Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed and Christian Vazquez popped up to first to end the inning. Once again Pomeranz walked the leadoff guy, this time it was Wilson Ramos, to begin the bottom of the second inning. Things looked bleak when Brad Miller double but Pomeranz got a big out by striking out Plouffe. The Rays then lost their minds as Mallex Smith tried a safety squeeze and Moreland bluffed home then fired to Deven Marrero at third, somehow tagging Ramos out. Miller tried to foolishly advance and he was thrown out in a run-down to end the inning.
After the mishap by Tampa, Boston pounced in the top of the fourth inning. Tzu-Wei Lin singled to center and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Marrero. Mr. Mookie doubled home Lin for the first run of the game. Benintendi singled home Mookie and Pedroia cleared the bases with a 2 run shot to left, just like that. Moreland flied out to left and Ramirez grounded out to second, but the Sox led 4-0.
Pomeranz held up his end of the situation as he got Adeiny Hechavarria to ground out to short to begin the bottom of the third inning. Souza Jr grounded out to third and Dickerson whiffed to end the inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr was not taking any prisoners in the top of the fourth inning as he blasted an opposite field home run to increase the lead. Vazquez and Lin struck out but Marrero singled to right. Mr. Mookie popped up to second to end the inning with the Sox up 5-0.
The Rays struck back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Longoria grounded out to short but Morrison walked and Ramos doubled him home. Miller singled home Ramos and Plouffe singled as well. Smith lined out to Mr. Mookie but a passed ball moved both runners into scoring position. Hechavarria flied out to end the inning but it was 5-2 Rays.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fifth inning as Benny The Kid popped up to third but Pedroia singled. Odorizzi then walked Moreland, Ramirez and JBJ to score Pedroia. That was it for Odorizzi who chucked his glove into the first row. Chase Whitley came in and Vazquez beat out a double play ball to score Moreland. Lin lined out to end the inning but it was 7-2 Boston.
Pomeranz ran into more trouble in the bottom of the fifth inning. Souza Jr led off with a single but Dickerson struck out again. Longoria singled and Morrison walked to load the bases, but Ramos banged into a double play to end the inning.
Marrero led off the top of the sixth with a single to right but Mr. Mookie lined out to right and Benny The Kid flied out to center. Pedroia struck out to end the inning. Pomeranz returned for the bottom of the sixth and walked the leadoff guy AGAIN. This time it was Miller but he was stranded as Plouffe lined out to left and Smith looked at strike three. Hechavarria grounded into a force to end the inning. Pomeranz wasn't at his best but he battled to go 6 and put the team in position to win.
The Sox were silenced in the top of the seventh inning as Moreland lined out to second base but Ramirez singled to right. JBJ and Vazquez struck out to end the inning. Heath Hembree was first out of the bullpen in the bottom of the seventh inning and Souza Jr greeted him with a solo bomb to center. Dickerson doubled and moved to third on a sharp single to right by Longoria. Hembree recovered to strike out Morrison and that was it for him. Sox manager John Farrell pulled the plug and brought in Matt Barnes to stop the bleeding. Ramos was not having a good night and it continued when he hit into a double play to end the inning with the Sox up 7-3
Jumbo Diaz waddled to the mound for the top of the eighth inning and Lin walked, moving to second on the force by Marrero. Lin moved to third on a passed ball but was stranded as Mr. Mookie popped up to third and Benny The Kid grounded out to end the inning. Barnes returned for the bottom of the eighth inning and walked Miller to start. What's with the leadoff walks and singles?? Plouffe struck out but Smith singled. Hechavarria struck out and Souza Jr popped to second to end the inning.
The Sox had one final kick in the pants to begin the top of the ninth inning. Adam Kolarek took the mound and Pedroia struck out to begin. Moreland flied out to left but Ramirez parked one just over the wall in right for his 13th homer of the year. JBJ grounded out to end the inning but that wrapped up the scoring at 8-3.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel took the mound in the bottom of the ninth to get some work in and Dickerson earned the golden sombrero with his fourth strikeout. Lngoria and Morrison were also blown away to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-3.
Hero of The Night is Dustin Pedroia. His 2 run home run proved to be the difference in the game and scored a run in the 5th.
The Good:
Hanley Ramirez was 3 for 4 with a walk amd a solo home run.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Deven Marrero was 2 for 3.
Drew Pomeranz got the win by tossing 6 innings of 2 run ball. He gave up 6 hits and 5 walks while striking out 6.
Matt Barnes tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Heath Hembree gave up a run in just 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4 but walked and scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but walked, scored and drove in 2 runs.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
Now thats more like it. One night after looking totally inept, the Sox turned it around to bash the Rays into submission. Maybe last night was just a hiccup after they swung the bats well in Texas. Pomeranz looked shaky but then again he can't be great every time out. Hembree looked like crap but Kimbrel has been on fire all year. It'll be a shame when he finally gets tagged because he's been lights out so far this year. The win propelled the Sox to a 50-37 record, 5.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon Rick Porcello (4-10, 5.01 ERA) takes on Alex Cobb in what looks to be a pitcher's duel. The showdown starts at 4 PM at Tropicana Field.
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