As for the game, this is just what the doctor ordered. After reeling from 4 straight losses to the Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners, the Sox rebounded to salvage the west coast trip on the back of Chris Sale (13-4, 2.37 ERA). Sale was masterful, tossing 7 shutout innings while the rookie Rafael Devers and Sandy Leon both homered to give the Sox a 4-0 win over the Mariners at Safeco Field.
Andrew Moore took the mound in the top of the first inning and Brock Holt lined out to right to start. Andrew Benintendi struck out and Dustin Pedroia grounded out to short to end the inning. Sale began his dominance in the bottom of the first by striking out Jean Segura to start. Ben Gamel flied out to right and Nelson Cruz popped up to first to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning when Hanley Ramirez worked a leadoff walk. Jackie Bradley Jr doubled Ramirez to third, and Hanley scored on the sac fly by Mitch Moreland to give the Sox the lead. Xander Bogaerts lined out to right and Sandy Leon struck out to end the inning but Boston was up 1-0.
The Mariners tried to fight back in the bottom of the second inning although Danny Valencia lined out to right to start. Kyle Seager hit one up the elevator shaft but Guillermo Heredia was plunked. Mitch Haniger walked but Carlos Ruiz grounded out to second to end the inning.
Rafael Devers served notice to Major League Baseball that he was for real with a 400-foot bomb to open the top of the third inning for his first big league hit. Holt grounded out to third and Benintendi grounded out to short, but Pedroia singled. Ramirez grounded out to end the inning but Devers had his first major league hit and the Red Sox had a 2-0 lead.
Sale responded by striking out Danny Espinosa to start the bottom of the third inning. Segura doubled but Sale struck out both Gamel and Cruz to end the inning.
The Sox iced the game in the top of the fourth inning. JBJ doubled but Moreland popped up to first. Bogaerts flied out to center but Leon smashed a two-run bomb to put the game out of reach. Devers lined out to right but it was now 4-0 Sox.
More than enough cushion for Sale in the bottom of the fourth. Valencia grounded out to second and Seager struck out, but Heredia doubled. Haniger popped up to first to end the inning.
Holt singled to open the top of the fifth but Benintendi flied out to center and Pedroia banged into a double play to end the inning. Sale cruised in the bottom of the fifth inning as Ruiz struck out, Espinosa flied out to right and Segura struck out to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the sixth inning as Ramirez flied out to center, JBJ struck out and Moreland popped up to short to end the inning. Gamel looked to get things going when he singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. Sale recovered to strike out both Cruz and Valencia. Seager popped up to second to end the inning.
Bogaerts was retired on a liner back to Moore to open the top of the seventh before Leon grounded out to second. That was it for Moore as Marc Rzepczynski came in to get greeted by a Devers single. Holt grounded out to second to end the inning. Sale returned for one last inning in the bottom of the seventh. Heredia tried to bunt his way on but the alert Sale gunned him down at first. Haniger and Ruiz struck out to end the inning. Sale had tossed 7 innings of shutout ball while striking out 11, outstanding.
Benintendi singled to open the top of the 8th inning and chase Rzepczynski. Emilio Pagan came in and Pedroia singled. Ramirez was plunked to load the bases but the Sox pissed away a chance for more runs. JBJ and Moreland struck out before Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning. It's a good thing they were up by four runs because that sucked. Blaine Boyer came in for Sale and struck out Espinosa to start. Segura popped up to second but Gamel singled. Cruz fliedout to left to end the inning.
Steve Cishek had mop up duty in the top of the ninth inning. Leon flied out to left, Devers grounded out to first and Holt grounded out to second to end the inning. Boyer returned for the botton of the ninth and Valencia flied out to left to start. Seager singled and Heredia walked to chase Boyer. Sox manager John Farrell decided it was a good idea to bring in Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel in a 4 run game. Kimbrel blew away Haniger and Ruiz to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-0.
Hero of The Night is Rafael Devers. The 20 year old's first hit was a home run that turned out to be the only run needed.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 4.
Hanley Ramirez walked, was hit with a pitch and scored a run in 4 plate appearances.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Chris Sale dazzled with 7 innings of shutout ball, striking out 11 while giving up just 3 hits.
Blaine Boyer threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Craig Kimbrel got the last two outs.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Brock Holt was just 1 for 5.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Sandy Leon was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was the decisive 2 run homer.
Final Thoughts:
This road trip has been a complete disaster but finally it is over and at least they went out on a good note. Dropping 4 of 6 to the Angels and Mariners sucked but at least they are going home still in first place. Sale was dominant again to add to his growing Cy Young candidacy and Devers' raw power is for real. It will be interesting to see what Eduardo Nunez brings to the table because he is known as a good clubhouse guy, which is what this team needs to win rapport back from the irate fans. Still, the two big moves Dave Dombrowski has made is bringing up a rookie and trading for a journeyman? There better be something else in the works or else this team is in trouble. Still, the win improved the Sox to 56-47, 1 game ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow, the Red Sox return home to play the Kansas City Royals. Friday night public enemy number 1 David Price goes up against Jason Vargas. Fans are prepared to boo him off the field and the carnage begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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