Eduardo Rodriguez got the start in the top of the first inning and gave up a leadoff hit to Whit Merrifield. Jorge Bonifacio struck out before Lorenzo Cain popped up to first. Eric Hosmer singled but Salvador Perez flied out to center to end the inning. The fact Rodriguez threw a ton of pitches meant he was not long for this game. Kansas City starter Trevor Cahill struck out Mookie Betts to start the bottom of the first inning. Eduardo Nunez singled and moved to second on the ground-out by Andrew Benintendi. Hanley Ramirez whiffed to end the inning.
Rodriguez struggled in the top of the second inning although Mike Moustakas grounded out to second to start. Brandon Moss walked but Alcides Escobar struck out. Alex Gordon walked and Merrifield singled to load the bases. Rodriguez recovered to strike out Bonifacio to end the inning but he was not looking good. The Sox made another boneheaded blunder on the bases in the bottom of the second as Jackie Bradley Jr singled to start. Bogaerts walked but for some reason tried to tag up and run to second on a fly ball to center by Mitch Moreland, thinking the throw would go to third. It didn't and Bogaerts was tagged out at second. That lost runner was huge when Christian Vazquez tripled into the right field corner to score JBJ with the game's first run. Rafael Devers grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 1-0 Sox.
Rodriguez pitched a better top of the third when Cain struck out but Hosmer walked. Hosmer was erased on a force by Perez and Rodriguez tried to pick him off, but bounced the ball like he was playing Cricket and Salvador moved to third. Moustakas flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second although Betts hit a comebacker to the mound to start. Nunez then lit up the crowd with a solo home run to center to increase the lead. Benintendi also hit a comebacker before Ramirez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
As expected, Rodriguez imploded in the top of the fourth inning. Moss beat out an infield single but Escobar flied out to right. Gordon and Merrifield hit back to back singles to score Moss, but Bonifacio struck out. Merrifield swiped second but Cain cleared the bases with a 3 run bomb to put Kansas City on top. Hosmer flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox desperately needed to win this game and Rodriguez crapped himself AGAIN. He left the game with the Sox trailing 4-2, nice going.
The Sox fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. JBJ grounded out to first but Bogaerts beat out an infield single. Suddenly Bogaerts ran to second base completely out of nowhere and he was thrown out by a mile. That's twice now he ended up costing the Sox a run as Moreland walked and Vazquez doubled him home. A wild pitch moved Vazquez to third and he scored to tie the game on the Devers single. Betts flied out to left to end the inning but it was tied 4-4.
Fernando Abad came in to pitch the top of the fifth inning and Perez greeted him with a single, although Moustakas banged into a double play. Abad froze Moss for strike three to end the inning. The Sox took the lead when Nunez stepped up to swat his second home run of the game to put them back on top. That was it for Trevor Cahill as Scott Alexander came in to get Benintendi to ground out to first. Ramirez singled but was erased on the force by JBJ. Bogaerts singled and JBJ scored on a huge error by Moustakas at third. Moreland was at first but Vazquez grounded out to end the inning. The Sox had a 6-4 lead and things looked good.
Things went straight to hell in the top of the sixth inning as Devers fielded a routine ground ball by Escobar and threw it into the third base bleachers, allowing Alcides to reach on the error. Gordon walked to chase Abad and Blaine Boyer was brought in. A passed ball moved Escobar to third and he scored when Bogaerts couldn't make a play on an infield single by Merrifield. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position and Bonifacio singled to tie the game and move Merrifield to third. Cain walked to load the bases with nobody out and Robby Scott was brought in to stop the bleeding. It didn't happen as Hosmer hit a perfect double play ball to Nunez who threw it 50 feet straight up in the air, allowing Merrifield to score the go-ahead run. Perez made the first out but it was a sac fly to score Bonifacio. Moustakas graciously grounded into a double play to end the inning but 2 errors, a passed ball, a wild pitch and a host of singles gave KC an 8-6 lead, Fenway Park was upset.
Neftali Feliz came in and the Sox offense went quiet as Devers whiffed, Betts flied out to right and Nunez looked at strike three to end the inning.
Scott returned for the top of the seventh inning and struck out Moss to start. Escobar singled but was erased on the force by Gordon. That was it for Scott as Heath Hembree came in to allow Gordon to steal second. Merrifield lined out to right to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the seventh as Ryan Buchter walked both Benintendi and Ramirez to start. A passed ball moved Benintendi to third and JBJ hit a sac fly to score him. Brandon Maurer came in and got Bogaerts to pop up to first. Moreland whiffed to end the inning but it was a one run game at 8-7.
Hembree returned for the top of the eighth inning and he struck out Bonifacio to begin. Cain singled but was gunned down trying to steal by Vazquez. Hosmer whiffed to end the inning. Joakim Soria got the ball in the bottom of the eighth and the Sox tied it, beginning with a Vazquez single. Brock Holt pinch ran for Vazquez and a wild pitch moved Brock to second. Devers singled Holt to third and he scored the tying run on a Betts sac fly. Nunez banged into a double play to end the inning but it was now 8-8.
Sandy Leon took over behind the plate with Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel now on the mound to start the top of the ninth inning. Perez singled and Terrance Gore pinch ran for Salvador. Gore was then gunned down at second trying to steal. Kimbrel blew away Moustakas and Moss to end the inning.
Drew Butera was now behind the plate with Mike Minor now on the mound. The Sox had a chance to win it when Benintendi struck out but the ball got away, allowing him to reach first. Ramirez flied out to center but JBJ walked to put the winning one at second. Bogaerts whiffed but the ball got away again, moving the two runners over but Moreland grounded out to end the inning. The Sox were THAT close to winning it then but were headed for extra innings.
Matt Barnes (6-2, 3.06 ERA) took the mound in the top of the 10th inning and Escobar singled to start. Gordon popped up to short, Merrifield lined out to left and Bonifacio flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox looked to end it when Leon doubled to start the bottom of the 10th. Devers whiffed but for some reason Betts was intentionally walked. A wild pitch moved both runners over and Nunez grounded a ball to short. Escobar fired to first but Leon broke for home. Hosmer fired home....SAFE! LEON SCORED! THE RED SOX WIN!!!
Hero of The Night is Sandy Leon. He gunned down a crucial out trying to steal, then doubled and scored in the bottom of the 10th.
The Good:
Eduardo Nunez was the unsung hero as he went 3 for 6 with 2 solo home runs and 3 rbi's.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk.
Christian Vazquez was 3 for 4 with a run scored and 2 rbis.
Brock Holt pinch ran for Vazquez and scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Heath Hembree threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
Matt Barnes got the win pitching a scoreless 10th inning.
The Bad:
Eduardo Rodriguez lasted just 4 innings and gave up 4 runs. Something has to be done about him because he can't mentally shake his knee problems even if its not a physical problem anymore.
Blaine Boyer allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk without recording am out.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 but walked and drove in a run.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4 but walked and scored.
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 4 with a walk.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4 but walked and scored.
Fernando Abad was charged with 2 runs in 1 plus innings due to a huge error.
Robby Scott allowed 2 inherited runners to score but allowed none of his own in 1 2/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
Not too many games played in July can be considered a "season saving win" but this sure felt like it. The Royals are not very good this year and the Sox have had a very bad week PR wise with the New York Yankees going all-out to win the Division and the Sox mirred in personnel controversies. So for the Sox to trail by 2 runs late and come back to win showed some serious balls they had been lacking virtually all month. The team still has a lot of work to do but if general manager Dave Dombrowski thinks just getting Eduardo Nunez and calling up Rafael Devers is going to save the offense, he's got another thing coming. Still, its not wise to look a gift horse in the mouth so the Sox will certainly take the big win. The win improves the Sox to 57-48, in a virtual percentage tie with the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look to win the series by sending Drew Pomeranz out against Jason Hammel at 1:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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