"Big Game" James Shields isn't big game anymore with an ERA over 9 lately, but as usual the Boston Red Sox made him look like Cy Young after the second inning. The good news was the Red Sox had scored 4 runs in the first two innings and thanks to the pitching of Drew Pomeranz (11-4, 3.36 ERA), the Red Sox held off the Chicago White Sox for a 4-1 victory at Fenway Park. It was the team's fifth straight win.
Pomeranz took the mound in the top of the first inning and things looked bad 2 pitches into the game when Tim Anderson homered to dead center to give the ChiSox the quick lead. Tyler Saladino grounded out to first, Jose Abreu grounded out to short and Kevan Smith struck out in short order, but Chicago had a 1-0 lead. The lead lasted about 40 seconds as Shields got Mookie Betts to fly out, but Saladino booted a routine ground ball, allowing Brock "The Hitman" Holt to reach first. Andrew Benintendi made Shields pay by blasting a 2 run home run into right field to give the Red Sox the lead. Eduardo Nunez flied out to left and Rafael Devers looked at strike three but Boston had gone ahead 2-1.
Pomeranz settled down in the top of the second inning as Leury Garcia grounded out to short. Yoan Moncada singled but Nicky Delmonico grounded out back to Pomeranz. Adam Engel popped up to second to end the inning. Boston got on the board again in the bottom of the second inning although Chris Young struck out to start. Mitch Moreland doubled and Christian Vazquez gave one a ride...but it died at the wall. Jackie Bradley Jr said to hell with that and hit one where nobody could get it, over the bullpen for another 2 home run. Mookie Betts grounded out but the Sox had a 4-1 lead.
With a 3 run lead, Pomeranz showed no mercy in the top of the third by getting Alex Hanson to pop up and revenge on Anderson by striking him out. Saladino then hit a routine ground ball to Nunez who threw his glove at it and did the funky chicken, allowing Tyler to reach first. Abreu singled but Smith flied out to right to end the inning. Boston failed to score in the bottom of the third as Holt grounded out although Benintendi singled. Andrew swiped second but Nunez whiffed. Devers grounded out to end the inning.
Pomeranz turned up the heat by striking out Garcia and Moncada to lead off the top of the fourth inning. Delmonico drew a walk and Engel singled but Pomeranz whiffed Hanson to end the inning. Shields began to dominate in the bottom of the fourth as Young watched strike three go by. Moreland flied out to left and Vazquez grounded out to end the inning.
Pomeranz got some help from his D in the top of the fifth after Anderson stroked a single. Saladino popped up and Devers turned a great double play to end the inning. JBJ whiffed to begin the bottom of the fifth but Betts doubled. Holt struck out and for some reason White Sox manager Rick Renteria had Benintendi intentionally walked to get to the hot Nunez. It worked as Nunez flied out to end the inning.
Pomeranz stayed tough in the top of the sixth as Smith grounded out, Garchia whiffed and Moncada struck out as well to end the inning. Still no offense for the BoSox in the bottom of the sixth as Devers grounded out to begin. Young flied out and Moreland lined out to end the inning.
Pomeranz returned for the top of the seventh but Delmonico greeted him with a single. Pomeranz recovered to strike out Engel but Hanson singled to chase him. That was it for Drew but he kept the Sox in the game with 6 1/3 innings of 1 run ball.
With Reed, Barnes and Hembree overworked, Blaine Boyer came in and once again Houdinied his way out as Anderson lined out to a diving Betts who doubled off Hanson at first to end the inning. Too bad the Sox offense was done for the night in the bottom of the seventh inning against Chris Beck. Vazquez walked but JBJ looked at strike three. Betts lined out and that was it for Beck, Derek Holland came in to get Holt to fly out to end the inning.
Boyer came back for the eighth and got more help from his D. Saladino grounded out but Abreu just beat the tag at second on a double to left.....wait, what? Sox manager John Farrell challenged the play and sure enough, Benintendis throw was in time to get Abreu, call overturned. Smith grounded out to end the inning. Outstanding work by Boyer to get 5 crucial outs.
Gregory Infante got the call in the bottom of the eighth and Benintendi flied out to center. Nunez lined out to left and Devers whiffed to end the inning. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came in to close it out and signs of 2016 crept up when he plunked Garcia to start. Craig then got himself out of it by striking out Moncada and picking Garcia off. Delmonico looked at strike three to end the game. The Sox had won 5 in a row and this one 4-1.
Hero of the Night is Drew Pomeranz. He pitched 6 1/3 innings of 1 run ball while striking out 8 to earn his 11th win of the year.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 3 with a walk including the 2 run home run.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a 2 run home run.
Blaine Boyer tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 26th save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Chris Young was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4.
Brock Holt was 0 for 4 but scored a run.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 2 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Winning 5 in a row is never a bad thing but the bad news in this game was the offense once again went ice cold following the second inning. The Red Sox scored no runs and had only TWO hits the rest of the game. Had Pomeranz not pitched well, this would have been another tough loss. Nunez and Devers cant carry this team forever although it was nice to see the homers coming from Benintendi and JBJ. Still, the good news was Pomeranz, Boyer and Kimbrel all pitched well enough to carry the team to victory. Its a good thing the Sox won because so did the New York Yankees. Seeing Pomeranz emerge as legit second starter in the absence of David Price and the regression of Rick Porcello pretty much saved the season so far. The win propelled the Sox to a 62-49 record, 3 games in front of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon Doug Fister (1-5, 6.27 ERA) looks to build on his last start and give the BoSox the 4 game sweep opposite Mike Pelfrey at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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