Porcello got the ball in the top of the first inning and the Rays wasted no time scoring. Denard Span led off with a single down the right field line but Rick recovered to strike out Mallex Smith. Carlos Gomez singled to right and Brad Miller doubled into the centerfield gap to put the Rays up four batters into the game. Matt Duffy popped up to right and CJ Cron struck out to end the inning but the Ray were up 2-0.
The Sox wasted no time responding in the bottom of the first. Rays starter Jacob Faria was aided by the Monster when Mookie Betts hit a 420 foot double off the top of the Monster that was gone anywhere else. Andrew Benintendi worked a walk and Hanley Ramirez hit a pop up to short that was lost in the sun by Adeiny Hechavarria. The ball dropped in and the bases were loaded for JD Martinez. Martinez hit a 400 foot out to right-center but it was enough to drive in Betts and advance the others into scoring position. Xander Bogaerts doubled off the Monster to score Benintendi and Ramirez to give the Sox the lead. Rafael Devers singled to right to score Bogaerts and increase the lead. Eduardo Nunez popped up to seond and Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to the right field wall to end the inning but the Sox had taken the lead 4-2.
Porcello snuck out to the mound for the top of the second inning and got Wilson Ramos to ground out to second to begin. Joey Wendle poked a single to right but Hechavarria whiffed. Span grounded to Hanley who did the Ric Flair strut to tag first to end the inning. The Sox iced the game early in the bottom of the second although Sandy Leon flied out to center. Betts and Benintendi worked back to back walks but Ramirez popped up to first. Martinez walked to load the bases and Bogaerts hit a massive grand slam onto the Mass Pike to give the Sox a commanding lead. It should be noted Faria was the one to hit him on the wrist last year that ruined his season, accidentally of course, but still. Devers worked a walk and that was it for the incompetent Faria. After looking great last week against the Sox, he got hammered this time around. Austin Pruitt was brought in and Nunez greeted him with a double, but JBJ lined out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 8-2.
Porcello cruised in the top of the third inning as he got Smith to pop up to second to start. Gomez popped up to short and Bogaerts threw a ground ball by Miller with his glove to first for the final out to end the inning. Leon grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the third before Betts watched strike three go by. Wendle made a heck of a play to rob Benintendi of a hit to end the inning.
Porcello whiffed Duffy to open the top of the fourth and Cron grounded out to third shortly after. Ramos grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Ramirez popped up to center and Martinez whiffed. The red hot Bogaerts drew a walk but Devers grounded out to second to end the inning.
Porcello was downright unhittable in the top of the fifth inning. Wendle whiffed badly and Hechavarria grounded out to third. Span lined out to a running JBJ to end the inning. That's 11 straight retired by Porcello. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fifth as Nunez lined out to left and JBJ's bat flew further than the ball in a ground out to short. Leon popped up to center to end the inning.
Smith was rung up for strike three to begin the top of the sixth and let the umpire know how upset he was. Ramirez had to sprawl to catch a Devers throw off a Gomez grounder and JBJ ran down a Miller line drive to end the inning. 14 in a row retired by Porcello, he's been outstanding. The Sox offense could do nothing with Pruitt in the bottom of the sixth inning. Betts flied out to center, Benintendi grounded out to third and Ramirez flied out to the right field warning track to end the inning.
Porcello came back for the top of the seventh inning and cruised. Duffy flied out to right, Cron grounded out to short and Ramos whiffed on a 3-2 change to end the inning. That's 17 in a row retired by Porcello on just 85 pitches through seven innings, even with a 6 run lead it would have been insane to take him out at this point.
Chaz Roe came in for the bottom of the seventh and Martinez was so happy to see Pruitt go he blasted his first home run of the year into the Monster seats to increase the lead. Bogaerts struck out on a nasty slider but Devers was also excited to see Pruitt gone he smashed a solo home run into the right field stands. Nunez singled off the Monster to chase the ineffective Roe, Sergio Romo replacing him. JBJ grounded out to second but Nunez advanced. Leon flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 10-2.
Porcello quickly ran out of gas in the top of the eighth with Brock Holt now in right to give Betts the rest of the day off. Wendle broke up the streak with a leadoff double off the Monster but Hechavarria stranded him by grounding out to short. Span singled home Wendle and that was it for Porcello. He recovered after his lousy first inning to toss 7 1/3 innings to keep the Rays offense off the board.
Marcus Walden came in to pitch and immediately got Smith to bang into a double play to end the inning. Daniel Robertson the infielder came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth to save the Rays arms for tomorrow's game. Holt popped up to second and Benintendi lined out to center before pinch hitter Blake Swihart (for Ramirez) flied out to the left field warning track to end the inning.
Walden returned to get the final three outs in the top of the ninth. Gomez whiffed and Miller flied out to left. Duffy struck out badly to end the game. The Sox had won 7 in a row an this one by a 10-3 score.
Hero of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 runs scored and 6 rbi's including a game changing grand slam.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 1 for 2 with a walk, 2 runs scored and 2 rbis including his first homer of the year.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 runs scored and 2 rbis including HIS first homer of the year.
Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 4.
Rick Porcello was great, tossing 7 1/3 innings of 3 run ball. He walked none and struck out 7 to earn the win.
Marcus Walden tossed 1 2/3 perfect innings.
The Bad:
Brock Holt was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 but walked twice and scored twice.
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Now that's more like it. THIS is the offense that was lacking for most of last year. When playing to their full potential, guys like Betts, Bogaerts, Ramirez, Martinez, Devers, Dustin Pedroia (when healthy) and Benitendi can rack up a ton of hits and runs. If the pitching holds up like it did last year and how its performed so far this season, this will be a very tough team to defeat. That's only if the offense produces though. Bogaerts is fully healthy and it shows and its nice to see Betts finally laying off trying to pull everything. Porcello battled hard in this one and the Sox needed it to save the bullpen for tomorrow's game with a potentially rusty Eduardo Rodriguez making his season debut. The 7 straight wins by the Sox is a great start and they really should be 8-0, thanks Carson Smith. The Sox return to action tomorrow at 1:05 PM. Rodriguez comes off the Disabled List to make his season debut and once again the Rays have absolutely no idea who's going to get the start. You'd think they'd have someone in Durham or someone on the scrap heap they can pick up at this point? Either way tune in at 1 tomorrow at Fenway Park to catch the action.
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