Trevor Richards made his major league debut in the top of the first inning and Betts popped up to short to begin. Andrew Benintendi whiffed on an 0-2 fastball right down the middle. Ramirez grounded out meekly to short to end the inning. Johnson made his season debut in the bottom of the first where Lewis Brinson made things easier by running into his own bunt on the first pitch for an out. Derek Dietrich whiffed on a 3-2 fastball and Starlin Castro whiffed on a 3-2 curveball to end the inning.
Once again the Sox embarassed themselves against the rookie as Rafael Devers whiffed badly on a 3-2 change in the dirt to start. Xander Bogaerts grounded out weakly to second and Eduardo Nunez grounded out to first to end the inning. 6 up and 6 down against Richards, way to put pressure on the kid! The Marlins had no trouble scoring themselves as Brian Anderson led off the bottom of the second with a 5,000 foot home run to give Miami the lead. Justin Bour grounded out to short, Cameron Maybin grounded out to short and Miguel Rojas struck out to end the inning but the Marlins were up 1-0.
More offensive offensiveness occurred in the top of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed badly. Somehow Christan Vazquez got a lucky hit to right but Johnson bunted foul for strike three. Somehow Betts singled but the inept Benintendi popped up to third to end the inning. Old pal Bryan Holoday grounded out to third to start before Richards struck out. Brinson singled and Dietrich walked. Castro singled to load the bases but Johnson got out of it by getting Anderson to ground out to short to end the inning.
The Sox finally scored in the top of the fourth inning. Ramirez popped up to second and Devers looked at strike three, but Bogaerts singled. Nunez doubled him home to tie the game. JBJ walked and Vazquez lined one off the glove of Anderson at third into left. JBJ scored easily and Nunez beat the throw home, Vazquez taking second with a double. Johnson grounded out to third to end the inning but the Sox had taken the lead 3-1.
Just as soon the Sox took the lead, Johnson almost coughed it up in the bottom of the fourth. Bour and Maybin stroked back singles, but Rojas lined out to right. Holoday banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox broke through in the top of the fifth although Betts hit a 400 foot out to center to start. Somehow Benintendi beat out an infield single and Ramirez finally did something by launching a 2 run home run to left to increase the lead. Devers singled and that was it for Richards. Tomas Telis came in to catch with old friend Junichi Tazawa coming in to pitch for Miami. The rally ended as Bogaerts whiffed and Devers was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning with the Sox up 5-1.
Johnson did his part in the bottom of the fifth as Telis flied out to right to start. Brinson grounded out to third and Dietrich froze for strike three to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the sixth as Nunez grounded out to short, JBJ grounded out to second and Vazquez also grounded out to second to end the inning. Johnson got in trouble when Castro singled and Anderson walked to begin the bottom of the sixth. Bour flied out to left, Maybin flied out to center and Rojas popped up to first to end the inning. That was it for Johnson who put himself in line for the win by pitching 6 innings of 1 run ball. All 5 Boston starters allowed 1 run or fewer in their starts.
The Sox tacked it on in the top of the seventh inning against Chris O'Grady. Blake Swihart pinch hit for Johnson and flied out to center. Betts blasted his first homer of the year to left to increase the lead. Benintendi drew a walk but Ramirez flied out to left. Devers lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 6-1.
Heath Hembree replaced Johnson in the bottom of the seventh and pinch hitter Yadiel Rivera (for O'Grady) whiffed. Telis singled to right but Brinson flied out to center. Dietrich flied out to right to end the inning.
Rivera stayed in the game in left with Jacob Turner now on the mound to begin the top of the eighth inning. Bogaerts singled but Nunez flied out to right. JBJ worked a walk but Vazquez lined out to right. Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Hembree and grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Marcus Walden was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Castro greeted him with a leadoff double. Anderson was hit with a pitch but Walden got a big out when he whiffed Bour. Maybin singled home Castro but Rojas grounded into a force to end the inning with the Rays back within four at 6-2.
The Sox got that run right back in the top of the ninth. Betts flied out to right and Benintendi grounded out to second but Ramirez singled. Somehow Hanley stole second and Devers got so excited that he doubled Ramirez home. Bogaerts flied out to center to end the inning but it was now 7-2 Sox.
Walden came back for the bottom of the ninth and once again put the first two men on. Telis walked and Brinson singled as Chad Wallach pinch hit for Turner. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position but Wallach stranded both runners by grounding out to third. Castro grounded to first but Telis scored. Anderson popped up to short to end the game, the Sox had won it 7-3.
Hero of the Night is Brian Johnson. In his season debut he held the Marlins to just one run in 6 innings while striking out 5.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with a solo home run.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 5 including a home run, 2 total runs scored and 2 rbi's.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr walked twice in four plate appearances and scored a run.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's.
Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
The Bad:
Blake Swihart was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Marcus Walden allowed 2 runs in 2 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored.
Final Thoughts:
About damn time the Sox offense woke up. Granted it was against the lowly Miami Marlins but better late than never. If these guys ever get hot they could be a very, VERY deadly team. Especially if the pitching holds up this season. Brian Johnson looked great but that should be taken with a grain of salt considering they're playing the Marlins. Let's see how the offense and pitching hold up against the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros. It would be nice to get some of the walking wounded back healthy, primarily Tyler Thornburg. Tomorrow the Sox finish their opening road trip against the Marlins with Chris Sale taking the hill opposite Jose Urena. The game has a special start time of 6:10 PM at Marlins Park.
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