As for the game, this was a game straight out of 2017. Eerily similar to a game from last year, the Sox outlasted the Baltimore Orioles in 12 innings, managing not to suck as bad with a victory. After mustering just 4 hits through the first eleven innings, the Sox got a couple of hits in the top of the eleventh and parlayed that into two runs. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel slammed the door and the Sox had a gutsy 2-0 victory on a night nothing went right offensively at Camden Yards.
Mr. Mookie Betts made his return to action in the top of the first with a less than satisfying line out to left to begin. Andrew Benintendi singled but JD Martinez and Mitch Moreland both whiffed to end the inning. Wright got the ball in the bottom of the first and got Joey Rickard to hit one up the elevator shaft to begin. Adam Jones singled but was erased on the force by Jonathan Schoop. Danny Valencia flied out to center to end the inning.
The incompetent Sox offense did nothing in the top of the second as Xander Bogaerts flied out to right, Rafael Devers popped up to third and Eduardo Nunez grounded out to second to end the inning. Things got hairy for Wright in the bottom of the second although Mark Trumbo grounded out to second to begin. Trey Mancini walked but Chris Davis whiffed. Chance Sisco singled but Jace Peterson flied out to left to end the inning.
As usual the bottom of the order did nothing in the top of the third as Christian Vazquez lined out to right, Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second and Mr. Mookie looked at strike three to end the inning. Wright got Rickard to ground out to third to begin the bottom of the third but Jones singled. A passed ball by Vazquez moved Jones to second and a fly out to right by Schoop moved Adam to third. Valencia grounded out to third to end the inning.
Benintendi singled to open the top of the fourth but Bundy got Martinez to pop up to second and Moreland to bang into a double play to end the inning. Wright matched Dylan in the bottom of the fourth by striking out Trumbo to start. Mancini grounded out to third and Davis whiffed again to end the inning.
Bogaerts walked to open the top of the fifth but Devers flied out to right. Nunez grounded out to second and Vazquez looked at strike three to end the inning. Wright did what he could in the bottom of the fifth by getting Sisco to ground out to first to start. Peterson whiffed and Rickard grounded out to second to end the inning.
The miserable Sox offense went quietly in the top of the sixth as JBJ lined out to center to start. Mr. Mookie grounded out to third but somehow Benintendi walked and stole second. With the go-ahead run on second...Martinez whiffed badly to end the inning. Jones drew a leadoff walk to open the bottom of the sixth. JBJ nearly fell down making a catch to rob Schoop of a hit before Valencia popped up to short. Trumbo grounded into a force to end the inning. 6 shut out innings by Wright.
The awful offense continued to sputter in the top of the seventh as Moreland flied out to center to begin. Miraculously Bogaerts beat out an infield single but naturally Devers whiffed and Nunez grounded out to first to end the inning. Suddenly Wright lost it in the bottom of the 7th inning. Mancini struck out to begin before Davis grounded out to second. Sisco was plunked and Peterson singled before Rickard walked to load the bases. That was it for Wright who was finished after 6 2/3 innings. Joe Kelly came in and blew away Jones to end the inning, preserving the shut-out innings by Wright.
The awful offense continued to suck in the top of the eighth inning as Vazquez whiffed to start. JBJ grounded out to second and Mr. Mookie flied out to left to end the inning. Kelly returned for the bottom of the eighth and got Schoop to ground back to the mound to begin. Valencia walked but Trumbo hit one up the elevator shaft. Mancini flied out to center to end the inning.
That was it for King Kong Bundy after 8 shut-out innings. Richard Bleier got the top of the ninth and cruised. Benintendi lined out to short, Martinez looked at strike three and Moreland watched strike three go by to end the inning. The Sox had failed to score in a 9 inning game. As if conceding the game, Sox manager Alex Cora sent Brian Johnson out for the bottom of the ninth. Somehow Johnson got Davis to pop up to third and also got Sisco to ground out to second. Peterson walked on a borderline full count pitch and Cora took no chances, bringing in Brandon Workman to pitch. Pedro Alvarez pinch hit for Rickard and whiffed to end the inning. On to extras we go.
Craig Gentry took over in right with Brad Brach now on the mound for the top of the tenth inning. Bogaerts flied out to right, Devers grounded out to second and Nunez whiffed to end the inning. Workman returned for the bottom of the tenth and got Jones to ground out to third to begin. Schoop flied out to center but Valencia doubled. Trumbo walked but Mancini whiffed to end the inning.
Brock Holt pinch hit for Vazquez to open the top of the 11th and grounded out to third to begin. JBJ whiffed but Mr. Mookie singled. Benintendi walked to put the go-ahead run at second and chase Brach. Mychal Givens took over and walked Martinez to load the bases.... only for Moreland to whiff to end the inning. Sandy Leon came in to catch but took Betts spot in the lineup with Holt in right. Heath Hembree was a man possessed in the bottom of the 11th as he blew away Davis, Sisco and Peterson in short order to end the inning.
The Sox finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the 12th as Bogaerts singled to start. Devers stepped up with a double to center and Nunez was plunked to load the bases with nobody out. Holt then smacked a desperation, last second sac fly to score Bogaerts with the go-ahead run and advance Devers to third. JBJ followed with a sac fly of his own for an insurance run when Devers scored. Leon grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel took the mound looking for the save in the bottom of the 12th but ended up looking like it was 2016. He walked Gentry to start and went to 2-2 on Jones before blowing him away. Gentry stole second as Schoop was blown away on another 2-2 count. Kimbrel went to 2-2 on Valencia as well before blowing him away to end the game. In a game similar to 2017, the Sox had won it in extras 2-0.
Hero of the Night is Brock Holt. His herculean sac fly in the top of the 12th inning proved to be the difference in the game.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a stolen base.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Steven Wright tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out 5
Joe Kelly pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Brian Johnson retired 2 of the 3 men he faced.
Brandon Workman tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Heath Hembree got the win with a scoreless 11th inning.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 21st save with a scoreless 12th inning.
The Bad:
Sandy Leon was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 but scored the winning run.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 4 but was hit with a pitch.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 but knocked in a big insurance run
Final Thoughts:
It was frustrating and a reminder of last year but a win is still a win. Doesn't matter if its 10-0 in regulation or 2-0 in 12 innings. The Sox showed a lot of heart, especially on the pitching side to realize the offense was sputtering and to not allow a single run. Hopefully there won't be too many games like this because they can't possibly win them all. Steven Wright is looking like his 2016 self which does not bode well for Drew Pomeranz the way the other starters have been producing. If Pomeranz has indeed turtled after his breakout 2017, then the emergence and health of Wright is very important moving forward. Someone tell Alex Cora not to make him pinch run...ever. The return of Betts makes this team 5 men deep at the top and something has to be done about the bottom of the order. Nunez is a good 6th man but has no range at second, but then again he would only be the 6th man if Dustin Pedroia was healthy. Rafael Devers is going through a Xander Bogaerts in 2014 sophomore slump and he has to learn how to re-adjust to AL pitching. Vazquez is the one that's fallen into the toilet the most. Everyone knows JBJ is offensively challenged but what the hell happened to Vazquez? They better figure it out in a hurry or else they won't be winning the division this season. The win improved the Sox to 45-22, percentage points behind the idle New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Yankees have SIX games in hand now. Tomorrow night is Game 2 of this 3 game set with Eduardo Rodriguez (7-1, 3.68 ERA going up against David Hess at 7:05 PM at Camden Yards.
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