As for the game, the Sox are headed to New York with a bit of momentum in their showdown with the Yankees for the AL East crown just before the All-Star break after tonight's game against the Los Angeles Angels. The Sox used a patchwork pitching staff to hold the Angels to 2 runs while JBJ matched that production with a 2 run home run. A Rafael Devers home run and another run proved to be the difference in the game as the Sox swept the Angels out of Fenway with a 4-2 win at Fenway Park.
Johnson took the ball in the top of the first inning and Ian Kinsler grounded out to short to start. Mike Trout grounded out to third before Justin Upton flied out to center to end the inning. Jaime Barria got the start for the Angels in the bottom of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts popped up to second to start. Andrew Benintendi lined out to right and JD Martinez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Johnson got Albert Pujols to ground out to third to begin the top of the second before Andrelton Simmons flied out to left. David Fletcher singled before Chris Young whiffed to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Mitch Moreland whiffed to start. Xander Bogaerts doubled and moved to third on the Brock "The Hitman" Holt grounder but Rafael Devers grounded out to short to end the inning.
Johnson ran into trouble in the top of the third although Jose Briceno whiffed to start. Michael Hermosillo flied out to center but Kinsler singled. Trout walked but Upton grounded out to short to end the inning. Not much happened in the bottom of the third as Christian Vazquez flied out to right to begin. Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed but Mr. Mookie singled. Benintendi lined out to center to end the inning.
The Angels struck first in the top of the fourth although Pujols lined out to third to begin. Simmons then crushed a 10,000 foot home run to give the Angels the lead. Fletcher flied out to left and Young lined out to left to end the inning but the Angels were up 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Martinez flied out to center to start. Moreland whiffed but Bogaerts walked. Holt looked at strike three to end the inning.
That was it for Johnson as Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez came in to pitch the top of the fifth inning. Briceno grounded out to third but Hermosillo beat out an infield single to third. Hermosillo was erased on the Force by Kinsler but Trout was hit with a pitch. Upton looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fifth as Devers smashed his 13th home run of the year to tie the game. Vazquez singled but was foolishly thrown out trying to stretch a double before JBJ popped up to second. Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Velazquez cruised in the top of the sixth by getting Pujols to ground out to short to begin. Simmons whiffed and Fletcher looked at strike three to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the sixth although Benintendi grounded out to second to start. Martinez walked to chase Barria as Jose Alvarez replaced him. Moreland doubled and Bogaerts was intentionally walked to load the bases. Holt drew a bases loaded walk to put the Sox on top but Devers banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.
Brandon Workman had the top of the seventh and he struck out Young swinging to start. Briceno whiffed and Kole Calhoun pinch hit for Hermosillo only to draw a walk. Kinsler flied out to left to end the inning.
Old pal Noe Ramirez came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and the Sox tagged him. Vazquez singled and the red hot JBJ crushed a 2 run bomb to ice the game. Mr. Mookie flied out to center and Benintendi grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Benintendi saved the day in the top of the eighth with Joe Kelly now on the mound. Trout walked before Upton singled. Pujols singled home Trout to cut the lead in half. Simmons lined out to right and Benintendi made a great jumping catch up against the wall to rob Fletcher of a game tying double. Luis Valbuena pinch hit for Young and he flied out to center to end the inning with the Angels down 4-2.
Fletcher moved to right, Valbuena went to third and Calhoun went to center with Blake Parker now on the mound for the bottom of the eighth inning. Moreland grounded out to first, Bogaerts grounded out to third and Holt grounded out to short to end the inning.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came in for the save in the top of the ninth inning. Martin Maldonado pinch hit for Briceno and Kimbrel blew him away. Calhoun walkd but Kinsler whiffed. Kimbrel blew away Trout to end the game. The Sox had swept the Angels out of Fenway 4-2. Bring on the Yankees.
Hero of the Night is Jackie Bradley Jr. His two run home run turned out to be the difference in the game.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 2 with 2 walks.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 including a solo home run.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Brian Johnson allowed 1 run in 4 innings of work.
Hector Velazquez pitched 2 scoreless innings to earn the win.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 24th save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4.
Joe Kelly allowed a run in the 8th inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4.
JD Martinez was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Brock Holt was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
Bring on the Yankees. The Sox completed the three game sweep to take the Angels out of Fenway and now they have to go on the road to prove they are the best team in the AL East. The Angels are now 41-41 on the season and with the way the Oakland A's, Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are playing...they may want to think about being sellers at the trade deadline. Without Shoeni Ohtani there's really nothing else besides a washed up Pujols and Trout. As for the game, big win for the Sox with some shutdown relief pitching apart from Kelly. The offense was timely but just enough to get the job done. The Sox are headed toward their best start to the season ever but it won't mean anything if the Yankees sweep them out of the Bronx this weekend. The addition of Steve Pearce will help against the lefthanders the Yankees may throw at them once he's activated. The win propelled the Sox to 55-27, 1 game ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Eduardo Rodriguez (9-2) takes on CC Sabathia at 7:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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