As for the game, the red hot Sox have now won 8 in a row after yet another offensive explosion over their latest victims, the visiting Texas Rangers. Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez only lasted 3 innings and new arrival Jalen Beeks got hammered, but the rest of the Sox bullpen pitched the shutout as the Sox won their 8th in a row with an 8-4 victory over the Rangers at Fenway Park.
Velazquez made the Rangers beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the first inning. Shin-Soo Choo grounded out to second to begin before Elvis Andrus grounded out to short. Nomar Mazara grounded out to short to end the inning. Rangers starter Yovani Gallardo got the start in the bottom of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts flied out to right to begin. Andrew Benintendi drew a walk but JD Martinez banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Rangers struck first in the top of the second although old friend Adrian Beltre whiffed to start. Rougned Odor put the Rangers on the board with a 447 foot home run. Ronald Guzman doubled but Isiah Kiner grounded out to third. Joey Gallo walked but Delino DeShields Jr flied out to right to end the inning with the Rangers up 1-0.
The Sox failed to answer in the bottom of the second as Mitch Moreland and Xander Bogaerts both grounded out to first. Brock "The Hitman" Holt looked at strike three to end the inning.
Velazquez returned for one more inning and walked Choo to begin the top of the third. Andrus popped up to third and Mazara erased Choo at second before Beltre struck out swinging to end the inning. 3 innings and 1 run allowed, not bad for a long reliever.
The Sox exploded in the bottom of the third although Rafael Devers lined out to center to begin. Blake Swihart pounded a ground rule double and Jackie Bradley Jr doubled Blake home to tie the game. Mr. Mookie whiffed but Benintendi doubled JBJ home to give the Sox the lead. Martinez singled Benintendi to third and Moreland singled him home. Bogaerts iced the game with a bases clearing triple before Holt grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
Jalen "Twin" Beeks took over in the top of the fourth and crapped his pants. Odor was plunked and Guzman singled him to third. Kiner grounded into a double play but Odor scored. Gallo walked and DeShields grounded into a force to end the inning with the Rangers down 5-2.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Devers grounded out to third to start. Swihart flied out to left and JBJ grounded out to second to end the inning.
Beeks got some help from his defense in the top of the fifth inning. Choo looked at strike three to begin but Andrus singled. Mazara jacked one deep to right and Betts jumped over the wall....TO MAKE THE CATCH! He robbed Mazara of a two run homer and Beltre grounded into a force to end the inning. What a play by Betts.
Betts then got a rally started with a double to open the bottom of the fifth before moving to third on the Benintendi ground out. Martinez walked and Moreland scored Betts with a sac fly to increase the lead. Bogaerts grounded into a force to end the inning but it was 6-2 Boston.
Beeks returned for the top of the sixth but Odor singled to start. Guzman lined out to center but Kiner doubled Odor to third to chase Twin. Brandon Workman replaced Beeks and allowed a double by Gallo to cut the lead in half. DeShields Jr flied out to right and Choo grounded out to second but it was 6-4 Sox.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the sixth against Alberto Del Rio's personal announcer Ricardo Rodriguez. Holt singled but Devers banged into a double play. Swihart singled and JBJ doubled him home but was thrown out at third trying to stretch a triple to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-4.
Matt Barnes came in for the top of the seventh and found the concept of the Rangers offensive. He blew away Andrus before freezing Mazara for strike three. Beltre was blown away to end the inning. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the eighth as Mr. Mookie singled and Benintendi doubled him home. Martinez whiffed but Moreland was intentionally walked. Bogaerts flied out to right and that was it for Rodriguez. Alex Claudio came in and Benintendi stole third with Moreland taking second on a bad throw. Holt grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 8-4 Sox.
Joe Kelly came in for the top of the eighth and Odor flied out to left to begin. Guzman grounded out to short before Kiner grounded out to second to end the inning. Devers walked to open the bottom of the eighth and moved to second on the Swihart ground out. Devers moved to third on the ground out by JBJ before Mr. Mookie was intentionally walked. Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier came in to finish the game in the top of the ninth. Gallo flied out to right before DeShields Jr whiffed. Choo walked before Andrus grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-4.
Hero of the Night is Andrew Benintendi. He was 2 for 4 with a stolen base, 2 rbis and a run scored.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a walk, great defensive catch and 2 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 2 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Blake Swihart was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Hector Velazquez got the emergency start and allowed just 1 run in 3 innings.
Matt Barnes got the win with a scoreless 7th inning.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Jalen Beeks was lit up for 3 runs in 2 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a two run triple.
Brock Holt was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 but walked.
Brandon Workman allowed 2 inherited runners to score but none of his own in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
Another win and another great offensive showing. If the Sox can click like this until the All-Star break they will be virtually unbeatable. The only thing that could stop them is bad pitching. With Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello pitching well then they are in good hands but after that, watch out. Velazquez was fine for 3 innings but Beeks almost gave it away. Guess he isn't cut out for ML batters yet. Benintendi is battling to make the All-Star team while Betts and Martinez both gunning for AL MVP that makes for 3 very motivated players and that's bad news for other teams. Let's see if the Sox can finish off their third consecutive sweep. The win improved the Sox to 64-29, 3.5 games ahead of the slumping New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox go for the series sweep against the Rangers with Chris Sale (9-4) on the mound up against the ancient Bartolo Colon. The game starts at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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