As for the game, Brian Cashman must be ready to crawl into a hole after his "Damage" comment woke up the Boston Red Sox. Luis Severino tried to send a message to the Sox after last night by throwing at Mookie Betts to begin the game. The Sox got mad and pounded Severino for 4 runs in less than 6 innings but the real star was "Slick" Rick Porcello (14-4, 3.89 ERA). Rick completely shut down the Yankees by tossing an 86 pitch complete game one hitter. The only blemish was a solo homer by Michael Andujar but this was the fewest pitches thrown in a complete game since Aaron Cook did it in 2012. The Sox had taken the first two games of this big set with a 4-1 win.
Porcello took the mound in the top of the first and promptly hit Brett Gardner to begin the game. Porcello recovered to get Giancarlo Stanton to bang into a double play and Didi Gregorius to pop up to third to end the inning. The Sox got fired up when Severino began the game by throwing right at the head of Mr. Mookie Betts. Sox manager Alex Cora bolted out of the dugout and rushed Severino only for Adam Hamari the home plate umpire to intercept him. Cora turned and took a swing at him instead and was thrown out of the game. Fenway security had to carry Cora out kicking and screaming.
When action resumed Mr. Mookie grounded out to third. Andrew Benintendi smacked a ground rule double and new Yankee killer Steve Pearce smashed a 2 run bomb as the Sox dugout exploded with invectives aimed at Severino. JD Martinez flied out to right but Ian Kinsler walked and stole second. Eduardo Nunez blooped a single into no man's land to score Nunez to increase the lead. Brock "The Hitman" Holt lined out to center to end the inning but the Sox got mad and led 3-0.
Unfortunately Kinsler completely tore his hamstring celebrating in the dugout and has to be rushed to Mass General. Mitch Moreland took his spot in the batting order with Pearce moving to right and Mr. Mookie moving to second for the first time since 2014 to begin the top of the second. Aaron Hicks grounded out to second, Gleyber Torres hit one up the elevator shaft and Greg Bird whiffed to end the inning. Severino settled down in the bottom of the second as Sandy Leon flied out to center and Jackie Bradley Jr watched strike three go by. Mr. Mookie doubled and Benintendi walked, but Pearce grounded out to end the inning. Severino was up to 52 pitches so the Sox were making sure he would not have an easy night.
The Yankees struck back in the top of the third when Michael Andujar crushed a 100,000 foot home run to cut the lead. Porcello recovered to get Austin Romine to ground out to first and to freeze Neil Walker for strike three. Gardner watched strike three go by to end the inning with the Yankees down 3-1.
The Sox failed to score in the bottom of the third as Martinez grounded out to third to start although Moreland singled. Mitch was erased on the force by Nunez and Holt grounded out to second to end the inning.
Porcello cruised in the top of the fourth as Stanton and Gregorius lined out to center to begin. Hicks lined out to center to end the inning. Severino continued to dominate the bottom of the fourth as Leon grounded out to short to begin. Jackie Bradley Jr took strike three again and Mr. Mookie lined out to center to end the inning.
Porcello kept up the pace in the top of the fifth inning by blowing away both Torres and Bird to start. Andujar flied out to left and Porcello had allowed just 1 hit on 51 pitches through 5 innings. Meanwhile the Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Benintendi flied out to center and Pearce lined out to left, but Martinez doubled and Moreland singled him home to increase the lead. Nunez popped up to short to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 4-1 and Severino was up to 101 pitches.
Porcello made quick work of the Yankees in the top of the sixth inning as Romine grounded out to second to begin. Walker whiffed and Gardner grounded out to first to end the inning. Severino showed some guts by returning for the bottom of the sixth and getting Holt to fly out to right to start. Leon grounded out to third but JBJ walked to chase Severino. He pitched well after the first inning but David Robertson was now in the game. Mr. Mookie grounded into a force to end the inning.
Porcello was unhittable in the top of the seventh as he caught Stanton looking to start. Gregorius whiffed and Hicks grounded out to first on the first pitch he saw to end the inning, 7 innings, 1 hit, 69 pitches for Porcello.
Robertson came back for the bottom of the seventh and Benintendi grounded out to first to start. Pearce walked but Martinez banged into a double play to end the inning.
Porcello marched out for the top of the eighth inning and brought Xander Bogaerts with him to play short, giving Pearce the night off. Betts moved back to right and Holt moved to second. Porcello kept up his dominance by whiffing Torres to start. Bird flied out to center on the first pitch and Andujar grounded out to third on the second pitch to end the inning. 8 innings, 1 hit allowed on just 79 pitches, outstanding.
Tommy Kahnle came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning and struck out Moreland to begin. Nunez grounded out to third and Holt lined out to center to end the inning.
Porcello came out to finish his work in the top of the ninth. Romine lined out to center and JBJ made a great diving catch to rob Walker of extra bases for the second out. Gardner grounded out to short to end the game at just 2 hours and 15 minutes. The Red Sox had taken the second game of this four game set 4-1.
Hero of the Night is undoubtedly Rick Porcello. He went the distance giving up just 1 hit, the homer by Andujar, while striking out 9.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Steve Pearce was 1 for 3 with a walk, 2 total rbi's and another home run.
Ian Kinsler walked, stole a base and scored in his only appearance.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 3 with an rbi.
The Bad:
Brock Holt was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Xander Bogaerts played shortstop for the last few innings.
Final Thoughts:
Yankee fans are running out of ammo. First it was "winning percentage baybeee" when they were neck and neck in the division race, that's gone. Then it was "Da Sox can't beat good times baybeeee", that's gone. Now finally "we got da better head to head record baybeee!" That's gone too. One idiot is so desparate that he started chanting "1918" on Twitter. That's how you know the Yankees haven't a clue how to slow down the Red Sox. Severino pitched better than he had lately but he couldn't match Porcello. The offense was mostly held in check but that was expected after scoring 15 runs last night. The only drawback in this game was losing Ian Kinsler to a season ending hamstring tear just 24 hours after Swihart was sent to Mass General. Its a good thing Bogaerts is back because they're running out of bodies. The win improved the Sox to 77-34, 7.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The 1944 Red Sox missing everyone but Bobby Doerr and Tex Hughson due to World War 2 finished with 77 wins, this year's team has 77 on August 3rd. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look to put the stranglehold on with Nathan Eovaldi (4-4, 3.80 ERA) going for the Sox with the Yankees starter still to be determined. This could be the most important game of the season so far with David Price's well documented failures against the Yankees looming on Sunday. A win tomorrow would put the Sox 8.5 games in front with just 50 to play. The game starts at 4:05 PM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment