As for the game, David Price (12-6) and the Boston bullpen combined for a shutout in Game 1 of today's doubleheader against the Orioles. Price went 6 strong innings while striking out 10. The Sox smacked three home runs, two by Jackie Bradley Jr to take Game 1 by a score of 5-0 at Fenway Park.
Jimmy Yacabonis got the start for Baltimore and Mr. Mookie Betts flied out to right to start. Andrew Benintendi lined out to left and Mitch Moreland flied out to left to end the inning. Price got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jonathan Villar flied out to center to begin. Tim Beckham popped up to first and Adam Jones whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as JD Martinez grounded out to short to start. Xander Bogaerts singled but Brock "The Hitman" Holt whiffed. Eduardo Nunez flied out to right to end the inning. Mark Trumbo popped up to second to open the bottom of the second before Trey Mancini singled. Chris Davis whiffed and Renato Nunez flied out to center to end the inning.
More nothing in the top of the third as Leon popped up to third to begin. Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to left and Mr. Mookie swung at air to end the inning. Price struck out Cedric Mullins to open the bottom of the third before Austin Wynns singled. Villar grounded out to short and Beckham whiffed to end the inning.
Boston went quietly in the top of the fourth as Benintendi flied out to left to start. Moreland grounded out to second and Martinez grounded out to third to end the inning. Jones singled to start the bottom of the fourth and Price was so offended he struck out Trumbo, Mancini and Davis in short order.
The Sox broke through in the top of the fifth when Bogaerts singled to start. Holt lined out to center and Nunez smoked a 2 run homer to give the Sox the lead. Leon grounded out to second but JBJ crushed a solo shot to increase the lead. Mr. Mookie singled to chase Yacabonis. Sean Gilmartin replaced him but Benintendi greeted him with a single. Moreland grounded into a force to end the inning but it was 3-0 Sox.
Price continued his dominance in the bottom of the fifth as Nunez flied out to left to begin. Mullins singled and Price was so miffed he struck out Wynns and Villar to end the inning.
The Sox got a run back with some heads up baserunning in the top of the sixth inning. Martinez lined out to center but Bogaerts doubled. Xander took off to third but Nunez fumbled the throw and Bogaerts made a mad dash home to increase the lead. Holt caught Nunez asleep with a bunt single but Eduardo Nunez banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
Price came back for one more inning in the bottom of the sixth and Beckham lined out to second to begin. Jones doubled and Price got so mad he struck out Trumbo. Mancini grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Price went 6 strong throwing 94 pitches and striking out TEN batter.
Leon worked a walk to open the top of the seventh but JBJ grounded back to the mound. Mr. Mookie walked but Benintendi flied out to left. Moreland grounded out to end the inning. Tyler Thornburg sprinted from the bullpen and whiffed Davis to begin. Nunez flied out to center and Mullins flied out to right to end the inning. Thornburg made a mad dash to the dugout for good measure afterwards.
Miguel Castro came in to pitch the top of the eighth and he whiffed Martinez and Bogaerts to start. Holt walked but Nunez grounded out to third to end the inning. Ryan Brasier had the bottom of the eighth and Wynns popped up to second to begin. Villar whiffed and Beckham flied out to left to end the inning.
Castro returned for the top of the ninth and the Sox struck one final time. Leon whiffed but JBJ smacked his second home run of the afternoon to wrap up the scoring. Mr. Mookie flied out to left before Benintendi lined out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-0.
Matt Barnes had mop up duty in the bottom of the ninth and Jones whiffed to start. Trumbo swung at air for the second out before Mancini flied out to center to end the game. The Sox had taken Game 1 of the doubleheader 5-0.
Hero of the Night is David Price. He tossed 6 innings of shutout ball allowing just 5 measly hits while striking out 10.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Brock Holt was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 with two solo home runs.
Tyler Thornburg pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a 2 run homer.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
THIS is the David Price the Red Sox hoped they were getting when they signed him before the 2016 season. He looked crisp tonight with all his pitches and he had the Orioles all out of whack. He could have went longer but Sox manager Alex Cora is trying to save his starters' bullets for October. Tonight's game is going to be tougher with 3 relievers already pitching today but a win is a win. Great to see the bottom of the order, especially Bradley, contribute. Also good to see Thornburg pitch well. The win improved the Sox to 83-55, won't know how many games in front of the New York Yankees for first place until they play later. The 1976 Red Sox suffering from a World Series hangover finished with 83 wins while this year's team has 83 on August 11th. Game 2 is later tonight with Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez taking on Yefry Ramirez at 7:05 PM at Oriole Park in Camden Yards.
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