As for the game, its about time the Boston Red Sox beat a good team. The Houston Astros 10 game win streak came to an end thanks to the Red Sox. Chris Sale wasn't effective again and left in the 6 inning with the game tied 3-3. Xander Bogaerts drove in the go-ahead run in the 7th and the beleaguered Boston bullpen tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings to nail down a gritty 4-3 win at Fenway Park.
Sale started off strong in the top of the first inning as George Springer whiffed to start. Alex Bregman walked but Michael Brantley struck out swinging. Carlos Correa grounded into a force to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time taking the lead off old friend Wade Miley in the bottom of the first inning. Michael Chavis led off by lining out to short but Mr. Mookie Betts singled to center. Xander Bogaerts hit a routine grounder to Bregman but he dropped the ball and everyone was safe. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position but JD Martinez could only bring in Betts with a grounder. Christian Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 1-0 Sox.
The Astros quickly tied the game in the top of the second inning as Yuli Gurriel drew a leadoff walk. Tyler White whiffed before Robinson Chirinos popped up to second. Reddick doubled to left and Marisnick was plunked to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Gurriel to tie the game but Springer whiffed to end the inning with the score 1-1.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Steve Pearce lined out to left to begin. Rafael Devers singled to left but got picked off. Eduardo Nunez whiffed to end the inning.
The Astros looked to have put the game away in the top of the third when Bregman walked to start. Brantley flied out to right but Correa pounded a 500,000 foot home run to put the Astros on top. Gurriel whiffed and White lined out to right to end the inning but it was 3-1 Astros.
Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third before Chavis grounded out to short. Mr. Mookie singled to left but Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning.
Chirinos looked at strike three to start the top of the fourth before Reddick doubled to left. Marisnick whiffed but Reddick swiped second. Springer whiffed to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Martinez flied out to center to start. Vazquez singled to center but Pearce flied out to left. Devers lined out to first to end the inning.
Sale cruised in the top of the fifth as Bregman looked at strike three to start. Brantley flied out to left before Correa flied out to center to end the inning. Springer keeled over in the dugout and Tony Kemp replaced him for the bottom of the fifth as the Sox began their comeback. Nunez popped up to third and JBJ grounded out to second, but Chavis bashed his 8th home run of the season to cut the lead. Mr. Mookie doubled to center and Bogaerts singled him home to tie the game. Martinez looked at strike three to end the inning but it was now 3-3.
Sale returned briefly in the top of the sixth as Gurriel doubled to start. White whiffed but Chirinos and Reddick both walked to load the bases and that was it for Sale. He tossed 5 1/3 innings of 3 run ball and left with the bases loaded. Not great from your ace. Marcus Walden came in and saved the day by inducing a double play from Marisnick to end the inning with the game still tied.
Framber Valdez came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Vazquez grounded out to short to start. Pearce singled to left but Devers whiffed. Nunez grounded into a force to end the inning.
Walden returned for the top of the seventh inning and Kemp grounded out to short to begin. Bregman walked but Brantley banged into a doubled play to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the seventh although JBJ grounded out to second to begin. Chavis singled but was thrown out at second when Mr. Mookie's pop up dropped in. Bogaerts then crushed a double into the gap to score Betts with the go-ahead run. Hector Rondon came in and got Martinez to ground back to the mound to end the inning but it was 4-3 Red Sox.
Matt Barnes had the top of the eighth and punched out Correa to start. Gurriel lined out to second and White flied out to left to end the inning. Vazquez singled to start the bottom of the eighth as Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Pearce only to fly out to right. Devers banged into a double play to end the inning.
Brandon Workman got the call to close the top of the ninth and he struck out Chirinos to start. Reddick walked but Marisnick whiffed Kemp lined out to center to end the game. The Sox had come from behind to defeat the Astros 4-3.
Hero of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. He drove in the game tying and go-ahead runs to give the Sox the win.
The Good:
Michael Chavis was 2 for 4 with a home run.
Mookie Betts was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Steve Pearce was 1 for 3.
Marcus Walden earned the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Brandon Workman notched his first save with a scoreless ninth.
The Bad:
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 1.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with an rbi.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4.
Chris Sale allowed 3 runs in just 5 1/3 innings, walking 5 and giving up 4 hits.
Final Thoughts:
Finally a win against a good team. The Sox have been eaten alive buy the good teams in the AL so far this year so it was nice for them to turn the tables for once. They needed a win just to show they can compete and it was how they won that was encouraging. The much maligned bullpen slammed the door and the Sox had to come back to tie then take the lead. Sale still looks like crap but the bullpen picked him up big time. Bogaerts stepped up big too but after the first 5 hitters, clutch hits are few and far between. That's not a recipe for sustained success. The win improved the Sox to 24-22, 4.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox go on the road to face the Toronto Blue Jays. David Price (1-2) goes for the Sox up against Edwin Jackson at 7:05 PM at the Skydome.
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