Saturday, June 8, 2019

Price, Sox Down Rays in Nightcap (6/8/19)

Now that's more like it. After the Tampa Bay Rays smacked the Sox around in Game 1 of today's doubleheader, the Sox served it back in Game 2. David Price (4-2, 2.70 ERA) tossed 6 solid innings while allowing just 1 run. The Boston bullpen allowed just 1 hit the rest of the way and the Sox got a few key runs from the offense. Michael Chavis, Xander Bogaerts and Marco Hernandez all chipped in to guide the Sox to a 5-1 victory in Game 2 over the Rays at Fenway Park.
                                                    Doc Holliday approves of the win

Price cruised in the top of the first inning as Daniel Robertson flied out to center to start. Yandy Diaz grounded out to short and Austin Meadows took strike three to end the inning. Ryan Stanek got the ball in the bottom of the first for Tampa and Mr. Mookie Betts took strike three to start. Andrew Benintendi flied out to right but Xander Bogaerts walked. Rafael Devers grounded out to second to end the inning.

Avisail Garcia went down hacking to start the top of the second before Willy Adames watched strike three go by, Mike Zunino singled to center but Kevin Kiermaier grounded out to third to end the inning. Michael Chavis whiffed to start the bottom of the second but Brock "The Hitman" Holt and Christian Vazquez drew back to back walks to chase Stanek. Colin Poche came in and Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to left before Marco Hernandez whiffed to end the inning.

Christian Arroyo flied out to center to start the top of the third but Guillermo Heredia was frozen for strike three. Robertson whiffed to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the third as Mr. Mookie and Benintendi stroked back to back singles to start. Bogaerts whiffed and Devers watched strike three go by before Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in Austin Pruitt to replace Poche. Chavis doubled home both runners to put the Sox on top. Holt whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were up 2-0.
                                                       Chavis drives in a pair

Diaz grounded out to first to start the top of the fourth but Meadows went down hacking. Garcia took strike three to end the inning. Pruitt got Vazquez to swing at air to start the bottom of the fourth and JBJ grounded out to third. Hernandez grounded out to first to end the inning.

Adames walked, took second on a balk and took third on the Zunino grounder to start the top of the fifth. Kiermaier hit one to first and Adames broke for home. The throw came in and Adames bowled Vazquez over, which new MLB rules state he's out. Kevin Cash challenged the call but it was upheld, Adames was out. The out was huge as Arroyo hit a grounder to Devers who threw the ball away to put runners at the corners. Heredia doubled home Kiermaier but Price whiffed Robertson to end the inning with the Rays down 2-1.
                                                    Price still had the lead

The Sox got the run back in the bottom of the fifth as Mr. Mookie doubled to center and moved to third on the Benintendi grounder. Bogaerts smacked a sac fly to score Betts with the insurance run. Devers whiffed to end the inning but it was 3-1 Sox.
                                                       Betts with a double

Price returned for one final inning and struggled as Diaz singled to left to start. Meadows whiffed but Garcia singled to third. Adames took strike three but Zunino walked to load the bases. Kiermaier popped up to short to end the inning. Price went 6 strong innings, allowed just 1 run and struck out 10 batters.
                                                         Price is all fired up

The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the sixth as Chavis walked to start. Holt singled to left and Vazquez moved both runners over with a bunt. JBJ was intentionally walked and Hernandez took offense to that by doubling home Chavis and Holt. Mr. Mookie walked but Benintendi whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
                                                   Hernandez drives in a pair

Brandon Workman came in for the top of the seventh inning and Arroyo took strike three to start. Heredia lined out to right and Robertson whiffed to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the seventh as Devers grounded out to second to start. Chavis also grounded out to second and Holt grounded out to first to end the inning.

Marcus Walden came in for the top of the eighth and Diaz was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start. Meadows doubled to left but Garcia flied out to right. Adames grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the eighth as Vazquez grounded out to short to start. JBJ whiffed and Hernandez grounded out to second to end the inning.

Matt Barnes came in to close out the top of the ninth and Zunino took strike three to start. Keirmaier hit a routine grounder to Barnes and Matt turned and fired the ball into the Monster Seats for an error. Arroyo struck out swinging and Heredia grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-1.
                                                        Sox win


Hero of the Night is Michael Chavis. His 2 rbis were all the Sox needed to win the game.
                                                     Chavis the Hero


The Good:

Mookie Betts was 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.

Brock Holt was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

David Price tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 5 hits and struck out 10 batters.

Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 7th inning.

Marcus Walden pitched a scoreless 8th inning.

Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 9th inning.



The Bad:

Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and an error.



The Ugly:

Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 2 but walked and drove in a run.

Christian Vazquez was 0 for 2 but walked.

Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked.

Marco Hernandez was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs.




Final Thoughts:

Good to see Price get the job done and the offense get some runs for him. After how bad the Sox played in the first game, it was nice to flip the switch to get something out of this. Also nice to see Barnes, Workman and Walden step in to shut the door. The Sox split the doubleheader with the Rays and something is wrong with this year's team. If its a World Series hangover, they better pick up the pace before they fall further behind the Rays. Price pitching a good game certainly helps and they're going to need the starters stepping up to get back in the race. The win improved the Sox to 34-31, 6 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look to win the monster match as Eduardo Rodriguez (6-3) takes on Rays ace Blake Snell at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.

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