Don't look now but Chris Sale (3-7, 3.49 ERA) looks to be back on track. The Sox ace finally got some run support to earn his third win of the season. The Baltimore Orioles battled Sale with Dylan "King Kong" Bundy to a scoreless tie after five innings. The Sox broke through with 3 runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the ninth to pace the offense. Sale held the O's to just 2 runs in six innings before the bullpen slammed the door. When it was over the Sox had won their fourth game in a row with a 7-2 win over the Orioles at Oriole Park in Camden Yards.
Maddy O'Reilly approves of the win
Bundy got the ball in the top of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to second to start. Andrew Benintendi singled to right but JD Martinez flied out to center. Rafael Devers whiffed to end the inning. Hanser Alberto and Trey Mancini greeted Sale with back to back base hits to start the bottom of the first but Pedro Severino flied out to center. Renato Nunez popped up to first and Anthony Santander struck out swinging to end the inning.
Xander Bogaerts whiffed to open the top of the second before Brock "The Hitman" Holt lined out to right. Michael Chavis singled to center, Jackie Bradley Jr singled to right and Sandy Leon walked to load the bases but Mr. Mookie whiffed to end the inning. Jonathan Villar flied out to right to start the bottom of the second before Keon Broxton whiffed. Steve Wilkerson took strike three to end the inning.
Benintendi whiffed to start the top of the third before Martinez also went down hacking. Devers grounded out to second to end the inning. Sale cruised in the bottom of the third as Martin grounded out to third to start. Alberto grounded out to short and Mancini whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the fourth as Bogaerts walked to start. Holt beat out an infield single but Chavis flied out to left. JBJ and Leon both whiffed to end the inning. Severino was rung up for strike three to start the bottom of the fourth before Nunez whiffed. Santander singled to left but Villar grounded out to first to end the inning.
Bundy cruised in the top of the fifth inning as Mr. Mookie lined out to right to start. Benintendi grounded out to short and Martinez took strike three to end the inning. Sale matched Bundy in the bottom of the fifth as Broxton whiffed to start. Wilkerson struck out swinging and Martin also went down hacking to end the inning.
The Sox broke through in the top of the sixth as Dervers singled to left to start. Bogaerts doubled home Devers to put the Sox on top before Holt singled home Bogaerts to increase the lead. Chavis singled to left to chase Bundy, Richard Bleier came in and JBJ moved both runners over with a grounder to first. Leon hit a routine grounder to third...BOOTED BY ALBERTO! Leon reached first and Holt scored to increase the lead. Mr. Mookie banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
The O's answered in the bottom of the sixth as Alberto and Mancini stroked back to back base hits to start. Alberto took third on the liner to right by Severino and Nunez doubled him home. Santander walked to load the bases and Villar scored Mancini with a sac fly. Broxton whiffed to end the inning with the lead still intact 3-2. Sale ran out of gas in the sixth inning but he still managed to strike out 10 batters in 6 solid innings.
The Sox struck again in the top of the seventh although Benintendi flied out to left to start. Martinez cracked his 16th home run of the season to increase the lead. Devers whiffed and that was it for Bleier. Shawn Armstrong came in and walked Bogaerts, but Holt whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.
Marcus Walden came in for the bottom of the seventh and Wilkerson whiffed to start. Rio Ruiz pinch hit for Martin and singled to center but Alberto flied out to center. Mancini whiffed to end the inning.
Chavis struck out swinging to start the top of the eighth and Paul Fry came in to face JBJ. Bradley whiffed and Leon grounded out to first to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Severino whiffed to start. Nunez singled to center and took second on a wild pitch. Santander whiffed but a wild pitch moved Nunez to third. Villar walked and Chris Davis pinch hit for Broxton, only to take strike three to end the inning.
The Sox iced the game in the top of the ninth with Miguel Castro now on the mound. Mr. Mookie walked and Benintendi singled to right, but Martinez popped up to first. Devers singled to second to load the bases and Bogaerts scored Betts with a sac fly. Holt singled home Benintendi and tried to steal second. Severino airmailed the throw and Holt was safe at second, Devers scoring on the error. Chavis grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-2.
Brandon Workman came in for the bottom of the ninth to close out the game and Wilkerson grounded out to first to start. Ruiz walked but Alberto lined out to right. Mancini grounded into a force to end the game. The Sox had won their fourth straight game, 7-2.
Hero of the Night is a tough one. With everyone contributing on offense, I gotta go with Chris Sale. He was masterful for 6 innings, allowing 2 runs while striking out 10 batters.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Brock Holt was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 5.
Marcus Walden tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a solo home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
That's four in a row for the surging Sox. Its about time they woke up because the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays have cooled off a little bit. The Sox need good starting pitching to make a comeback and they got it today. Sale's record doesn't reflect his ERA but today the Sox scored some runs for him for once. The Sox may have to rip off 10 straight wins to get back in the race but if the starters pitch to their potential, that may be a possibility. Martinez, Devers, Bogaerts and Holt have caught fire and that's good considering the struggles of Betts and Benintendi. If those two get hot then look out AL East. A road win is a road win no matter who its against and add this one to the list. The win improved the Sox to 38-34, 5.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look for the series sweep when they send Brian Johnson to the mound for the first time in 2 months to take on John Means of the Orioles. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Oriole Park in Camden Yards.
No comments:
Post a Comment