Looks like yesterday's feel good win carried over to today for the Boston Red Sox. Things looked bad early when David Price got shelled and knocked out of the second inning with the Sox trailing 6-1. The Sox bullpen managed to pitch a shutout the final 7 innings as the Sox clawed their way back. Jackie Bradley Jr hit a three run home run to inch the Sox closer. Rafael Devers tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a home run and Xander Bogaerts put the Sox in front with a home run of his own. Michael Chavis also homered to aid the cause, giving the Sox 5 home runs on the night. The Sox bullpen slammed the door as Josh Smith earned his first save of the year as the Sox came back to beat the Rangers 7-6 at Fenway Park.
Price had nothing in the top of the first as he plunked Shin-Soo Choo to start. Delino DeShields Jr walked and Elvis Andrus singled home Choo. Hunter Pence jacked a 3 run home run to put the Rangers up...but wait! Sox manager Alex Cora challenged the home run call and sure enough, it was changed to a double that just scored DeShields. Asdrubal Cabrera grounded out to third and Danny Santana struck out swinging, but Logan Forsythe singled home Andrus and Pence to increase the lead. Rougned Odor grounded out to second to end the inning with the Rangers up 4-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the first against Texas starter Adrian Sampson although Mr. Mookie Betts flied out to center to start. Andrew Benintendi flied out to left but JD Martinez bashed his 13th home run of the season to cut the lead. Rafael Devers grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox down 4-1.
The Rangers finished off Price in the top of the second inning although Jeff Mathis took strike three to start. Choo was plunked again and DeShields doubled him to third. Andrus singled to left to score both runners and chase Price. The incompetent lefty lashed just 1 1/3 inning and got tagged for SIX runs. Mike Shawaryn came in and got Pence to ground out to short and Cabrera to fly out to left to end the inning but it didn't look good with the Sox down 6-1.
The Sox fought back in the bottom of the second as Xander Bogaerts singled to left to start. Christian Vazquez singled to left and Jackie Bradley Jr smashed his 6th home run of the season to put the Sox back in the game. Michael Chavis flied out to right and Marco Hernandez whiffed, but Mr. Mookie singled to center. Benintendi flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox down 6-4.
Santana flied out to left to start the top of the third before Forsythe grounded out to short. Odor whiffed to end the inning. Martinez popped up to second to start the bottom of the second before Devers reached on an error by Odor. Bogaerts whiffed and Vazquez lined out to right to end the inning.
Shawaryn came back for the top of the fourth and Mathis flied out to right to start. Choo and DeShields Jr drew back to back walks and both pulled off a double steal. Shawaryn did strike out Andrus swinging and Colten Brewer was called in to pitch. Pence walked to load the bases but Cabrera popped up to third to end the threat. The Sox fought back in the bottom of the fourth although JBJ whiffed to start. Chavis crushed his 11th homer of the season to left to cut the lead. Hernandez struck out swinging and Mr. Mookie lined out to third to end the inning with the Sox down 6-5.
Travis Lakins took over for the top of the fifth and Santana walked to start. Forsythe took strike three and Santana was thrown out trying to steal. Odor walked but Mathis grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox tied it in the bottom of the fifth although Benintendi flied out to left to start. Martinez whiffed but Devers cracked his 10th homer of the season to tie the game. Bogaerts walked but Vazquez grounded into a force to end the inning with the game tied 6-6.
Marcus Walden came in for the top of the sixth and Choo took strike three to start. DeShields Jr flied out to center but Andrus and Pence stroked back to back singles. Cabrera lined out to left to end the inning. Jeffrey Springs came in for the bottom of the sixth and JBJ doubled to left to start. Chavis whiffed and Eduardo Nunez pinch hit for Hernandez. Rangers manager Chris Woodward countered by bringing in Pete Fairbanks and Nunez grounded out to third. Mr. Mookie walked but Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning.
Brandon Workman took over for the top of the seventh and Santana grounded out to second to start. Forsythe walked and Odor singled to third, but Mathis struck out swinging. Choo walked to load the bases but DeShields Jr whiffed to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the seventh and Martinez whiffed to start. Devers lined out to first but Bogaerts belted his 14th home run of the season to give the Sox the lead. Vazquez flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-6.
Bogaerts puts Boston ahead
Matt Barnes came in for the top of the eighth and Andrus grounded out to first to start. Pence doubled to right and moved to third on the Cabrera strike out. Santana whiffed to end the inning. Jose Leclerc came on for the bottom of the eighth and JBJ whiffed to start. Chavis grounded out to third and Nunez lined out to center to end the inning.
Josh Smith came in to close out the top of the ninth and he hit Guzman to start. Odor forced Guzman at second and Nomar Mazara pinch hit for Mathis, only for Odor to swipe second. Smith froze Mazara for strike three and Choo was intentionally walked. DeShields Jr flied out to center to end the game. The Sox had held on to win 7-6.
Hero of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. The X-Man's solo home run put the Sox ahead for good.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 with a 3 run bomb.
Mike Shawaryn tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Colten Brewer got the final out of the fourth inning.
Travis Lakins pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
Marcus Walden pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Brandon Workman tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Josh Smith got the save with a scoreless ninth.
The Bad:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4.
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 2.
David Price got hammered for 6 runs in just 1 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a solo homer.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a solo home run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Michael Chavis was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but the one hit was a home run.
Final Thoughts:
That was a great, great comeback win which the Sox desperately needed. The Sox have been falling behind all year but this was one of the few times they came all the way back. The Sox hit five home runs to bop their way back and got outstanding relief pitching. The Sox essentially got 7 2/3 shutout innings from the bullpen to win the game. Obviously the Sox can't afford to do this every game but this was one of the few times they got the job done. After yesterday's comeback win and now this, hopefully the Sox can ride the momentum into Baltimore. The Sox gained a game on the New York Yankees so the season is far from over despite what Sox fans said last week. The win improved the Sox to 36-34, 6.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to Baltimore to face the Orioles in a set beginning tomorrow night. Eduardo Rodriguez (6-4) goes for the Sox up against Luis Ortiz of the Orioles. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Oriole Park in Camden Yards.
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