Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Brian Johnson was activated from the Injured List and Heath Hembree was placed on it. Also Sam Travis was sent back to Pawtucket and Josh Taylor was called up. With the Sox desperate for good starting pitching, Johnson needs to stay healthy and consistent moving forward. Losing Hembree is a bad blow because he had been pitching great out of the bullpen.
As for the game, looks like the Red Sox got hot. The walkoff win over the Rangers sparked the Sox after all and they showed flashes of their 2018 selves in tonight's game against the Baltimore Orioles. The Sox offense came alive to slap the Orioles around for 16 hits and 13 runs. The Sox hit 6 home runs in the game, 2 of them from JD Martinez. On the other side of the ball, Eduardo Rodriguez (7-4, 4.67 ERA) was brilliant tossing 7 innings of 1 run ball. Everyone in the lineup contributed one way or another as the Sox devastated the Orioles 13-2 at Oriole Park in Camden Yards.
Orioles starter Luis Ortiz initially had no problems in the top of the first inning as Michael Chavis grounded out to first to start. Andrew Benintendi struck out swinging but JD Martinez walked. Rafael Devers flied out to center to end the inning. The O's struck first in the bottom of the first although Hanser Alberto grounded out to third to start. Trey Mancini hit a home run into the Potomac River to give the O's the lead but Renato Nunez flied out to left. Pedro Severino singled to left but Anthony Santander grounded out to third to end the inning with the O's ahead 1-0.
The Sox answered in the top of the second inning as Xander Bogaerts walked and Brock "The Hitman" Holt clocked his first home run of the season to put the Sox ahead. Christian Vazquez watched strike three go by but Jackie Bradley Jr walked. Eduardo Nunez banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Rodriguez got in trouble in the bottom of the second as Jonathan Villar singled to left and Chris Davis was plunked to start. Keon Broxton moved both runners over with a bunt but Rodriguez got a big out by striking out Richie Martin swinging. Alberto flied out to center to end the inning.
Chavis lined out to center to start the top of the third before Benintendi popped up to third. Martinez walked again and Devers singled to right, but Holt took strike three to end the inning. Mancini grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Nunez popped up to first. Severino lined out to right to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the fourth as Vazquez blasted his 8th home run of the season to start. JBJ doubled to right but Nunez lined out to center. That was it for Ortiz as Dan Straily came in to allow Chavis to single home JBJ to increase the lead. Benintendi grounded out to second but Martinez cracked his 14th home run of the year to ice the game. Devers singled to right but Bogaerts grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1.
Rodriguez cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Santander grounded out to third to start. Villar struck out swinging and Davis popped up to third to end the inning.
Rio Ruiz took over for Alberto to start the top of the fifth and the Sox poured it on. Holt was plunked but Vazquez took strike three. JBJ joined the homer parade with his 7th of the season to increase the lead. Nunez singled to left and Chavis crushed his 12th home run of the season to add to the total. Benintendi whiffed but Martinez pulverized his second homer of the game to make this a laughter. Josh Rogers replaced the shaky Straily and Devers singled to center. Bogaerts lined out to short to end the inning but the Sox hit three home runs and led 11-1.
Broxton flied out to right to start the bottom of the fifth before Martin struck out swinging. Ruiz grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox wrapped up their scoring in the top of the sixth as Holt singled to right to start. Vazquez singled to center but JBJ took strike three. Both runners moved over on the Nunez grounder but Chavis walked to load the bases. Benintendi singled home Holt and Vazquez to increase the lead. Martinez flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 13-1.
Marco Hernandez came in to give Xander Bogaerts the rest of the night off in the bottom of the sixth as the Sox flashed the leather. Mancini singled to center but Nunez popped up to short. Severino looked to have hit a home run but JBJ kept it in play for just a double that sent Mancini to third. Santander lined out to Martinez who gunned home to nail Mancini for the double play to end the inning.
Devers was plunked to start the top of the seventh before Hernandez flied out to left. Holt flied out to center and Vazquez flied out to left as well to end the inning. Rodriguez came back for the bottom of the seventh with Sandy Leon now behind the plate in Devers' spot with Vazquez moving to third. Villar popped up to first and Davis took strike three. Broxton singled to center but Martin flied out to JBJ to end the inning. Lost in the sea of offense was Rodriguez quietly holding the O's to just 1 run in 7 innings. Great job by E-Rod.
JBJ flied out to center to start the top of the eighth before Nunez walked. Chavis banged into a double play to end the inning. Travis Lakins came on for the bottom of the eighth and Ruiz grounded out to second to start. Mancini grounded out to second and Nunez flied out to left to end the inning.
Steve Wilkerson took over in right for the top of the ninth and Benintendi grounded out to short to begin. Martinez singled to left but was forced at second by Leon. Hernandez flied out to left to end the inning. Josh Smith came on for the bottom of the ninth and the O's rallied. Severino whiffed but Santander doubled to right. Villar flied out to left but Davis singled Santander to third and Broxton singled him home. Martin whiffed to end the game. The Sox had won it easy 13-2.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He was 3 for 4 with 2 walks, 2 home runs and an outfield assist.
The Good:
Michael Chavis was 2 for 5 with a walk, 3 total rbis, 2 total runs scored and a 2 run bomb.
Rafael Devers was 3 for 4 with a hit by pitch.
Xander Bogaerts walked twice in four plate appearances and scored a run.
Brock Holt was 2 for 4 with a hit by pitch, 2 run home run and 3 total runs scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 5 with 2 total runs scored and a home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 total runs scored and a 2 run home run.
Eduardo Rodriguez got the win by pitching 7 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 6 hits and no walks.
Travis Lakins pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Sandy Leon was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 2 at the plate.
Josh A Smith allowed a run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 6 but drove in 2 runs.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Guess the Sox needed that game big time. Belting 6 home runs made up for the horrendous week they had previously and hopefully the momentum carries them back in the AL East race. The entire offense pitched in and that's what they are capable of when they're not 7 runs behind every game. Rodriguez was just as important as all the runs scored because he kept the O's off the board long enough for the offense to take over. It was a good team win that also showed good defensive work by JBJ and Martinez as well. Very rare do you get a complete all around effort like this so this one is for the books for sure. Unfortunately the Sox have no time to enjoy the win because they still have work to do to catch the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays. The win improved the Sox to 37-34, 6 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it four wins in a row and two against the Orioles when they send the struggling Chris Sale (2-7, 3.79 ERA) to the mound opposite Dylan "King Kong" Bundy of the Orioles. The game begins at 4:05 PM at Camden Yards.
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