It was weird and wild but the Boston Red Sox won their fifth straight game today inlcuding a series sweep of the Baltimore Orioles. Brian Johnson made his first start in 2 months and lasted just 3 innings. The Sox a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth only for Marcus Walden to blow the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Trailing 3-2, Marco Hernandez struck his first home run of the year in the top of the ninth to tie the game. The Sox then rallied for 5 runs in the top of the tenth only for the Orioles to rally in the bottom of the frame. Still, Josh Smith was able to get Pedro Severino to ground out to first to end the game. The Sox emerged victorious 8-6 in 10 innings to sweep the Orioles out of Oriole Park in Camden Yards.
John Means got the start for the Orioles in the top of the first inning and Mr. Mookie Betts singled to center to start. Christian Vazquez flied out to center and JD Martinez banged into a double play to end the inning. Johnson got his first start in 2 months and Hanser Alberto greeted him with a base hit to center to start the bottom of the first. Trey Mancini walked but Pedro Severino banged into a double play. Renato Nunez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Rafael Devers lined out to first to begin the top of the second but Xander Bogaerts got a base hit to left. Michael Chavis flied out to right and Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to center to end the inning. Johnson cruised in the bottom of the second as Anthony Santander struck out swinging to start. Jonathan Villar tried to bunt his way on but Chavis snuffed it out. Davis flied out to right to end the inning.
Eduardo Nunez got a hit to center to start the top of the third but Marco Hernandez struck out swinging. Mr. Mookie popped up to third and Vazquez lined out to right to end the inning. The O's struck first in the bottom of the third as Keon Broxton doubled to left to start. Richie Martin flied out to right but Broxton moved to third and Keon scored on the Alberto single to short to give the O's the lead. Mancini grounded into a force but a wild pitch moved Trey to second. Severino walked but Nunez grounded into a force to end the inning with the O's up 1-0.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth inning although Martinez struck out swinging to start. Devers singled to center and Bogaerts doubled him home to tie the game. Chavis singled off the glove of Davis but Bogaerts was thrown out at home. JBJ doubled to right to score Bogaerts to give the Sox the lead. Nunez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Johnson returned for the bottom of the fourth just to allow back to back singles to Santander and Villar to start. That was it for Johnson who tossed 3 plus innings and only allowed a run.
Colten Brewer came in and Davis beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Broxton tried to bunt his way on but ran into Vazquez trying to make the play, forcing Broxton out on interference. O's manager Brandon Hyde stormed out of the dugout with a machete and attacked home plate umpire Tripp Gibson. Gibson moved out of the way and alert secret service agents seized Hyde and wrestled him to the ground. Hyde was ejected and Martin whiffed to end the inning.
Hernandez grounded out to second to start the top of the fifth but Mr. Mookie walked. A wild pitch moved Betts to second but Vazquez flied out to center. Another wild pitch moved Betts to third but Martinez walked. Devers flied out to center to end the inning. Mike Shawaryn came in for the bottom of the fifth and Alberto grounded out to short to start. Mancini walked and Severino singled to left but Nunez whiffed. Santander walked to load the bases and chase Shawaryn. Josh Taylor got Villar to ground into a force to end the inning.
Jimmy Yacabonis came in for the top of the sixth and Bogaerts walked to start. Chavis hit a double play ball to the mound but Villar threw the relay throw away, allowing Michael to reach second. Richard Bleier came in and JBJ grounded out to short to send Chavis to third. Nunez grounded out to third to end the inning. Taylor struck out Davis swinging and Broxton looking to start the bottom of the sixth. Devers booted a ball by Martin for an error but Alberto flied out to center to end the inning.
Hernadez grounded out to third in the top of the seventh and Shawn Armstrong took over on the mound. Mr. Mookie flied out to right but Vazquez singled to right. Martinez forced Vazquez at second to end the inning. Marcus Walden came on for the bottom of the seventh and Mancini singled to center. Trey took second on a wild pitch but Severino was caught looking for strike three. Nunez flied out to right and Santander grounded out to second to end the inning.
Devers grounded out to short to start the top of the eighth but Bogaerts walked. Chavis whiffed and Paul Fry got JBJ to strike out swinging to end the inning. The O's took command in the bottom of the eighth as Villar walked to start. Villar swiped second and then third on the Davis swinging strikeout. Rio Ruiz pinch hit for Broxton but Villar scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Ruiz grounded out to second and Travis Lakins came in to pitch. Steve Wilkerson pinch hit for Martin and he tripled to right. Alberto singled home Wilkerson to give the O's the lead. Mancini grounded into a force to end the inning but the O's were up 3-2.
Mychal Givens came in to close out the top of the ninth but Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Nunez only to line out to right. All of a sudden Hernandez clobbered his first home run of the season to tie the game. Mr. Mookie tripled to right but Givens got a big out when Vazquez struck out swinging. Martinez whiffed to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Brandon Workman came on for the bottom of the ninth and Severino singled to left to begin. Nunez forced Pedro at second and Santander flied out to left. Villar whiffed to end the inning to send the game to extras.
The Sox exploded in the top of the tenth as Devers smashed his 11th homer of the year to give the Sox the lead instantly. Ruiz booted a routine grounder by Bogaerts and Chavis singled off the glove of Villar. David Hess came in and got JBJ to fly out to center but Holt walked to load the bases. Hernandez popped up to short but Mr. Mookie singled home Bogaerts and Chavis, moving Holt to third. Vazquez singled home Holt and Betts to ice the game. Martinez flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-2.
Josh Smith came in for the bottom of the tenth and the Orioles pounced. Chavis booted a grounder by Davis to start before Ruiz beat out a double play ball. Wilkerson blasted a home run into the Nile River to inch the O's closer. Alberto lined out to center but Mancini crushed a home run into the Indian Ocean to cut the lead. Severino grounded out to first to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-5 in 10 innings.
The Co-Heroes of the Night are Marco Hernandez and Rafael Devers. Hernandez got the clutch home run to tie the game in the ninth and Devers hit the go-ahead shot in the top of the tenth.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 3 for 5 with a walk, 2 rbis, a stolen base and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 6 with 2 rbis.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3.
Brock Holt walked and scored in two at bats.
Colten Brewer tossed a scoreless inning.
Mike Shawaryn got the first two outs of the fifth inning.
Josh Taylor tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Brandon Workman earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Marcus Walden allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings.
Travis Lakins allowed a run in 1/3 of an inning.
Josh Smith allowed 3 runs in the bottom of the tenth.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Brian Johnson lasted just 3 innings and allowed a run.
Final Thoughts:
That's four in a row since the Sox rallied to beat the Texas Rangers. The Sox desperately needed a winning streak to get back into things and they got it. The Sox bullpen had some mishaps due to shoddy defense but they tossed 7 innings after Johnson was pulled in the fourth. The offense stepped up big with Devers, Hernandez, Bogaerts and company pounding out 8 total runs, 5 of which in the tenth inning to put the game away. The Sox are two weeks away from a showdown with the New York Yankees in London and the Sox need to get close enough so they can catch them, or at least stay within reach of them. The Sox are gonna need great starts from David Price, Chris Sale and Rick Porcello if they have any hope to salvage this season after their poor start. The win improved the Sox to 39-34, 5.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to Minnesota for a three game set with the Twins. "Slick" Rick Porcello (4-6, 3.44 ERA) takes the mound up against Twins ace Jose Berrios. The game begins at 8:05 PM Eastern time at Target Field.
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