Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. After their dismal performances yesterday, Bobby Poyner and Darwinzon Hernandez have been demoted. Poyner was sent back to Pawtucket and Hernandez to Portland for more seasoning. Josh Smith and Travis Lakins were called up from Pawtucket to take their places.
The bad news was the St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Boston Bruins in Game 7. The good news was the Boston Red Sox defeated the Texas Rangers. The Sox snapped their losing streak with a walkoff win over the Texas Rangers to ease everyone's pain. The Sox fell behind 2-0 in the first inning and 9 times out of 10, the Sox don't come back. This time they did to take a 3-2 lead. The Rangers took advantage of an error by Christian Vazquez to tie the game but Mookie Betts drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for the Sox 4-3 at Fenway Park.
Xev Bellringer approves of the win
"Slick" Rick Porcello got the ball in the top of the first inning and Shin-Soo Choo flied out to right to start. Delino DeShields Jr grounded out to short but Elvis Andrus singled to right. Nomar Mazara hit a ground rule double to center and Hunter Pence doubled home both runners to put the Rangers on top. Asdrubal Cabrera popped up to short to end the inning with the Rangers up 2-0.
The Sox did strike back against Rangers starter Lance Lynn in the bottom of the first although Mr. Mookie Betts flied out to right to start. Andrew Benintendi doubled to left but JD Martinez struck out swinging. A wild pitch moved Benintendi to third and Rafael Devers singled Andrew home. Devers swiped second...but wait! Rangers manager Chris Woodward challenged the call and it was overturned, Devers was out to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
Porcello cruised in the top of the second as Rougned Odor popped up to third to start. Ronald Guzman grounded out to short and Jeff Mathis grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Xander Bogaerts lined out to center to start. Brock "The Hitman" Holt grounded out to first and Christian Vazquez took strike three to end the inning.
Choo whiffed to start the top of the third before DeShields Jr hit one up the elevator shaft. Andrus flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr walked to start. Michael Chavis whiffed before JBJ swiped second on the Betts strikeout. Benintendi tripled home JBJ to tie the game. Martinez whiffed to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Porcello cruised in the top of the fourth as Mazara went down hacking to start. Pence struck out swinging and Cabrera grounded out to short to end the inning. Devers grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fourth before Bogaerts grounded out to short. Holt tripled into the triangle but Vazquez flied out to right to end the inning.
Odor lined out to first to start the top of the fifth before Guzman grounded out to first. Mathis flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the fifth although JBJ whiffed to start. Chavis singled to third but Mr. Mookie flied out to right. Benintendi stepped up with a double to score Chavis with the go-ahead run. Martinez took strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.
Porcello froze Choo for strike three to start the top of the sixth before DeShields Jr also took strike three. Andrus doubled to center but Mazara flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Devers lined out to first to start. Bogaerts took strike three before Holt grounded out to second to end the inning.
Pence grounded out to second to start the top of the seventh before Cabrera whiffed. Odor singled to center and Sox manager Alex Cora figured Porcello had done enough. Rick had a rough start in the first but lasted 6 2/3 innings while striking out six batters. Brandon Workman came in and struck out Guzman swinging to end the inning.
Brett Martin came on for the bottom of the seventh and Vazquez singled off of him to start. JBJ and Chavis both whiffed and Mr. Mookie grounded into a force to end the inning.
The Sox blew the lead in the top of the eighth although pinch hitter Danny Santana (for Mathis) grounded out to third to start. Choo was plunked and DeShields Jr dropped down a bunt that Vazquez threw away for an error to move both runners into scoring position. Andrus scored Choo with a sac fly to tie the game before Mazara was intentionally walked. Mazara stole second but Pence whiffed to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Tim Federowicz came in to catch the bottom of the eighth and Benintendi popped up to second to start. Martinez whiffed but Devers doubled to right. Bogaerts was intentionally walked and Eduardo Nunez pinch hit for Holt. Jesse Chavez came in to pitch and Nunez grounded into a force to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in for the top of the ninth and Cabrera whiffed to start. Odor grounded out to first and Guzman walked. Guzman took second on a wild pitch but Federowicz whiffed to end the inning. Vazquez atoned for his earlier error by pounding a ground rule double into the bullpen to start the bottom of the ninth. Marco Hernandez pinch ran for Vazquez and JBJ singled him to third. Chavis walked to load the bases and Mr. Mookie walked home Hernandez to win the game. The Sox had quite literally walked off the Rangers to win it 4-3.
Hero of the Night is Andrew Benintendi. Yes, Betts walked in the winning run but Benintendi was instrumental in the first 3 runs scoring. He doubled and tripled in runs and scored one.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Brock Holt was 1 for 3.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Marco Hernandez scored the winning run as a pinch runner.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Michael Chavis was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Rick Porcello tossed 6 2/3 innings of 2 run ball. He allowed no runs after the first inning and struck out 6 men.
Matt Barnes got the win with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with the golden sombrero of 4 strikeouts.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 but walked in the winning run.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Brandon Workman allowed an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
Finally a good win for once. The Sox fell behind early but stormed back to take the lead for once. They did blow the lead but fought back to win the game anyway. This is the kind of win that happened often last year but hasn't been there this season. Hopefully this is the start of the big comeback to overtake the New York Yankees. The Sox still need some pitching help although the bullpen worked out this time apart from a Vazquez throwing error. It would be nice for the offense to stay consistent from here on in but that's probably too much to ask. Porcello looked shaky early but came back to dominate which is always good to see. Hopefully the Sox can ride this momentum to go on a nice long win streak. The win improved the Sox to 35-34, 7.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to salvage the series with the Rangers in the finale tomorrow evening when David Price takes the mound opposite Adrian Sampson at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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