Normally when the Boston Red Sox pound out 23 hits and 19 runs in a game against an opponent, they don't do anything the next day. Add to the fact the next day including starting the winless in Boston Andrew Cashner (1-2) taking on noted Red Sox killer James Paxton of the New York Yankees, most people had this game as a lock for the Yankees to win. If you think the Yankees won this game...WELL YOU'RE WRONG! BAAAAHAHA! Somehow the Sox offense picked up where they left off against Masahiro Tanaka and pounded Paxton into submission as well. Mookie Betts was the star of today, clocking 3 home runs and reminding everyone he's the reigning AL MVP. Cashner finally threw a gutty game, tossing 6 2/3 innings of 3 run ball to keep the Yankees away from coming back. JD Martinez also went yard and Rafael Devers increased his batting average to .326 as the Sox routed the Yankees 10-5 at Fenway Park.
Cashner got the ball in the top of the first and DJ LeMahieu singled to left to begin. Aaron Judge struck out swinging and LeMahieu was erased on a strike em out, throw em out double play by Edwin Encarnacion to end the inning. Just like last night, the Sox instantly pounced on the starter in the first inning as Mr. Mookie Betts took Paxton yard on the 8 pitch of the at-bat to instantly give Boston the lead. Rafael Devers singled in the hole at second but Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging. JD Martinez belted his 21st home run of the season to increase the lead. Christian Vazquez and Andrew Benintendi both struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
The Yankees beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the second inning as Didi Gregorius grounded out to second to start. Luke Voit grounded out to third and Gleyber Torres grounded out to second to end the inning. Paxton kept up the heat in the bottom of the second as Sam Travis, Michael Chavis and Jackie Bradley Jr all struck out swinging to end the inning.
Cameron Maybin flied out to right to start the top of the third and Mike Tauchman flied out to center. Austin Romine singled to right and LeMahieu grounded into a force to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the third when Mr. Mookie ripped his second home run of the game to increase the lead. Devers struck out swinging but Bogaerts doubled into the left field corner. Martinez tripled past the diving Judge to add to the score. Vazquez flied out to right and Benintendi lined out to a running Judge to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-0.
Cashner cruised in the top of the fourth as Judge grounded out to second to start. Encarnacion and Gregorius both struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox did it again in the bottom of the fourth although Travis took strike three to start. Chavis grounded out to third but JBJ singled to right. Mr. Mookie lit the crowd up with his third home run in his third at bat to ice the game. Devers doubled to right but Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning with Boston ahead 7-0.
The Yankees threatened in the top of the fifth although Voit lined out to right to start. Torres struck out swinging but Maybin singled to short. Tauchman singled to center but Romine lined out to center to end the inning. David Hale came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Martinez grounded out to short to start. Vazquez lined out to first and Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning.
Cashner got tagged in the top of the sixth although LeMahieu grounded out to second to start. Judge grounded out to third but Encarnacion singled to right. Gregorius got a base hit to left and Voit scored Edwin with a base hit to left. Torres took strike three to end the inning but the Yankees were on the board 7-1.
The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the sixth although Travis popped up to third to start. Chavis singled to left and moved to second on the JBJ grounder. Who else but Mr. Mookie doubled home Chavis to add to the score. Devers doubled home Betts but Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-1.
Cashner ran out of gas in the top of the seventh as Maybin walked to start. Tauchman doubled to left and Romine singled home Maybin. LeMahieu banged into a double play but Tauchman scored to cut the lead. Judge doubled to center and that was it for Cashner. He ran out of gas in the later innings but still managed to hold the Yankees to 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings. That's more like it! Marcus Walden came in and froze Encarnacion for strike three to end the inning with the Yankees down 9-3.
The Sox kept on coming in the bottom of the seventh although Martinez grounded out to short to start. Vazquez popped up to third but Benintendi doubled just inside the left field foul line. Yankees manager Aaron Boone challenged the call but the call was upheld. Maybin crashed into the Monster to catch a line drive by Travis but it fell out of his glove for a "double" that scored Benintendi. Adam Ottavino came in to pitch and Chavis struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-3.
Josh Taylor came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Gregorius grounded out to first to start. Voit walked but was thrown out at third by Benintendi on the base hit but Torres. Maybin grounded out to short to end the inning.
Zack Britton came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and JBJ grounded out to second to start. Mr. Mookie grounded out to third and Devers took strike three to end the inning.
Heath Hembree got tagged in the top of the ninth as Tauchman singled to left to start. Romine doubled off the Monster to score Tauchman and LeMahieu walked to chase the incompetent Hembree. Brandon Workman came in and got Judge to hit a routine grounder to Bogaerts. Bogaerts dove on the ball and clawed at it like a cat for an error to load the bases. Encarnacion flied out to right but Romine scored on the sac fly by Gregorius. Voit grounded into a force to end the game. The Sox had won it 10-5.
Hero of the Night is Mookie Betts. He hit not one, not two but three home runs to lead the offensive attack.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 3 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with 3 total rbis and a 2 run home run.
Andrew Cashner earned the win with 6 2/3 innings of 3 run ball. He scattered 10 hits while striking out 6.
Marcus Walden struck out the only man he faced.
Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Heath Hembree allowed 2 runs without getting an out in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but threw out a runner at third and scored a run.
Sam Travis was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Michael Chavis was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
So far so good in this crucial stretch for the Red Sox. They took 2 of 3 from the Rays and the first two games from the Yankees so far. They've scored 29 runs in the first two games of the series against the Yankees and unlike the London series, the pitching has kept the Yankees mostly off the scoreboard. Cashner finally delivered even though he ran out of gas in the seventh inning. Getting the first win was a big monkey off his back, hopefully this will spark him for future success because they're going to need him. The offense was relentless in this one and the Sox are gonna need Betts, Devers, Benintendi, Martinez and Bogaerts to lead the charge in the final two months of the season if the Sox hope to see October again. Beating Sox killer Paxton was a big blow to the Yankees who signed him specifically to beat the Red Sox. Its only July but beating him now or in October is still nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully the Sox ride this momentum with the trade deadline less than a week away now. The win improved the Sox to 58-47, 9 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon its a battle of left handed pitchers as Eduardo Rodriguez (12-4) takes on CC Sabathia of the Yankees in what should be a good pitcher's duel. The game begins at 4:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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