Bogaerts, Sox Defeat Indians (8/14/19)

Where was THIS against New York and Tampa Bay last month? For the first time since the series at Fenway Park against the Yankees, the Red Sox took one of the American League's best teams and ripped their bungholes inside out. Today's game against the Cleveland Indians was the most decisive win against a good team in almost a month. It wasn't just that they won it was how they won. In what was to be a "bullpen game" the Sox ragtag group of pitchers held the Indians to just 1 run in 9 innings. Xander Bogaerts tried to wrestle the AL MVP crown from Mike Trout this year by driving in 4 of the 5 runs by himself and the Sox made it two in a row against the Indians with a 5-1 win at Progressive Field.

                                        The Genie can't believe the Sox won this game

Bieber got the ball in the top of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to short to start. Rafael Devers kept up his hot streak with a base hit to center but moved to second on the Xander Bogaerts ground out. JD Martinez flied out to right to end the inning. Johnson got the spot start and got Fransisco Lindor to ground out to third to begin the bottom of the first. Oscar Mercado also grounded out to third before Carlos Santana walked. Jose Ramirez grounded out to second to end the inning.

Benintendi opened the top of the second by beating out an infield single to first but Sam Travis whiffed. Marco Hernandez flied out to right but Christian Vazquez singled to right. Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed to end the inning. The Indians almost struck in the bottom of the second although Franmil Reyes got the green light on a 3-0 count but flied out to JBJ. Jackie then had to climb the wall to rob Greg Allen of a home run before Mike Freeman singled to center. Kevin Plawecki grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Sox struck first in the top of the third inning. Mr. Mookie lined out to center to begin. The red hot Devers and Bogaerts both hit their 25th and 26th home runs respectively to put Boston on top. Martinez whiffed and Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.

                                                      Back to back jacks

The Indians fought back in the bottom of the third, thanks to the Red Sox puking on themselves, although Tyler Naquin grounded out to second to begin. Who else but Lindor hit an infield single to Bogaerts who turned around and fired the ball into the left field stands for an error to advance Fransisco to second. Mercado hit a routine grounder to third but Devers belly flopped on it and dryland swam for an error to put runners on the corners. Brian Johnson threw a pitch completely out of the park for a wild pitch to score Lindor. Santana whiffed but Ramirez walked to chase Johnson. He tossed 2 2/3 innings and gave up an unearned run. Marcus Walden came in and got Reyes to ground into a force to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.

                                               Short and sweet for Johnson

The Sox missed a chance to get some insurance in the top of the fourth as Travis singled to center to start. Hernandez whiffed but Vazquez singled. JBJ whiffed and Mr. Mookie looked at strike three to end the inning. Darwinzon Hernandez was brought in for the bottom of the fourth and Allen lined out to right to start. Freeman was hit with a pitch but Plawecki grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Devers was finally retired when he grounded back to the mound to start the top of the fifth inning. Bogaerts walked but Martinez whiffed. Benintendi popped up to third to end the inning. Hernandez punched out Naquin to open the bottom of the fifth before Lindor grounded out to second. Mercado singled to chase the rookie as Josh Taylor was brought in. Taylor got Ramirez to fly out to center to end the inning.

The Sox went quietly in the top of the sixth as Travis grounded out to third to start. Hernandez flied out to left and Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning. Nathan Eovaldi got the ball in the bottom of the sixth and blew away Reyes to start. Allen grounded out to short and Freeman looked at strike three to end the inning.

The Sox pounced on Nick Goody in the top of the seventh inning although JBJ popped up to third to start. Mr. Mookie doubled to left and the Indians intentionally walked Devers to get to Bogaerts. Xander made the Tribe pay by launching a 3 run home run to ice the game. Martinez whiffed to earn a hat trick before Logan Allen came in to pitch to Benintendi. Andrew doubled to right but Travis whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.

                                              Big 3 run blast by Xander

Eovaldi came back for the bottom of the seventh and Plawecki singled to start. Naquin flied out to left before Lindor flied out to right. Mercado popped up to second to end the inning.

Hernandez singled to open the top of the eighth but Vazquez flied out to center. JBJ struck out swinging to earn a hat trick and Hernandez was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. Andrew Cashner came in for the bottom of the eighth and got Santana to ground back to the mound to start. Ramirez flied out to left and Reyes whiffed to end the inning.

Mr. Mookie struck out swinging to open the top of the ninth before Devers grounded out to first. Bogaerts kept up his hot streak with a single but Martinez lined out to third to end the inning. Brandon Workman came on for the bottom of the ninth and got Allen to ground out to second to begin. Freeman whiffed and Plawecki flied out to center to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-1 to split the series.

                                                   Another win


Hero of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. He struck two home runs including the decisive 3 run shot to ice the game.

                                                 Hero gonna give it to ya


The Good:

Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 total runs scored and a home run.

Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 4.

Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.

Brian Johnson allowed an unearned run in 2 2/3 innings.

Marcus Walden retired the only man he faced.

Darwinzon Hernandez tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Josh Taylor retired the only man he faced.

Nathan Eovaldi got the win with 2 scoreless innings.

Andrew Cashner pitched a scoreless 8th inning.

Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 9th inning.



The Bad:

JD Martinez was 0 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.

Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.



The Ugly:

Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.

Sam Travis was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Marco Hernandez was just 1 for 4.




Final Thoughts:

That was a great win where the pitching dominated from start to finish but the problem is it can't be sustained. What made last October special was it was only for a few weeks. Sox manager Alex Cora was able to mix and match starters with relievers in the playoffs because there was no tomorrow. He can't do that in the middle of August with a month and a half to go. If general manager Dave Dombrowski did something at the trade deadline, maybe they could have avoided this desperation. As it was it was still a good win against a damn good team. If the Sox have any hope of the second wild card, they need to do something now. Both Tampa and Cleveland are 8 games ahead of them so they're going to need to play their asses off and one or both teams have to collapse down the stretch. All in all today's win was a big one no matter if it all ends for naught. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Friday night against the Baltimore Orioles, fresh off losing 16 straight games to the Yankees. "Slick" Rick Porcello (10-9, 5.67 ERA) takes on Aaron Brooks at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.