Porcello got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jonathan Villar slapped a single to center to start. Trey Mancini lined out to a running Mookie Betts in right before Andrew Benintendi ran down a liner from Anthony Santander. Reynato Nunez popped up to short to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time scoring off Orioles starter Aaron Brooks in the bottom of the first inning. Mr. Mookie launched the second pitch high off the Monster for a double and he scored on the Devers wall ball single to give the Sox the lead. Devers took second on a wild pitch before Xander Bogaerts walked. The rally ended as JD Martinez banged into a double play and Benintendi grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Jace Peterson led off the top of the second inning by popping up to center to start. DJ Stewart also popped up to Jackie Bradley Jr before Rio Ruiz was frozen for strike three to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Christian Vazquez grounded out to second to begin. Mitch Moreland also grounded out to second before Marco Hernandez popped up to short to end the inning.
The O's struck back in the top of the third although Chris Davis hit a 400 foot out to JBJ to begin. Chance Sisco grounded out to first but Villar slapped a single to right. Mancini doubled into the right field corner as Villar made a mad dash home. The relay throw came in....SAFE! Santander was caught looking to end the inning but the game was tied 1-1.
JBJ singled to right to open the bottom of the third but Mr Mookie flied out to left and Devers banged into a double play to end the inning.
Nunez popped up to short to start the top of the fourth and Porcello made personal history when Peterson flied out to left. Rick had reached 2,000 innings pitched for his career and he celebrated by getting Stewart to pop up to short to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the fourth although Bogaerts got jammed and lined out to Brooks to start. Martinez hit a chopper to Ruiz but he whiffed on it and JD ended up at second with a "double". Benintendi tripled into the gap to score JD but Vazquez whiffed on a very high fastball. Moreland hit a routine pop up to right but Stewart missed it completely. Moreland motored around for a "triple" to score Benintendi. Hernandez grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1.
The O's threatened in the top of the fifth although Ruiz grounded out to short to begin. Davis walked and Sisco singled to right but Villar popped up to third. Mancini flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fifth as JBJ looked at strike three to start. Mr. Mookie flied out to center but Devers doubled again. Bogaerts lined out to second to end the inning.
Porcello came back for one more inning in the top of the sixth inning as Santander flied out to left to start. Nunez walked but Peterson banged into a double play to end the inning. Even though it was against the O's, Porcello finished up with 6 innings of 1 run ball.
The Sox hit the killshot in the bottom of the sixth as Martinez was plunked to start. Benintendi singled and Vazquez dropped down a bunt to move both runners over. Richard Bleier came in to relieve Brooks and Sam Travis pinch hit for Moreland. For whatever reason Bleier intentionally walked Travis to load the bases. Chris Owings pinch hit for Hernandez and doubled home Martinez and Benintendi to ice it. JBJ scored Travis with a sac fly and that was it for Bleier. Miguel Castro got Betts to fly out to center to end the inning but it was 6-1 Sox.
Josh Taylor came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Stewart lined out to right to begin. Ruiz grounded out to second and Davis grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox got some more runs off Tom Eshelman (no relation to Vaughn) in the bottom of the seventh. Devers walked and Bogaerts doubled him to third. Martinez hit a bomb to right but it was caught at the wall, scoring Devers on a sac fly and sending Xander to third. Benintendi doubled home Bogaerts to increase the lead. Vazquez popped up to second as did Travis to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-1.
Travis Lakins came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Sisco singled to center to begin. Sisco was erased on the force by Villar before Mancini walked. Santander lined out to right and Nunez flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the eighth although Owings whiffed to start. JBJ grounded out to second but Mr. Mookie pounded his 21st home run of the year to center. Devers lined out to center to end the inning with the score now 9-1 Boston.
Lakins returned for the top of the ninth and finished strong. Peterson, Stewart and Ruiz all struck out swinging to begin and end the inning. The Sox had won the game 9-1.
Hero of the Night is Chris Owings. The journeyman came off the bench to hit the killshot in the 7th inning.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a solo home run.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
JD Martinez was 1 for 2 with a hit by pitch, rbi and 2 runs scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 3 for 4 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 2 with an rbi.
Sam Travis walked and scored after coming in for Moreland.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Rick Porcello earned the win with 6 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks.
Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Travis Lakins tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 2.
The Ugly:
None
Final Thoughts:
Even though it was against the Orioles, that was a good team win. The entire offense pitched in and the pitching held the O's to just 5 hits and 1 run. Porcello after the game said he felt like himself and it was good to see him go 6 strong. Devers has been unstoppable and if Betts can hit like he did last year down the stretch, then the Sox may actually have a chance at the wild card. They're gonna have to beat up on the bad times like the O's and they did it tonight at least. It was a feel good win but it was against a terrible team. The win improved the Sox to 65-59, 6.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it 2 in a row against Baltimore and 4 in a row overall when they send Eduardo Rodriguez (13-5) to the mound against Asher Wojciechowski. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment