Paddack got the ball in the top of the first inning and the Sox pounded him. Mr. Mookie Betts started the game with a double to center before Rafael Devers singled him to third. Xander Bogaerts popped up to first but JD Martinez clubbed his 29th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Andrew Benintendi popped up to third before Christian Vazquez grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 3-0.
Rodriguez got the ball and faced former Red Sox prospect Manuel Margot (traded for Craig Kimbrel) to begin the bottom of the first inning. Margot singled to center but Fransisco Mejia banged into a double play. Manny Machado grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox poured it on in the top of the second inning as Mitch Moreland walked to start. Brock "The Hitman" Holt singled to right before Rodriguez himself dropped down a bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Mr. Mookie hit a sac fly to left to score Moreland before Devers doubled home Holt. Bogaerts doubled home Devers to increase the lead before Martinez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-0.
Rodriguez punched out Hunter Renfroe to start the bottom of the second before Eric Hosmer singled. Wil Myers banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox threatened in the top of the third inning and Benintendi singled to center to begin. Vazquez flied out to center and that was it for Paddack. Robbie Erlin came in and Moreland singled but Holt took strike three. Rodriguez grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Ty France watched strike three go by to start the bottom of the third before Luis Urias grounded back to the mound. Erlin grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the fourth inning although Mr. Mookie flied out to right to begin. Devers singled, Bogaerts walked and Erlin uncorked a wild pitch to move both runners into scoring position. Martinez scored Devers with a sac fly before Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning with Boston ahead 7-0.
Rodriguez got some help again in the bottom of the fourth when Margot singled to start. Mejia walked but Machado banged into a double play. Renfroe whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the fifth as Vazquez grounded out to third to start. Moreland grounded out to first and Holt hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. Rodriguez cruised in the bottom of the fifth as Hosmer grounded out to second to start. Myers lined out to center and France grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox put the exclamation point on in the top of the sixth when Hosmer dropped a routine transfer throw on a grounder by Rodriguez to start. Mr. Mookie singled and both runners moved into scoring position on the Devers ground out. The Padres pulled off a double switch when Eric Yardley took over for Myers in left with Josh Naylor coming in to pitch. Bogaerts singled home Rodriguez and Martinez hit his second 3 run homer of the game to ice the game. Benintendi flied out to center to end the inning but it was 11-0 Sox.
Rodriguez froze Urias for strike three to begin the bottom of the sixth but Naylor singled. Margot whiffed and Mejia lined out to right to end the inning.
Greg Garcia took over for Machado in the top of the seventh and Moreland grounded out to second to start. Holt grounded out to second and E-Rod grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Rodriguez returned for one more inning in the bottom of the seventh. Garcia whiffed but Renfroe singled to left. Hosmer banged into a double play to end the inning. In one of E-Rod's best starts of the year, he allowed no runs in 7 innings with just 5 hits and a walk.
Mr. Mookie flied out to left to start the top of the eighth before Devers grounded out to second. Marco Hernandez pinch hit for Bogaerts and beat out an infield single to third. Martinez concluded his day with a base hit and Chris Owings ran for him. Benintendi whiffed to end the inning. Sam Travis took Vazquez' spot in the lineup but went to left field with Benintendi moving to center. Betts went from center to right with Owings at third, Sandy Leon now behind the plate, Hernandez at second and Holt at short as Josh Smith took over on the mound. Austin Hedges pinch hit for Yardley and whiffed before France flied out to left. Urias lined back to the mound to end the inning.
Michael Baez came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Travis grounded out to second to begin. Naylor dropped a pop up by Moreland for an error but Holt forced Mitch at second. Leon flied out to center to end the inning. Smith came back to finish the job in the bottom of the ninth and Naylor grounded out to second to start. Margot flied out to center but Hernandez booted a ground ball by Mejia. Garcia grounded into a force to end the game, the Sox had won it easily 11-0.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He struck not one but two three run home runs to pace the offensive attack. He had 7 total rbis on the night.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 3 for 5 with an rbi and 3 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Eduardo Rodriguez was outstanding, tossing 7 shutout innings while allowing just 5 hits and a walk. He also scored a run as a batter.
Josh Smith tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Sam Travis was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Marco Hernandez got a hit as a pinch hitter but committed an error.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5.
Mitch Moreand was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored.
Brock Holt was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Chris Owings ran for Martinez and played third base in the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Technically the Sox have won 2 games in a row but the sour feeling against Philadelphia isn't going away. The Sox are running out of time to go on a run to make the playoffs and they simply may not be talented enough to do it on the pitching side. Ironically Rodriguez is their ace and his ERA is damn near 4. As for this game, at least they won easy for once. Wish they could have had that same tenacity against the Phillies and they'd be in better shape than they are now. The win improved the Sox to 69-61, 6.5 games behind the Oakland A's for the second wild card spot. The Sox look to make it two in a row against San Diego when they send Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 6.69 ERA) to the mound against Dinelson Lamet of the Padres. The game begins at a 8:40 PM Eastern start time at Petco Park.
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