After the Boston Red Sox were embarrassed by the New York Yankees in a four game sweep over the weekend and reeling from 8 straight defeats, the Sox had to make a stand at home against the Kansas City Royals. For one game at least, the Sox made that stand. "Slick" Rick Porcello (10-8, 5.54 ERA) earned his 10th win of the season by tossing 6 solid innings of 1 run ball. The Sox offense came alive with home runs by Sam Travis and Rafael Devers to pace them. After yet another bullpen meltdown by Matt Barnes, Brandon Workman slammed the door in the top of the ninth to nail down the win. The Sox beat the Royals 7-5 at Fenway Park.
Porcello got the ball in the top of the first inning and Whit Merrifield grounded out to second to start. Alex Gordon flied out to center but Hunter Dozier doubled to left. Jorge Soler grounded out to third to end the inning. Royals starter Mike Montgomery got the ball in the bottom of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts took strike three to start. Rafael Devers whiffed and Xander Bogaerts singled to right. Andrew Benintendi doubled to center but Bogaerts was thrown out at home to end the inning.
YERRRR OUT!
Cheslor Cuthbert struck out swinging to start the top of the second but Ryan O'Hearn walked. Bubba Starling lined out to center and Meibrys Viloria grounded into a force to end the inning. Sam Travis and Christian Vazquez both whiffed to start the bottom of the second but Michael Chavis singled to left. Jackie Bradley Jr singled to second and Sandy Leon whiffed to end the inning.
Nicky Lopez singled to center to open the top of the third and moved to second on the Merrifield grounder. Gordon whiffed but Dozier walked. Soler grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox struck in the bottom of the third as Mr. Mookie walked to start. Devers singled to center and Lopez went OLE! on a ground ball by Bogaerts to allow Devers to score the first run. Benintendi banged into a double play but Travis belted his third home run of the season to increase the lead. Vazquez whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 3-0.
Porcello cruised in the top of the fourth as Cuthbert lined out to center to start. O'Hearn lined out to center as well and Starling grounded out to short to end the inning. Chavis grounded out to third to start the bottom of the fourth before JBJ popped up to second. Leon grounded out to second to end the inning.
Viloria grounded out to short to begin the top of the fifth before Lopez grounded out to first. Merrifield singled to second but Gordon struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the fifth as Mr. Mookie grounded out to second to start. Devers then smashed his 23rd home run of the season to increase the lead. Bogaerts grounded out to short and Benintendi whiffed to end the inning but it was 4-0 Sox.
The Royals finally got to Porcello in the top of the sixth although Dozier whiffed to start. Porcello froze Soler for strike three but Cuthbert hit a home run all the way to Pluto to cut the lead. O'Hearn popped up to first to end the inning. That was it for Porcello who gave the Sox 6 good innings to put them in position to win.
Kevin McCarthy came on for the bottom of the sixth and Travis grounded out to second to start. Vazquez grounded out to second as well but Chavis beat out an infield single to third. JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning.
Nathan Eovaldi was first out of the pen and the Royals tagged him in the top of the seventh. Starling flied out to right but Viloria crushed his first home run of the season into the Indian Ocean to cut the lead in half. Lopez flied out to left but Merrifield walked. Gordon flied out to center to end the inning with the Royals down 4-2.
The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the seventh with Tim Hill now on the mound for Kansas City. Leon singled to left and Mr. Mookie walked to start. Devers flied out to right and Scott Barlow replaced Hill. Somehow Leon scored all the way from second on a wild pitch and Bogaerts drew a walk. Benintendi doubled home both runners to increase the lead. Travis grounded out to first and Vazquez whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-2.
All of a sudden Mookie Betts fell over in the dugout screaming and grabbing his leg. Betts had to be hauled off on a gurney, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Brigham & Women's ICU. Brock Holt came in to take Betts' place as Matt Barnes came in to pee his pants in the top of the eighth. Dozier singled to left and Vazquez got in the way of Soler on a grounder to cause catcher's interference. Cuthbert whiffed and O'Hearn flied out to center but Starling hit a 80,000 foot home run to cut the lead. Viloria took strike three to end the inning but it was now 7-5.
Josh Staumont came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth as Chavis walked to start. JBJ lined out to center, Leon flied out to left and Holt lined out to right to end the inning.
Brandon Workman came in to close out the top of the ninth and Lopez whiffed to start. Merrfield doubled to left then moved to third on the Gordon grounder to first. Dozier took strike three to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-5.
Hero of the Night is Rick Porcello. He earned his 10th win of the season with 6 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
The Good:
Mookie Betts walked twice and scored twice in four plate appearances.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with 2 total runs scored and a home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Brandon Workman tossed a scoreless ninth inning to earn his sixth save.
The Bad:
Brock Holt was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed a run in the seventh inning.
Matt Barnes allowed a 3 run homer in the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Sam Travis was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 2 run home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4.
Sandy Leon was just 1 for 4 with an error and a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
After 8 straight losses, it feels different to be on the winning side for once. The Sox almost blew the game with their shoddy relief after Porcello left the game. Luckily the offense scored enough runs to off-set the leaky pen. I don't know how Sox GM Dave Dombrowski still has a job after sitting on his hands at the trade deadline and watching the Sox implode during the four game sweet at the hands of the New York Yankees. Unless the Sox go on a massive winning streak to at least get back in wild card contention, he's definitely on the hot seat for his non-moves. As for this game, it was a good team win and hopefully the Sox can build on it going forward. The win improved the Sox to 60-55, 14.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row over the Royals when they send Andrew Cashner (10-6, 4.43 ERA) to the mound up against Jakob Junis tomorrow night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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