Johnson got the ball in the top of the first inning and the Angels pounced on him. David Fletcher lined out to right but Mike Trout doubled to left. Shohei Ohtani flied out to left but Justin Upton walked. Albert Pujols crushed a 3 run bomb to put the Angels up early. Kole Calhoun looked at strike three to end the inning but the Angels had 2 hits and 3 runs. They would get just 1 hit the rest of the day but led 3-0.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the first as Mr. Mookie Betts doubled to right against LA starter Jaime Barria. Rafael Devers flied out to left before Xander Bogaerts popped up to third. JD Martinez doubled to left to score Betts. Andrew Benintendi grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Johnson cruised in the top of the second inning as Luis Rengifo flied out to right to start. Max Stassi popped up to second and Wilfredo Tovar lined out to short to end the inning. The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the second as Christian Vazquez grounded out to third to begin. Moreland grounded out to second and Brock "The Hitman" Holt flied out to right to end the inning.
Fletcher grounded out to short to start the top of the third inning but Trout walked. Trout was erased on the force by Ohtani and Sox manager Alex Cora had seen enough. Johnson was out after 3 runs allowed in 2 2/3 innings. Marcus Walden came in and Ohtani was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second to start before Mr. Mookie whiffed. Devers grounded out to second to end the inning.
Walden punched out Upton to start the top of the fourth inning but Pujols was plunked. Calhoun banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the fourth as Bogaerts doubled to start. Martinez then crushed his 26th home run of the season to tie the game. Benintendi whiffed and Vazquez grounded out to second. Moreland flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Walden returned for the top of the fifth and Rengifo lined out to center to start. Stassi popped up to short before Tovar grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Holt grounded out to first to start. JBJ singled to right and Mr. Mookie bashed his 20th home run of the season to give the Sox the lead. Devers whiffed and Bogaerts flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.
Nathan Eovaldi came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Fletcher grounded out to third to begin. Trout looked at strike three and Ohtani grounded out to short to end the inning. Justin Anderson came in for the bottom of the sixth and the Sox poured it on. Martinez doubled to right before Benintendi walked. Vazquez caught the Angels asleep with a bunt single to load the bases. Moreland popped up to third as Adalberto Mejia came in for Anderson. Sam Travis pinch hit for Holt and walked in a run. JBJ hit a routine grounder to second but Rengifo booted it, Benintendi and Vazquez scoring. Mr. Mookie walked to reload the bases and Devers singled home Travis and JBJ. Trevor Cahill replaced Mejia and Bogaerts banged into a double play to end the inning but the Sox iced it and led 10-3.
Michael Chavis took over at second in the top of the seventh and the Angels struck back. Upton hit a ground rule double to right but Pujols grounded out to third. Calhoun was plunked and Rengifo walked to load the bases. Brian Goodwin replaced Stassi and walked in a run. Matt Thaiss pinch hit for Tovar and banged into a double play to end the inning with the Angels down 10-4.
The Sox kept attacking in the bottom of the seventh with Kevan Smith behind the plate. Martinez jacked his 27th home run of the season to increase the lead before Benintendi was plunked. Vazquez walked and Moreland doubled home Benintendi. Chavis grounded out to third, JBJ whiffed and Mr. Mookie grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 12-4.
Devers moved to short, Vazquez moved to third and Sandy Leon came in to catch with Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez now on the mound for the top of the eighth. Fletcher flied out to center before Trout popped up to first. Ohtani whiffed to end the inning. The Sox were relentless in the bottom of the eighth as Devers joined the home run parade with his 24th of the season. Leon grounded out to first but Thaiss threw a routine grounder by Martinez away for an error. Benintendi whiffed before a wild pitch moved Martinez to third. Vazquez singled home Martinez and Moreland wrapped up the scoring with a 2 run blast to left. Chavis whiffed to end the inning but the massacre continued 16-4.
Josh Taylor had mop up duty in the top of the ninth. Upton and Pujols both whiffed to start before Calhoun lined out to right to end the game. The Sox took a dump on the Angels and won the game 16-4.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He paced the offense with 4 hits including two home runs and four total rbis.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 total runs scored and a 2 run home run.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with 3 total rbis and a home run.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 5 with 3 total rbis and a 2 run home run.
Sam Travis walked home a run and scored a run as a pinch hitter.
Marcus Walden got the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Hector Velazquez tossed a scoreless 8th inning.
Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Sandy Leon was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Brock Holt was 0 for 2.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Brian Johnson allowed 3 runs in just 2 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 but walked, got plunked and scored twice.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored twice.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
As the season trudges on with the Sox out of contention the only reason to watch the games at this point are for nights like this one. Since they have no chance of catching the New York Yankees or Tampa Bay Rays at least they can go down fighting with some wins here and there. Its a shame the pitching let the Sox down this season because the offense is still scary. If the entire pitching staff with the exception of maybe Eduardo Rodriguez didn't have a down year, maybe they'd be ready to repeat. Instead there's nothing left to do but play out the string the last two months and hope for wins like this. The win improved the Sox to 63-56, nowhere near anyone for any kind of playoff spot. Tomorrow the Sox look to make it 3 in a row against the Angels as "Slick" Rick Porcello (10-8) goes for the Sox opposite Andrew Heaney at 4:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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