Mr. Mookie Betts began the night by getting rung up on a full count check swing to start the top of the first. Rafael Devers whiffed on a full count and Xander Bogaerts popped up to second to end the inning. Eovaldi got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Greg Garcia effortlessly singled. Josh Naylor whiffed on a nasty curve and the alert Eovaldi picked off Garcia. Manny Machado grounded out to first to end the inning.
JD Martinez whiffed on a full count to begin the top of the second before Andrew Benintendi lined a base hit up the middle. Benintendi was thrown out trying to steal by a mile before Christan Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning. Eovaldi got Eric Hosmer to fly out to left to start the bottom of the second before Hunter Renfroe whiffed. Manny Margot looked at strike three to end the inning.
Mitch Moreland lashed a base hit to left to begin the top of the third before Holt was hit in the foot. Eovaldi dropped down a bunt but it failed as the slow Moreland was thrown out at third. Mr. Mookie did manage to line a base hit to right to score Holt to give the Sox the lead. Devers once again whiffed at a pitch up in his eyes and Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning but the Sox were up 1-0.
The Padres threatened in the bottom of the third as news broke that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck retired at age 29. Luis Urias singled to right but Austin Hedges lined out to left. Padres starter Dinelson Lamet bunted Urias to second before Garcia walked. Naylor popped up to short to end the inning.
The Sox broke it open in the top of the fourth as Martinez singled to center to start. Benintendi drew a walk and Vazquez doubled into the gap to score both runners. Moreland lashed a single to center to score Vazquez with another run. Holt hit a liner to short before Eovaldi took strike three. Mr. Mookie lined out to left to end the inning but it was 4-0 Sox.
The Padres fought back in the bottom of the fourth as Machado singled to center and Hosmer blasted a 52,000 foot home run to cut the lead in half and chase Eovaldi. The incompetent Eovaldi lasted just three innings in the midst of a game the Sox needed to win.
Marcus Walden came in and Renfroe stuck his bat out and doubled to shallow left. He moved to third on the line out to a running Betts in center before scoring on the Urias grounder. Hedges walked but Lamet grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Padres now down 4-3.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Devers flied out to the centerfield wall to begin. Bogaerts and Martinez drew back to back walks but Benintendi naturally banged into a double play to end the inning. Darwinzon Hernandez came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Garcia grounded out to short to start. Naylor grounded out to second and Machado whiffed to end the inning.
Matt Straham took over for the top of the sixth and Vazquez hit a routine grounder to Urias. Urias airmailed the throw and Vazquez reached first on the error. Vazquez moved to second on the grounder by Moreland but Holt whiffed. Sam Travis pinch hit for Hernandez and grounded out to short to end the inning. Betts moved to right, Martinez moved to left and Jackie Bradley Jr came in for Benintendi in center with Ryan Brasier on the mound for the bottom of the sixth. Brasier blew away Hosmer and Renfroe before Margot popped up to Holt in foul territory to end the inning.
Andres Munoz shut down the Sox in the top of the seventh as Mr. Mookie popped up to center to begin. Devers grounded out to second as Bogaerts sliced a single down the first base line. Martinez whiffed to end the inning. The Royals tied it in the bottom of the seventh as Urias walked to start. Hedges whiffed but Fransisco Mejia pinch hit for Munoz only to be plunked. Sox manager Alex Cora pulled Brasier in favor of Josh Taylor. Ty France pinch hit for Garcia and singled home Urias to tie the game, the 24th blown save of the year for the Sox. Taylor failed to cover first on a double play ball by Naylor to put runners at the corners and Machado walked on 4 pitches to load the bases. Hosmer whiffed to end the inning but the game was tied 4-4.
Craig Stammen came in for the top of the eighth and JBJ took a high strike three to start. Vazquez singled to center but Moreland banged into a double play to end the inning. Matt Barnes came on for the bottom of the eighth and Renfroe whiffed to start. Margot hit one up the elevator shaft but Urias singled to center. Hedges popped up to center to end the inning.
Royals closer Kirby Yates came in for the top of the ninth and Hitman Holt pounded a solo home run to dead center to give the Sox the lead. Marco Hernandez pinch hit for Barnes and whiffed before Betts hit a routine pop up in shallow right...THAT DROPPED! France just watched it drop and Betts was on second with a "double". He was stranded as Devers popped up to left but Bogaerts walked. Martinez walked to load the bases but naturally JBJ popped up to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-4.
Brandon Workman came in to close the bottom of the ninth as Austin Allen pinch hit for Yates, only to strike out swinging. France walked on four pitches and Wil Myers ran for him, moving to second on the wild pitch by Workman. Naylor was frozen for strike three on a curve before Machado walked. Workman whiffed Hosmer on a nasty curve to end the game. It wasn't easy but the Sox had held on to win it 5-4.
Hero of the Night is Brock Holt. His go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth was the decisive blow.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks.
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Darwinzon Hernandez pitched a scoreless 5th inning.
Brandon Workman earned his 8th save with a scoreless ninth.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Sam Travis was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Marco Hernandez struck out as a pinch hitter.
Nathan Eovaldi lasted 3 innings and allowed 2 runs.
Marcus Walden allowed a run in the fourth inning.
The Ugly:
Ryan Brasier was charged with a run in 1 1/3 innings.
Josh Taylor allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own.
Final Thoughts:
That was a gutsy win but the Sox can't possibly keep this up. They can't have guys go three innings and expect the bullpen to carry them the rest of the way. The 1982 Red Sox ultimately failed to topple the Milwaukee Brewers because their rotation was garbage and their bullpen got tired. Beating teams under .500 is nice but they're not going to beat the New York Yankees or Tampa Bay Rays. Brock Holt's homer makes Cora's decision not to pinch hit him the other night even worse. There's a reason he's called "The Hitman" and all they needed was a single. Still, the Sox have to win any way they can from here on if they have any hope of October baseball. The win improved the Sox to 70-61, 6 games behind the Rays for the second wild card. Tomorrow the Sox can finish off a sweep when they send Brian Johnson (1-2, 6.58 ERA) to the mound against Joey Lucchesi at 4:10 PM at Petco Park
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