The Sox wasted no time going ahead in the top of the first inning against Angels starter Jose Suarez. Mr. Mookie Betts crushed his 22nd home run of the year on the 5th pitch of the game to give the Sox the instant lead. Rafael Devers was plunked but Xander Bogaerts whiffed. JD Martinez banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Nathan Eovaldi was the Sox starter and he got Brian Goodwin to fly out to center to start the top of the first inning. Mike Trout walked but Shohei Ohtani whiffed. Albert Pujols singled but Kole Calhoun whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the second inning as Sam Travis walked to start. Andrew Benintendi was plunked but Christian Vazquez banged into a double play, moving Travis to third. Brock "The Hitman" Holt increased the lead with a base hit to left to increase the lead. Sandy Leon flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Eovaldi cruised in the bottom of the second as David Fletcher took strike three to start. Andrelton Simmons flied out to center before Luis Rengifo was frozen for strike three to end the inning.
The Sox kept up the attack in the top of the third inning as Mr. Mookie singled up the middle to start. Devers lined out to center and Bogaerts lined out to right but Martinez cracked his 33rd home run of the season to increase the lead. Travis grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
The Angels became their comeback in the bottom of the third although Max Stassi took strike three to start. Goodwin crushed his 14th home run of the season to put Angels on the board. Eovaldi cme back to freeze Trout and punch out Ohtani to end the inning but the Angels were down 4-1.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth inning as Benintendi grounded out to short to start. Vazquez grounded out to third and Holt whiffed to end the inning. Eovaldi came back for one more inning in the bottom of the fourth as Pujols lined out to center to start. Calhoun whiffed but Fletcher singled to right. Simmons grounded out to third to end the inning. That was it for Eovaldi who is being treated with kid gloves again, going 4 innings while allowing 1 run.
Nothing happened for the Sox in the top of the fifth inning as Leon lined out to short to begin. Mr. Mookie grounded out to short before Devers also grounded out to short to end the inning. The Angels continued the comeback against Josh Taylor in the bottom of the fifth. Rengifo singled to left and Stassi walked before Goodwin walked to load the bases. Somehow Taylor got Trout to pop up to second and Ohtani to ground a ball to Vazquez at first, coming home to nail Rengifo. One out away from pulling a Houdini, Sox manager Alex Cora lifted Taylor for Marcus Walden. Naturally Pujols singled home both Stassi and Goodwin to cut the lead. Calhoun grounded out to second to end the inning but Pujols has transformed into his 2004 self to bring the Angels within a run 4-3.
Old buddy Noe Ramirez came in to take a beating in the top of the sixth inning as Bogarts singled to center and Martinez doubled him home to increase the lead. Marco Hernandez pinch hit for Moreland and was hit with a pitch to chase the incompetent Ramirez. Miguel De Pozo came in and a bizarre play saw Martinez move to third on a pickoff attempt while Hernandez was out at second. Benintendi scored Martinez with a sac fly but Vazquez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-3. That was the last baserunner the Sox would have for the next 7 innings.
Walden cruised in the bottom of the sixth as Fletcher popped up to second to start. Simmons grounded out to third before Rengifo grounded out to short to end the inning.
Holt flied out to left to start the top of the seventh before Leon looked at strike three. Luis Garcia came in and got Mr. Mookie to line out to right to end the inning. Matt Barnes poured gas on the fire in the bottom of the seventh as Kevan Smith pinch hit for Stassi only to ground out to second. Goodwin pounded yet another home run to cut the lead. Trout popped up to third and Ohtani whiffed to end the inning but the game was now 6-4 Sox.
Devers grounded out to third to begin the top of the eighth before Bgaerts grounded out to second. Martinez whiffed to end the inning. Ryan Brasier came on for the bottom of the eighth and whiffed Pujols to start. Calhoun walked but Fletcher whiffed. Simmons walked to chase Brasier. Closer Brandon Workman came in and Justin Upton pinch hit for Rengifo. Upton singled to third to load the bases but Smith grounded out to second to end the inning.
Matt Thais came in to play third for the top of the ninth with Hansel Robles on the mound. Hernandez grounded out to second, Benintendi whiffed and Vazquez flied out to center to end the inning in short order. The Angels completed the comeback in the bottom of the ninth when Goodwin and Trout walked to start. Ohtani beat out a double play ball and the pain in the ass Pujols made the Sox pay for leaving Martinez in the outfield by lining a base hit to right. Martinez booted the ball and not only did Goodwin score but so did Ohtani to tie the game. Calhoun was intentionally walked to set up a force but both runners moved into scoring position on a Fletcher strike out. Simmons was intentionally walked to load the bases but Thaiss grounded out to second to end the inning with the game tied 6-6.
Holt whiffed to start the top of the tenth before Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Leon only to strike out swinging. Mr. Mookie popped up to second to end the inning. Vazquez took over behind the plate with Moreland taking over at first with rookie Darwinzon Hernandez now on the mound. Smith popped up to second to start before Goodwin took strike three. Trout singled to left but Ohtani struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ty Buttrey came in to pitch the top of the eleventh and Devers whiffed to start. Bogaerts grounded out to short but Martinez grounded out to first to end the inning. Pujols singled to center to begin the bottom of the eleventh but Hernandez punched out both Calhoun and Fletcher. Simmons singled to put the winning run at second but Thaiss whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the 12th inning as Hernandez whiffed to start. Benintendi struck out swinging before Vazquez lined out to center to end the inning. Andrew Cashner came in for the bottom of the 12th and Smith flied out to center to begin. Goodwin whiffed before Trout flied out to left to end the inning.
Kenyan Middleton came in for the top of the 13th inning and Holt drew a walk to become the first Sox baserunner since the 6th inning. Moreland lined out to left, Mr. Mookie whiffed and Devers popped up to first to end the inning. Cashner cruised in the bottom of the 13th as Ohtani grounded out to first to start. Pujols grounded out to second and Calhoun lined out to right to end the inning.
Trevor Cahill came in for the top of the 14th and Bogaerts whiffed to start. Martinez walked and Jackie Bradley Jr pinch ran for him. The Sox caught a break when Thaiss booted a grounder by Hernandez to put the go-ahead run at second base The rally ended as JBJ immediately got picked off although Hernandez moved to second. The mental error was compounded when Benintendi lined a single to right that would have scored JBJ. Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning. Betts moved to right with JBJ now in center to start the bottom of the 14th inning. Fletcher grounded out to short and Simmons flied out to right, but Thaiss walked. Smith whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox finally did something in the top of the 15th inning although Holt earned a hat trick by watching strike three go by to start. Moreland grounded out to second but Mr. Mookie cracked his 23rd home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Devers grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-6.
Cashner had three more outs to get in the bottom of the 15th inning and Goodwin whiffed to start. Trout walked to put the tying run on but Ohtani forced Trout at second. Pujols hit an absolute rocket to left but Benintendi snared it at the wall to end the game. Somehow the Sox somehow had won the game 7-6 in 15 innings.
Hero of the Night is Mookie Betts. His 15th inning home run put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Sam Travis walked and scored in two plate appearances.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed a run in 4 innings of work.
Darwinzon Hernandez tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Andrew Cashner earned the win with 4 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 6.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Jackie Bradley Jr got picked off as a pinch runner.
Josh Taylor allowed 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning.
Matt Barnes allowed a run in the 7th inning.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 6 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and was hit with a pitch.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 6 but scored a run.
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Brock Holt was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked and drove in a run.
Marcus Walden allowed 2 inherited runners to score but none of his own in 1 1/3 innings.
Ryan Brasier left two men on in the bottom of the eighth.
Brandon Workman gave up the lead in the bottom of the ninth but due to an error after escaping the eighth inning jam.
Final Thoughts:
That was one of the more pathetic wins of the season. The bullpen gave up the lead the somehow was untouchable in extra innings. The Sox offense put 6 runs on the board in six innings and didn't even have a baserunner for the next 7. The bullpen blew the game yet tossed 6 shutout innings with the game on the line. Its just that kind of season for the Sox who are in a mad scramble to stay alive. The Sox are doing this on sheer will at this point after Dave Dombrowski essentially abandoned them and said "go get em guys". They should be crushing the Angels, not going life and death with them. The win improved the Sox to 73-62, 6 game behind the Oakland A's for the second wild card. Tomorrow its a bullpen game when Josh Taylor is the opener for the Sox and Dillon Peters pitches for the Angels at 9:00 PM at Angel Stadium.
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