It was a good day for Boston sports as the Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their second round NBA playoff series and the Boston Red Sox once again the Sox defeated the Washington Nationals. Just like yesterday, the Sox won it on the back of their bullpen. Zack Godley lasted just 4 2/3 innings and allowed 5 runs. The Boston bullpen pitched the next 4 1/3 scoreless innings to hold the Nationals down. The Sox offense got a boost by rookie Bobby Dalbec hitting his first home run in his ML debut and Rafael Devers smashing two home runs. It wasn't pretty but the Sox made it two in a row over the Nationals with a 9-5 win at Fenway Park.
Godley got the ball in the top of the first and Trea Turner got a base hit to left to start. Turner moved to second on the Juan Soto grounder and to third on the grounder by Asdrubal Cabrera. Eric Thames grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting to Nationals starter Austin Voth in the bottom of the first although Alex Verdugo lined out to first to start. Rafael Devers walked but JD Martinez flied out to left. Xander Bogaerts absolutely hammered his 8th home run of the year over everything to give the Sox the lead. Kevin Pillar doubled to center and Kevin Plawecki singled up the middle to score Pillar to increase the lead. Plawecki stole second on a botched hit a run and Jackie Bradley Jr grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Godley got Yan Gomes to line out to center to begin the top of the second before Adam Eaton grounded out to first. Josh Harrison was plunked but Luis Garcia grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second although Bobby Dalbec made his ML debut by striking out swinging to start. Jose Peraza went down hacking but Verdugo doubled to left and Devers hit a home run into the Nationals bullpen to increase the lead. Martinez hit a ground rule double just over the head of Eaton in right but Bogaerts whiffed to end the inning with the Sox up 5-0.
Naturally the Nationals jumped all over Godley in the top of the third inning as Victor Robles singled to left to start. Turner got his 7th straight hit with a single to left and Soto singled home Robles, moving Trea to third. Cabrera scored Turner with a sac fly and Verdugo nearly fell down catching a Thames fly out. Gomes doubled Soto to third but JBJ made a good running catch to rob Eaton of extra bases to end the inning with the Nationals down 5-2.
The Sox got the run right back in the bottom of the third with Javy Guerra on the mound for Washington. Pillar singled to center and Plawecki doubled him home just like that. JBJ flied out to right but Dalbec crushed his first career big league home run just inside Pesky's Pole to increase the lead. Peraza whiffed and Verdugo grounded out to third to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 8-2.
Naturally the Nationals got to Godley in the top of the fourth as Harrison hit a 45,000 foot home run to cut the lead. Garcia grounded out to short, Robles went down hacking and Turner was finally retired on a swinging strikeout to end the inning with the Nationals down 8-3.
The Sox tried to get the run back in the bottom of the fourth as Devers singled to center to start. Martinez whiffed but Bogaerts singled Devers to third. Pillar banged into a double play to end the inning.
Soto popped up to first to start the top of the fifth before Cabrera whiffed. It should be noted that Godley became the first starter other than Perez or Eovaldi to record an out in the fifth inning, pathetic. Naturally Thames hit a 599,000 foot home run to cut the lead before Gomes walked. Eaton tripled home Gomes and Sox manager Ron Roenicke had enough. Godley lived up to his ERA as he allowed 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings. Josh Osich came in and got Harrison to line out to center to end the inning with the Nationals back in it 8-5.
Dakota Bacus came in for the bottom of the fifth and Plawecki lined out to right to start. JBJ grounded back to the mound and Dalbec whiffed to end the inning.
Osich returned for the top of the sixth and Garcia grounded out to short to start. Robles took strike three but naturally Turner got a hit to center. Soto singled to third but Cabrera grounded into a force to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the sixth although Peraza grounded out to third to start. Garcia booted a ground ball by Verdugo and Devers got a base hit to left. Verdugo moved to third on the fly out by Martinez but tragedy struck when a cardboard cutout fell out of the Monster Seats and onto the field. Red Sox medical staff sprinted onto the field and hauled the cutout out on a gurney. Bogaerts walked to load the bases but Pillar grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Josh Taylor took over for the top of the seventh and Thames walked to start. Gomes popped up to first, Eaton whiffed and Harrison went down hacking to end the inning. Plawecki grounded out to short to start the bottom of the seventh and Sean Doolittle was brought in to face lefties. JBJ singled to right and Dalback hit a wind aided pop up single over the head of Garcia. Peraza flied out to left and Verdugo flied out to right to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier came in for the top of the eighth inning and Garcia walked to start. Robles popped up to second before Turner whiffed. Soto grounded into a force to end the inning. The Sox had not allowed a run after Godley was removed, that's surprising. Daniel Hudson took over for the bottom of the eighth and Devers greeted him with his second homer of the day to wrap up the scoring. Martinez was hit on the hand and he keeled over grabbing it. Martinez had to be carried out on a stretcher, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Brigham & Women's ICU. Tzu-Wei Lin pinch ran for Martinez but Bogaerts flied out to center. Pillar lined one off of Hudson but he was thrown out at first. Plawecki walked and Ryne Harper was brought in to get JBJ to take strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-5.
Austin Brice came in to close out the top of the ninth and Cabrera lined out to first to start. Thames took strike three but Goms doubled to center. Eaton flied out to left to end the game. The Sox had won two straight over the Nationals with a 9-5 win.
Hero of the Night is Rafael Devers. He went 4 for 4 with not one but two home runs.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk and a 2 run home run.
Kevin Pillar was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Kevin Plawecki was 2 for 4 with a walk, stolen base, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 4 with a 2 run home run in his ML debut.
Josh Osich earned the win with a 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Austin Brice pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jose Peraza was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Zack Godley allowed 5 runs in just 4 2/3 innings as the starter.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout before leaving.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Honorable Mention:
Tzu-Wei Lin pinch ran for JD Martinez in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
Losing Moreland hurts because he's been as consistent as anyone on the Red Sox the last 4 seasons. Still, he was a 34 year old impending free agent and to flip him for two 21 year old prospects is the best you were going to get. So far this year the Red Sox have traded Mookie Betts, Mitch Moreland, Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman for Verdugo, Connor Wong, Jeter Downs, Connor Seabold, Nick Pivetta, Jeisson Rosario and Hudson Potts. Verdugo and Pivetta are Major Leaguers but the other 5 are prospects. Chaim Bloom is doing what he can to salvage the franchise from the ground up. At least the Pawtuc.....Worcester Red Sox next year will be fun to watch. As for the game, that's two days in a row the Red Sox bullpen didn't allow a run after the bum of a starter was pulled. Thankfully there's only 26 games left of torture to sit through so the "opener" project can be thrown in the garbage in a month. Also the Luxury Tax resets after tomorrow so as long as there's not another race related incident, a Covid outbreak or a giant comet destroys the Earth, the Sox will be in the clear to spend some money this winter. The win improved the Sox to an unimpressive 12-22, last place in the AL East. The feel good wins go out the window tomorrow night when the Atlanta Braves come to Fenway. Their undefeated ace Max Fried goes for win number six as the Sox will start....Colten Brewer (0-2, 4.57 ERA). The carnage begins at 7:30 PM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment