Everything's coming up Boston Red Sox lately. The Sox walked into Baltimore without having to face their ace John Means and won their second straight game against the Baltimore Orioles. The Sox offense were led by the returning Michael Chavis who belted a 2 run homer in his first game back from Worcester. The Sox bats pounded out 14 hits and 11 runs to make this game a laughter early. Garrett Richards (2-2, 4.54 ERA) went 7 innings and allowed 4 runs to keep the Sox ahead for most of the game. Everyone on offense either got a hit, walked or drove in a run in a balanced effort. Austin Brice failed to close out the ninth but Josh Taylor slammed the door and the Sox had won it 11-6 at Camden Yards.
Rookie Zac Lowther got the ball in the top of the first inning and Michael Chavis struck out swinging to start. Alex Verdugo singled to center but JD Martinez lined out to center. Xander Bogaerts grounded into a force to end the inning. The O's wasted no time getting to Richards in the bottom of the first as Cedric Mullins singled in the hole at second to start. Mullins swiped second but Austin Hays popped up to first. Trey Mancini moved Mullins to third with a grounder but DJ Stewart singled home Mullins to give the O's the lead. Ryan Mountcastle grounded into a force to end the inning with the O's up 1-0.
Stewart strikes first
The Sox roared back in the top of the second inning as Rafael Devers grounded out to second to start. Christian Vazquez walked and Marwin Gonzales hit a line drive to right. Stewart airmailed the throw back and Vazquez scored on the error. Hunter Renfroe singled home Gonzalez but Bobby Dalbec flied out to right. Chavis then smashed his first home run of the season to increase the lead. Verdugo singled to center but Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Welcome back Chavis
The O's fought back in the bottom of the second as Freddy Galvis hit a home run all the way to the Schloss Adler to cut the lead. Maikel Franco grounded out to short and Chance Sisco grounded out to second, but Rio Ruiz singled to left. Mullins grounded out to short to end the inning with the O's down 4-2.
The Sox iced the game early in the top of the third as Bogaerts singled to short to start. Devers walked and Vazquez singled home Bogaerts. Gonzalez struck out swinging and that was it for Lowther. Shawn Armstrong came in and Renfroe hit one up the elevator shaft, but Dalbec singled home both Devers and Vazquez to put the game out of reach. Chavis struck out swinging to end the inning with Boston ahead 7-2.
Dalbec drives in a pair
Richards cruised in the bottom of the third as Hays flied out to center to start. Mancini grounded out to short and Stewart grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth as Verdugo and Martinez stroked back to back singles to start. Bogaerts blooped a base hit over the head of Mancini to load the bases and Devers beat out a double play ball to score Verdugo. Vazquez got a base hit to left to score Martinez with another run but Gonzalez took strike three. Renfroe whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-2.
Richards cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Mountcastle took strike three to start. Galvis struck out swinging and Franco grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Old pal Travis Lakins came in to pitch the top of the fifth and Dalbec flied out to right to start. Chavis flied out to right and Verdugo flied out to left to end the inning. Sisco singled to left to start the bottom of the sixth but Ruiz banged into a double play. Mullins struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the sixth with Tyler Wells now on the mound. Martinez walked and moved to second on a wild pitch before Bogaerts clobbered his seventh homer of the season to increase the lead. Devers and Vazquez struck out swinging and Gonzalez grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 11-2.
The O's wasted no time getting to Richards in the bottom of the sixth when Hays doubled down the third base line to start. Mancini also doubled down the third base line to score Hays with another run. Stewart walked but Mountcastle struck out swinging. Ramon Urias pinch hit for Galvis and singled home Mancini but Franco banged into a double play to end the inning with the O's down 11-4.
Renfroe singled to right to start the top of the seventh but Dalbec struck out swinging. Chavis lined out to right and Verdugo flied out to left to end the inning. Richards returned for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh and Sisco grounded out to third to start. Ruiz struck out swinging and Mullins lined out to short to end the inning. Richards wasn't spectacular but he went 7 innings, allowed 4 runs and struck out 5.
Tanner Scott came in for the top of the eighth and Martinez took strike three to start. Kevin Plawecki pinch hit for Bogaerts and walked before Franchy Cordero pinch hit for Devers. Cordero walked and a wild pitch moved both runners over, but Vazquez struck out swinging. Gonzalez lined out to first to end the inning. The entire defense shifted to different positions and Austin Brice came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Hays took strike three and Mancini grounded out to second, but Stewart was plunked. Mountcastle flied out to right to end the inning.
Pat Valaika the second basemen came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Urias booted a grounder by Renfroe to start. Dalbec forced Renfroe at second and Chavis flied out to right. Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning. All of a sudden Brice fell apart in the bottom of the ninth as Urias was hit to start. Franco forced Urias at second and Sisco struck out swinging, but Ruiz was plunked too. Mullins walked to load the bases and Hays singled home both Franco and Ruiz to cut the lead. Josh Taylor had to clean up the mess and he struck out Mancini swinging to end the game. The Sox had won it 11-6.
Hero of the Night is Michael Chavis. In his first ML game in over a month, his 2 run homer keyed the Sox onslaught.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 3 for 6 with a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with a 2 run homer and 2 total runs scored.
Kevin Plawecki walked as a pinch hitter.
Franchy Cordero walked as a pinch hitter.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Hunter Renfroe was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Garrett Richards got the win with 7 innings of 4 run ball. He allowed 8 hits and struck out 5.
The Bad:
Austin Brice allowed 2 runs in 1 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored 2 runs.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Marwin Gonzalez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for 5 but drove in 2 runs.
Final Thoughts:
Its just the Orioles but the Sox offense came alive in this one. Chavis was a much needed shot in the arm although his only hit of the game was that home run. Bogaerts, Dalbec and Vazquez all had good games. It was nice to finally see a starter go seven innings and Richards wasn't great, but he gave the tired bullpen a much needed rest. Speaking of which, the Sox need to get Austin Brice out of here because he's this year's Pedro Ciriaco. In 2012 Ciriaco was a nice little sparkplug on a team going nowhere but by 2013 the Sox were contenders and didn't need Pedro anymore. Last year Brice and Philips Valdez were the only two who could get anyone out but this year the Sox actually have competent pitching that they need better than what Brice is giving them. The Sox still have Colten Brewer on the 40 Man Roster and at this point, he'd be better than Brice. All in all it was a nice balanced win and hopefully the Sox can keep the momentum going. The win improves the Sox to 21-13, 3 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox look to win their fourth straight game when the undefeated Nick Pivetta (4-0, 3.23 ERA) takes on Dean Kremer of the Orioles at 1:05 PM at Camden Yards.
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