Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Garrett Whitlock was placed on the Covid List and Colten Brewer was called up from Worcester to tale his place.
On a night where the Boston Bruins lost their Game 1 of their first round NHL Playoff series to the Washington Capitals, the Boston Red Sox beat the daylights out of the Los Angeles Angels. The Boston bats pounded out 12 total hits and 9 runs in a balanced attack, knocking out Angels starter Dylan "King Kong" Bundy. Alex Verdugo hit a home run on his 25th birthday, Franchy Cordero drove in a pair of runs and Rafael Devers smacked his tenth home run of the season. Martin Perez (1-2, 3.40 ERA) tossed 6 shutout innings and the Boston JV bullpen didn't allow a run to preserve the shutout. It was an easy, all-around fun win as the Sox blanked the Angels 9-0 at Fenway Park.
Perez got the ball to start the top of the first inning and Taylor Ward walked to start. Shohei Ohtani hit a cue shot down the left field line but Ward stopped at second with Ohtani running with his head down. Ohtani tried to run back to first but was tagged out in a rundown. Mike Trout walked but Anthony Rendon popped up to Hunter Renfroe. Jose Iglesias grounded into a force to end the inning.
Bundy got the ball in the bottom of the first and Marwin Gonzalez flied out to right to start. The birthday boy Alex Verdugo broke his 0 for 14 slump with a home run over the Red Sox bullpen to give the Sox the lead. JD Martinez hit a little roller up the middle for a base hit and Xander Bogaerts walked, but Rafael Devers popped up to center. Christian Vazquez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Phil Gosselin took strike three to start the top of the second and Justin Upton also watched strike three go by. Kurt Suzuki walked but David Fletcher grounded into a force to end the inning. Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Dalbec grounded out to Rendon to start the bottom of the second. Franchy Cordero grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Ward took strike three to start the top of the third before Perez struck out Ohtani swinging on a fastball up and in. Trout walked on borderline pitch but Rendon popped up to second to end the inning. Gonzalez took strike three to start the bottom of the third before Verdugo popped up to Iglesias and Martinez swung at strike three in the dirt to end the inning.
Iglesias grounded out to third to begin the top of the fourth but Gosselin blooped a single to center. Upton banged into a double play to end the inning. Bogaerts doubled to left to start the bottom of the fourth before Devers walked. Naturally Vazquez popped up to first and Renfroe took strike three right down the middle. Dalbec hit a fly ball to the left field wall and Upton just missed catching it for a double to score both runners. Somehow Cordero doubled down the first base line to score Dalbec with another run. Gonzalez popped up to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
Perez got Suzuki to ground out to third to start the top of the fifth and Fletcher grounded out to second. Ward singled to center but Ohtani took strike three to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the fifth as Verdugo singled to right to begin. Martinez blooped a base hit to center and Bogaerts hit a home run onto Lansdowne Street to ice the game. That was it for Bundy as old friend Noe Ramirez came in and Devers greeted him with a base hit to right. Vazquez lined out to center and Renfroe banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-0.
Perez returned for one last inning in the top of the sixth. Trout lined out to center, Rendon grounded out to third and Iglesias popped up to second to end the inning. Perez was outstanding, tossing 6 shutout innings while allowing 3 hits and 4 walks.
The Sox got another run in the bottom of the sixth as Dalbec doubled to left to start. Cordero doubled into right to score Dalbec and increase the lead. Gonzalez flied out to right to move Cordero to third but Verdugo grounded out to first. Martinez flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-0.
Phillips Valdez came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Gosselin flied out to left to start. Upton struck out swinging but Suzuki walked. Fletcher grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the seventh as Jonathan Arauz pinch hit for Bogaerts. Arauz lined out to left but Devers hit his 10th bomb of the season to right to wrap up the scoring. Vazquez flied out to right and Renfroe flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-0.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in to pitch the top of the eighth with Kevin Plawecki now behind the plate. Ward walked but Ohtani struck out swinging. Trout popped up to first and a wild pitch moved Ward to second. Rendon walked but Iglesias grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Alex Claudio came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Dalbec flied out to right to start. Cordero struck out swinging and Gonzalez grounded out to first to end the inning.
Austin Brice came in to close out the top of the ninth but Gosselin lined a base hit to center to start. Upton popped up to Dalbec, Suzuki took strike three and Fletcher grounded out to first to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-0.
Hero of the Night is Alex Verdugo. The birthday boy got the rally started with a first inning home run.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 2 with a 3 run bomb, a walk and 2 total runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a walk, solo home run and 2 runs scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Franchy Cordero was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Martin Perez tossed 6 shutout innings while allowing 3 hits and 4 walks.
Phillips Valdez pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Austin Brice pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Jonathan Arauz was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4.
Hunter Renfroe was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
None
Honorable Mention:
Kevin Plawecki caught the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
The word is with a glut of players about to come off the Injured List, its created the good kind of competition where guys are playing for their jobs. Last night it was Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Dalbec, today it was Dalbec and Franchy Cordero. Austin Price, Darwinzon Hernandez and Phillips Valdez are also on the chopping block if the Sox decide to go with extra bodies on the bench instead of the bullpen, and all three of them pitched shutout innings. Martin Perez got his first win of the season and Cora learned his lesson not to pull him an inning early this time. The Sox are halfway through May and even though they have some problems, they're staying afloat for now. The win improved the Sox to 25-16, 2 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to sweep the Angels tomorrow when Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.20 ERA) takes on Jose Quintana of the Angels. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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