As for the game, it took almost four hours to complete but tonight's game against the Houston Astros was hardly boring. The Sox and Astros engaged in a slugfest that had Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez knocked out in the fifth inning and Houston starter Zack Greinke lasted just three innings. The Astros blasted Rodriguez for 6 runs and Matt Andriese for another to take a 7-4 lead. Christian Arroyo hit a clutch 3 run home run to tie the game in the fifth. Jose Altuve homered off Darwinzon Hernandez to give the Astros the lead but a bizarre bottom of the sixth had the Sox rally for 5 runs off the Astros bullpen. The Boston bullpen shut down the Astros the rest of the way and the Sox avoided a sweep with an eventful 12-8 win at Fenway Park.
Rodriguez got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jose Altuve led off by flying out to left. Carlos Correa walked but Alex Bregman struck out swinging. Yordan Alvarez popped up to third to end the inning. Greinke cruised in the bottom of the first as Kike Hernandez struck out swinging to start. Alex Verdugo grounded out to short and JD Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning.
As usual the Astros struck first in the top of the second when Yuli Gurriel effortlessly hit a home run all the way to Idaho to put the Astros on top. Kyle Tucker grounded out to second, Taylor Jones grounded out to short and Martin Maldonado went down hacking to end the inning with the Astros ahead 1-0.
Xander Bogaerts grounded out to short to start the bottom of the second but Rafael Devers somehow beat out a roller to third. Hunter Renfroe singled Devers to third and Christian Vazquez singled home Devers to tie the game. Christian Arroyo lined out to right but Bobby Dalbec singled to left to load the bases. Hernandez walked to score Renfroe but Verdugo grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
The Astros were personally offended that the Sox scored and immediately took the lead in the top of the third. Myles Straw struck out swinging to start before Altuve dropped a base hit to left. Altuve tried for second and Verdugo gunned him down for the second out. Correa walked, Bregman singled to left and Alvarez doubled both of them home to put the Astros back on top. Gurriel popped up to second to end the inning with the Astros up 3-2.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the third as Martinez smashed his 13th home run of the season to tie the game immediately. Bogaerts doubled to left but Devers flied out to right. Renfroe moved Bogaerts to third with a grounder to third and Vazquez scored Bogaerts with a base hit to center. Arroyo lined out to short but the Sox were in the lead 4-3.
Somehow Rodriguez kept the Astros off the board in the top of the fourth as Tucker lined out to center to start. Jones struck out swinging and Maldonado took strike three to end the inning. Brandon Bielak replaced Greinke in the bottom of the fourth and Dalbec flied out to right to start. Hernandez doubled to right but Verdugo grounded out to third. Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Astros finished off Rodriguez in the top of the fifth as Straw worked a ten pitch at bat, getting a base hit to left. Altuve flied out to center and Correa popped up to short, but Bregman singled to center. Alvarez walked and Sox manager Alex Cora slammed down a bag of sunflower seeds and kicked over a tub of Gatorade before telling Rodriguez to get the hell off the mound. With diminished velocity, Rodriguez couldn't even last 5 innings, eventually being charged with 6 runs. Matt Andriese came in and walked Gurriel on four straight pitches not even close to tie the game. Tucker laughed as he effortlessly ripped a base hit...UNDER THE GLOVE OF HERNANDEZ. All 3 runners scored and Renfroe had to climb the right field wall to rob Jones of a home run to end the inning. As usual the Astros effortlessly put up 4 runs in one inning to take the lead 7-4.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the fifth as Bogaerts grounded out to third to start. Devers got a seeing eye single to left but Renfroe popped up weakly to second. Vazquez got a base hit to right to move Devers to third and Arroyo clobbered a 3 run bomb to tie the game. Dalbec grounded out to short to end the inning but the game was tied 7-7.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in for the top of the sixth and, big surprise, the Astros struck again. Maldonado flied out to center to start and Straw took strike three, but Altuve effortlessly hit a home run all the way to Cuba to put the Astros up again. Correa took strike three but the Astros took the lead 8-7.
Blake Taylor came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and the Sox rallied when Hernandez doubled off the Monster to start. Hernandez moved to third on the grounder to short by Verdugo and Martinez hit a pop up to right...DROPPED BY TUCKER! Hernandez scored to tie the game and Martinez took first on the error. Bogaerts walked and both runners moved over on an infield fly pop up by Devers. That was it for Taylor as Enoli Paredes came in to pitch to Renfroe. Renfroe walked to load the bases before a streaker ran out on the field, coming within 10 feet of Paredes. Fenway security got rid of the intruder and Vazquez was hit by the rattled Paredes to give the Sox the lead. Arroyo scored Bogaerts with a walk and all of a sudden Astros manager Dusty Baker and the trainer sprinted to the mound. Paredes had to leave with an injury and Brooks Railet came in to pitch to Dalbec. Dalbec pounded a double odd the Monster to drive in 2 runs. Hernandez popped up to Altuve to end the inning with the Sox ahead 12-8.
Controversy erupted as Adam Ottavino came in for the top of the seventh. Bregman took strike three to start but Alvarez singled high off the Monster. Gurriel looked to have fouled a ball off his foot but home plate umpire Sean Barber pointed at it to signify fair ball. Vazquez threw to first to get the force but Alvarez thought the ball was foul so he trotted back to first only to be caught in a rundown. Dalbec fired to Arroyo who tagged out Alvarez for the double play. Astros manager Dusty Baker sprinted out of the dugout screaming like a maniac with a crowbar and took a swing at Barber before he was escorted out of Fenway by armed policemen to end the inning.
Verdugo grounded out to second to start the bottom of the seventh before Martinez flied out to right. Bogaerts singled to left but Devers popped up to third to end the inning.
Josh Taylor came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Hernandez made a great catch to rob Tucker of a double to start. Jones took strike three and Maldonado grounded out to third to end the inning. Nivaldo Rodriguez came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Renfroe grounded out to short to start. Vazquez grounded out to third but Arroyo was plunked. Dalbec lined out to second to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to close out the top of the ninth but Straw beat out a roller to third to start. Altuve hit a bullet but right to Bogaerts for the out. Correa popped up to first and Bregman flied out to center to end the game. The Sox had won it 12-8.
Hero of the Night is Christian Arroyo. His 3 run homer tied the game and he drew a walk to drive in a run later.
The Good:
Kike Hernandez was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Christian Vazquez was 3 for 4 with a hit by pitch, 3 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis.
Adam Ottavino pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Eduardo Rodriguez was shelled for 6 runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Matt Andriese allowed 3 inherited runners to score and one of his own in 1/3 of an inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez vultured the win by allowing a run in the sixth inning.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 5 but threw out Altuve at second.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a home run, drove in 2 total runs and scored 2 runs.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4 with a walk but scored 2 runs.
Final Thoughts:
What a game that was. The Astros have the Sox number but they put up a fight big time tonight. That was a good old fashioned slugfest and the Sox came away the winners. The bottom of the order carried the load with 9 of the runs driven in by Dalbec, Arroyo and Vazquez. The Sox needed those guys to step up and tonight they did. This game had everything from errors to hit batsmen to dropped infield fly pop ups and streakers. The bad news was Eduardo Rodriguez looks completely broken. His velocity is down and his ERA is now over 6.00. If his problem isn't physical and its in his head again, send him home or to Worcester because he's not helping the team at all. Andriese didn't look good either and now that Valdez is gone, he may be next on the chopping block. The Sox are only a game out of first and have a realistic chance of hanging with the Tampa Bay Rays. They can't afford to have a repeat of last year with the production line of bums they sent to the mound. Guys like Ottavino and Taylor haven't allowed a run in over a month and Hernandez and Whitlock got tagged for the first time in weeks. The good news was not only did the Sox gain a half game on the idle Rays but the Minnesota Twins stunned the New York Yankees with a 4 run rally in the bottom of the ninth to knock them off. The Rays get to feast on the Baltimore Orioles this weekend so its imperative the Sox keep pace with them. The win improved the Sox to 38-25, 1 game behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox now welcome the Toronto Blue Jays for a four game set starting tomorrow night. Garrett Richards (4-4, 3.88 ERA) takes on Ross Stripling of the Jays. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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