Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Connor Wong was optioned to Worcester and Danny Santana was placed on the Injured List. To take their spots, Kevin Plawecki was activated off the Injured List and Michael Chavis was recalled from Worcester.
OUT
As for the game, what a massacre. The Sox are losing ground to the red hot Tampa Bay Rays but today they stopped the bleeding with a rare easy victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. For the first time in a week the Sox offense hit like they were designed to, pounding out 14 hits and 11 runs against Vince Velasquez and the Phillies bullpen. Kike Hernandez, JD Martinez and Rafael Devers all went yard to pace the offense. Garrett Richards (5-5, 4.91 ERA) got tagged for 3 runs in the first two innings but tossed 3 more scoreless innings to earn the win. Matt Andriese got tagged for another 2 runs but the Sox were so far ahead that it didn't matter. When the dust settled the Sox had won it 11-5 at Fenway Park.
The Phillies wasted no time getting to Richards in the top of the first as Jean Segura tripled into the left field corner to start. JT Realmuto doubled off the Monster to score Segura to put Philly on top. Realmuto moved to third on the Bryce Harper grounder to second but Andrew McCutchen struck out swinging. Brad Miller struck out swinging to end the inning with Philly ahead 1-0.
The Sox answered against Velasquez in the bottom of the first as Kike Hernandez smashed his 11th home run of the year to tie the game. Alex Verdugo and JD Martinez drew back to back walks but Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging. Rafael Devers walked to load the bases and Hunter Renfroe beat out a double play ball to score Verdugo to give Boston the lead. Christian Arroyo lined out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Richards crapped his pants in the top of the second inning as Rhys Hoskins singled to right. Didi Gregorius hit a line drive to Hernandez...dropped for an error. Naturally Alec Bohm singled home both men to put Philly back on top. Travis Jankowski forced Bohm at second but Segura lined out to short. Richards threw a pickoff throw away but struck out Realmuto swinging to end the inning with the Phillies up 3-2.
The Sox rallied in the bottom of the second as Christian Vazquez flied out to right to start. Bobby Dalbec doubled to left but Hernandez popped up to second. Verdugo walked and Martinez pounded his 18th home run of the season to give the Sox the lead back. Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.
Richards tried his best in the top of the third as Harper grounded out to second to start. McCutchen singled to left but Miller took strike three. Hoskins popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox knocked out Velasquez in the bottom of the third as Devers launched his 22nd homer of the year to start. Renfroe doubled to center but Arroyo grounded back to the mound. Vazquez singled home Renfroe to chase Velasquez. Enyel De Los Santos took over on the mound and Dalbec singled to center. Hernandez flied out to right to move Vazquez to third and Christian scored on the Verdugo single to right. Martinez doubled home Dalbec but Bogaerts struck out swinging AGAIN to end the inning with the Sox up 9-3.
Gregorius grounded out to second to start the top of the fourth but Bohm walked. Richards made a hell of a play to create a double play on a grounder by Jankowski to end the inning. Devers struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fourth before Renfroe grounded out to third. Arroyo grounded out to first to end the inning.
Richards got Segura to ground out to short to start the top of the fifth but Realmuto singled to right. Harper forced Realmuto at second and McCutchen flied out to left to end the inning. That was it for Richards who allowed 3 runs in 5 innings, not great but it'll do.
Brandon Kintzler came on to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Vazquez walked to start. Christian moved to second on a Dalbec grounder to short but Hernandez hit a ground rule double down the right field line to score Vazquez with another run. Hernandez moved to third on the grounder to first by Verdugo but Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-3.
Yacksel Rios took over for the top of the sixth and Miller popped up to third to start. Hoskins lined out to center and Gregorius struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the sixth as Bogaerts singled in the hole at short to start. Devers lined out to right but Renfroe singled to left. Arroyo took strike three and Kintzler was done. Connor Brogdon came in to pitch and Vazquez dropped a base hit to right to score Bogaerts. Dalbec forced Vazquez at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 11-3.
Vazquez drives in another run
Matt Andriese came in to crap his pants again in the top of the seventh as Bohm walked to start. Jankowski singled to left and both runners moved over on the Segura grounder to third. Realmuto grounded out to short to score Bohm and Harper singled to center to score Jankowski to cut the lead. McCutchen took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 11-5.
Harper drives in a run
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the seventh against Jose Alvarado as Hernandez struck out swinging to start. Verdugo singled past the mound and Martinez walked before Bogaerts beat out a double play ball. Devers walked to load the bases but Renfroe struck out swinging to end the inning.
Sox win
JD Hero
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Luke Williams pinch hit for Miller. Williams and Hoskins both struck out swinging and Gregorius grounded out to second to end the inning. Andrew Knapp took over behind the plate with Ronald Torreyes the infielder now on the mound for Philly. Arroyo flied out to right, Vazquez grounded out to short and Dalbec popped up to second to end the inning.
Brandon Workman came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Bohm took strike three to start. Jankowski struck out swinging and Segura grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had won it 11-5.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. His 3 run homer put the Sox up for good
The Good:
Kike Hernandez was 2 for 5 with 2 total rbis including a home run.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a home run.
Hunter Renfroe was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Garrett Richards allowed 3 runs in 5 innings to earn the win.
Yacksel Rios pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Matt Andriese allowed 2 runs in the seventh inning.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
This game was just what the doctor ordered. The Sox have been wining games all season long but had to scratch and claw in most of them. This was a rare easy win that was never in doubt. Richards looked like he was on the ropes in the second inning but pulled through to keep the Sox in the game. Apart from Matt Andriese, the bullpen shut the door on the Phils in the final few innings. The thing about this game is the offense drew 7 walks, showing a lot more patience than they usually do. The rumor is after the All-Star break, Andriese is gone and Tanner Houck will be called up provided he's healthy. Andriese is clearly not helping them and the sooner he's gone, the better. Its too bad a game like this is an anomaly rather than the norm because that's what made the 2018 Red Sox so deadly. They got a lead and added to it rather than try to sit on it the rest of the game. Hopefully in the second half the Sox can get rid of the garbage and become a juggernaut. The win improved the Sox to 55-34, 2.5 games in front of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Martin Perez (7-4) takes on former Rays ace Matt Moore of the Phillies in the second game of this set. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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