Hold the phone, the Boston Red Sox aren't dead yet. Combined with a New York Yankees loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Boston Red Sox kept their October hopes alive with a shutout victory over the useless Baltimore Orioles. Nathan Eovaldi (11-9, 3.75 ERA) tossed 6 shutout innings to pick up the win while the bats finally woke up. JD Martinez homered and drove in 3 runs to pace the offense while Hunter Renfroe belted his 30th of the season. Alex Verdugo drove in two runs of his own while the bullpen locked it down. Ryan Brasier, Matt Barnes and Hansel Robles slammed the door on Baltimore and the Sox blanked the O's 6-0 at Camden Yards.
Lowther got the ball in the top of the first inning and Richie Martin booted a grounder by Kike Hernandez for an error to start. Hunter Renfroe forced Hernandez at second and Rafael Devers grounded into a double play to end the inning. Eovaldi got the ball in the bottom of the first and Cedric Mullins struck out swinging to start. Ryan Mountcastle watched strike three go by but Austin Hays doubled to left. Trey Mancini flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second although Xander Bogaerts flied out to center to start. JD Martinez smashed his 28th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Bobby Dalbec struck out swinging but Kevin Plawecki got a base hit to right. Alex Verdugo struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Pedro Severino struck out swinging to start the bottom of the second before Ryan McKenna froze for strike three. Pat Valaika struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jose Iglesias got a base hit to center to open the top of the third before Hernandez singled to left. Renfroe hit a bullet to Gutierrez who doubled off Iglesias for the double play. Devers got a base hit to center to move Hernandez to third but Bogaerts forced Devers at second to end the inning. Gutierrez doubled to right to start the bottom of the third but Martin lined out to short. Mullins grounded out to second to move Gutierrez to third but Mountcastle popped up to first to end the inning.
Martinez struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth before Dalbec flied out to center. Plawecki took strike three to end the inning. Hays grounded out to second to open the bottom of the fourth before Mancini popped up to right in foul territory. Severino got a base hit to right but McKenna took strike three to end the inning.
Verdugo singled in the hole at short to begin the top of the fifth before Iglesias singled to center. Hernandez banged into a double play and Renfroe flied out to center to end the inning. Valaika grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fifth before Gutierrez grounded out to second. Martin grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox broke it open in the top of the sixth as Devers got a base hit to center to chase Lowther. Eric Hanhold came in and Gutierrez booted a grounder by Bogaerts for an error. Martinez doubled home both runners to ice the game. Dalbec swung at air for strike three and Plawecki watched strike three go by, but a wild pitch moved Martinez to third. Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Martinez drives in a pair
Mullins doubled to left to start the bottom of the sixth and Mountcastle walked. Hays flied out to center, Mancini struck out swinging and Severino flied out to center to end the inning. Defying all logic, that was it for Eovaldi after just 90 pitches and the bullpen spent. He tossed 6 shutout innings allowing just 4 hits and a walk.
Eovaldi gets it done
Brooks Kriske came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Iglesias struck out swinging. Hernandez popped up to first and Renfroe grounded out to third to end the inning. Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and McKenna walked to start. Valaika struck out swinging and McKenna moved to second on a grounder to third by Gutierrez. Martin struck out swinging to end the inning.
Konner Wade came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Devers took strike three to start. Bogaerts and Martinez ripped back to back base hits and Kyle Schwarber pinch hit for Dalbec. Schwarber struck out swinging and Travis Shaw pinch hit for Plawecki. Shaw walked to load the bases and Verdugo slashed a base hit to left. Bogaerts and Martinez scored but Shaw was thrown out at third to end the inning with the Sox up 5-0.
Verdugo drives in a pair
Christian Vazquez took over behind the plate with Hansel Robles on the mound to start the bottom of the eighth and Mullins struck out swinging to start. Mountcastle flied out to right and Hays popped up to second to end the inning.
Spencer Watkins came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Iglesias grounded out to short to start. Hernandez flied out to right but Renfoe launched his 30th home run of the season to wrap up the scoring. Devers struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 6-0.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Mancini struck out swinging to start. Severino hit a routine grounder to Bogaerts who picked the ball up and heaved it over his head like a grenade, putting his fingers in his ears for an error. McKenna lined out to left and Valaika popped up to first to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-0.
Red Sox win
JD Hero
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He drove in 3 runs to pace the offense including an early home run.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 3.
Travis Shaw walked as a pinch hitter.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Jose Iglesias was 2 for 4.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Hansel Robles tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Kyle Schwarber struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 5.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a home run.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored two runs.
Honorable Mention:
Christian Vazquez caught the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox needed a win tonight to stay alive in the playoff race and they got it. Eovaldi pitched a gem but was pulled after just 90 pitches. The bullpen is tired and Sox manager Alex Cora outright refuses to let guys throw more than 90 pitches or go six innings, it'll cost them in the end. Still, the offense pulled through with home runs when needed. Verdugo getting some big rbis helped as well with the playoffs looming. The Sox have just four games remaining and if they win three, they're in. Not much else needs to be said other than its a shame Jose Iglesias won't be joining them if they clinch a wild card spot since he's ineligible. What a year Renfroe has had, definitely one of the best signings of the off-season out of any team in baseball. If the Sox can clinch a post-season spot, this offense will be tough to beat. The win improved the Sox to 89-69, 1 game behind the Yankees for the first wild card and 0.5 games in front of the Chicago White Sox for the second. The Sox look to take a step closer to the playoffs tomorrow night against Baltimore when Nick Pivetta (9-7) takes on Alex Wells of the Orioles. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Camden Yards.
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