As for the game, the Sox are getting interesting. After looking dead in the water for most of August, the Sox took a big step toward October baseball by dispatching the Cleveland Indians in tonight's game. The Sox broke out to a 2-0 lead on home runs by Kyle Schwarber and Kevin Plawecki but Jose Ramirez of the Indians hit one as well. Jonathan Arauz hit one out in the fourth but the Indians tied the game in the seventh with an Austin Hedges home run off Nathan Eovaldi. In the bottom of the seventh, the Sox rallied for five runs off a Schwarber double and Hunter Renfroe three run homer. Garrett Whitlock ran into trouble in the ninth but locked down his second save of the season as the Sox won the game 8-5 at Fenway Park.
Eovaldi got the ball in the top of the first inning and Myles Straw struck out swinging to start. Amed Rosario grounded out to short but Jose Ramirez doubled to left. Franmil Reyes took strike three to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting to Quantrill in the bottom of the first as Kyle Schwarber smashed his 29th home run of the season to start. Rafael Devers grounded out to second, JD Martinez struck out swinging and Alex Verdugo grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Bradley Zimmer lined out to left to start the top of the second before Oscar Mercado grounded out to short. Bobby Bradley flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the second although Hunter Renfroe popped up to short to start. Somehow Kevin Plawecki crushed his second home run of the season and Bobby Dalbec popped up to short. Jack Lopez doubled to center but Jonathan Arauz grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Eovaldi turned up the heat in the top of the third as Austin Hedges struck out swinging to start. Andres Gimenez struck out swinging but Straw walked. Rosario struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the third as Schwarber struck out swinging to start. Devers singled to center and moved to third on the base hit to left by Martinez. Verdugo walked to load the bases but Renfroe struck out swinging. Plawecki grounded into a force at second to end the inning.
The Indians got a run back in the top of the fourth as Ramirez instantly hit a home run all the way to Saturn to start. Reyes grounded out to second, Zimmer struck out swinging and Mercado struck out swinging to end the inning with the Indians down 2-1.
The Sox got the run back in the bottom of the fourth as Dalbec took strike three to start. Lopez grounded out to second but Arauz somehow clobbered his second home run of the season to increase the lead. Schwarber grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1.
Bradley walked to start the top of the fifth but Hedges flied out to left. Gimenez forced Bradley at second and Straw took strike three to end the inning. Devers took strike three to start the bottom of the fifth before Martinez grounded out to short. Verdugo took strike three to end the inning.
Rosario was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start the top of the sixth before Ramirez grounded out to second. Reyes singled to right but Zimmer struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Renfroe popped up to short to start. Plawecki popped up to first and Dalbec grounded out to third to end the inning.
Eovaldi ran out of gas in the top of the seventh although Mercado grounded out to second to start. Bradley singled to right but Hedges hit a home run all the way to Italy to tie the game. Gimenez singled inside the first base bag and that was it for Eovaldi. He tossed a gutty game but left after 6 1/3 innings and 3 runs allowed. The one time Cora let a starter pitch and he falls apart, go figure. Adam Ottavino came in and Gimenez stole second base, but Straw took strike three. Rosario struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
The Sox rallied in the bottom of the seventh as Travis Shaw pinch hit for Lopez to start. Shaw walked and Danny Santana ran for him. Arauz doubled to left and Trevor Stephan came in to pitch to Schwarber. Kyle responded with a double to center to score both runners to put the Sox on top. Devers and Martinez struck out swinging but Indians manager Terry Francona made the peculiar decision to intentionally walk Verdugo to get to Renfroe. Renfroe made Terry pay with his 26th home run of the year to ice the game. Plawecki singled to left to chase Stephan. Justin Garza came in to pitch who promptly walked both Dalbec and Santana. Arauz grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-3.
Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Ramirez grounded out to first to start. Reyes grounded out to second but Zimmer beat out a roller to second. Daniel Johnson pinch hit for Mercado and walked. Bradley ripped a base hit to left to score Zimmer and chase Brasier from the game. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in and Hedges flied out to right to end the inning with the Indians down 8-4.
Sam Hentges came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Schwarber grounded out to second to start. Devers grounded out to short and Martinez lined out to first to end the inning.
Whitlock came back for the top of the ninth and Gimenez singled to right to start. Straw flied out to right but Rosario singled to center. Ramirez got a base hit to right to score Gimenez and bring the tying run to the plate. Reyes and Zimmer both struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had won the game 8-5.
Sox win
Hero Schwarber
Hero of the Night is Kyle Schwarber. He hit a home run and drove in the go-ahead runs in the seventh.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo walked twice in four at-bats and scored a run.
Kevin Plawecki was 2 for 4 with a home run.
Jack Lopez was 1 for 2.
Travis Shaw walked as a pinch hitter.
Danny Santana walked and scored a run.
Jonathan Arauz was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 runs scored.
Nathan Eovaldi battled to toss 6 1/3 innings of 3 run ball. He allowed 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9.
The Bad:
Ryan Brasier allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but the one hit was a 3 run homer.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Garrett Whitlock earned the save but allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
Another big win for the Sox and it comes at a big time. The Sox have a three game lead over the Oakland Athletics for the second wild card and trail the Yankees by 1.5 for the first. Winning the AL East down 8 games with 25 to play doesn't seem likely but jumping ahead of the Yankees is very managable. Beating the mediocre Indians is imperative if the Sox want to play in October. Eovaldi had a good start but wasn't able to close the deal in the seventh but Schwarber and Renfroe took care of that. The role players stepped up such as Shaw, Santana, Arauz and Plawecki to help the Sox to victory in this one. Its been a roller coaster season but a win like that is definitely one to be celebrated. If only the Sox can keep this momentum going for the next month. The win improved the Sox to 78-59, 8 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it four wins in a row and two straight against the Indians tomorrow afternoon. Tanner Houck gets the start for the Sox against Eli Morgan of Cleveland. The game begins at 4:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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