Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Chris Sale and Matt Barnes were removed from the Covid List while Ryan Brasier was optioned to Worcester and Michael Feliz was designated for assignment. Brasier just hasn't looked good since he came off the Injured List while Feliz was just a stopgap until Sale was healthy again. Feliz may go to Worcester, he may not. Either way Barnes and Sale are back.
As for the game, looks like Chris Sale (4-0, 2.40 ERA) is ready for an October run for the Boston Red Sox. The ace dominated the hapless Baltimore Orioles for five innings, surrendering one run to the O's. Meanwhile the Sox bats got to Baltimore starter Keegan Akin for two runs in the bottom of the second to go up for good. Bobby Dalbec hit a home run, JD Martinez drove in a run and Hunter Renfroe hit a bases loaded double to put the game out of reach. The Boston bullpen didn't allow a single run as Martin Perez slammed the door in the top of the ninth. The Sox needed to make a statement against a last place team and they did, beating the O's 7-1 at Fenway Park.
Sale got the ball in the top of the first and Cedric Mullins led off with a base hit to center. Ryan Mountcastle grounded into a double play and Trey Mancini popped up to second to end the inning. Akin got the ball in the bottom of the first and Kike Hernandez flied out to center to start. Hunter Renfroe grounded out to short but Xander Bogaerts walked. Rafael Devers doubled to center but JD Martinez hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
The O's struck first in the top of the second when Austin Hays hit a home run all the way to South Dakota to put the O's on top. Ramon Urias struck out swinging, Pedro Severino flied out to right and Ryan McKenna grounded out to second to end the inning with the O's up 1-0.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the second as Bobby Dalbec lined out to right to start. Christian Vazquez doubled off the Monster and Alex Verdugo singled in the hole at short to put runners at the corners. Jose Iglesias smacked a ground rule double down the right field line to score Vazquez and Hernandez hit a sac fly to center to score Verdugo. Renfroe pooped up to first to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.
Pat Valaika grounded out to second to start the top of the third before Kelvin Gutierrez grounded back to the mound. Mullins grounded out to short to end the inning. Bogaerts grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third before Devers lined out to center. Martinez flied out to right to end the inning.
Mountcastle grounded out to short to begin the top of the fourth before Mancini grounded out to third. Hays lined out to center to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Dalbec clocked his 23rd home run of the season to increase the lead. Vazquez grounded out to third but Verdugo singled in the hole at second. Iglesias walked but Hernandez grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Sox up 3-1.
Sale returned for one final inning in the top of the fifth and Urias grounded out to short to start. Severino also grounded out to short but McKenna was hit by a pitch. Valaika flied out to left to end the inning. Sale didn't last long but held the O's to just 1 run off 2 hits in five strong innings.
Sale got it done
Renfroe walked to begin the bottom of the fifth and that was it for Akin. Marcos Diplan came in to pitch and Bogaerts struck out swinging to start. Renfoe took second on a wild pitch and took third on Devers' grounder to second. Martinez doubled to right to score Renfroe and Dalbec flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Gutierrez grounded out to second to start. Mullins grounded out to first and Mountcastle struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the sixth with Dusten Knight now on the mound. Vazquez and Verdugo stroked back to back base hits but Iglesias struck out swinging. Hernandez walked to load the bases and Renfroe cleared the bases with a double off the Monster. Eric Hanhold came in to pitch to Bogaerts and Xander forced Renfroe at third with a grounder back to the mound. A wild pitch moved Bogaerts to second but Devers struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 7-1.
Hiro Sawamura came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Mancini flied out to center to start. Hays flied out to left but Urias singled in the hole at short. Severino struck out swinging to end the inning. Richie Martin came in for Urias with Spenser Watkins now on the mound for the bottom of the seventh. Martinez grounded a base hit down the first base line to start and Dalbec walked. A wild pitch moved both runners over but Vazquez grounded out to short. Verdugo grounded out to short and Iglesias flied out to right to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the top of the eighth and McKenna walked to start. Valaika struck out swinging but Gutierrez got a base hit to right. Mullins popped up to third and Mountcastle struck out swinging to end the inning. Hernandez flied out to center to start the bottom of the eighth before Renfroe took strike three. Bogaerts got a base hit to left and Devers hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
Martin Perez came in to close out the top of the ninth and Mancini grounded out to third to start. Hays grounded out to first and Martin flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-1.
Sox win
Hunter Hero
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Hero of The Night is Hunter Renfroe. His bases clearing double put the game out of reach.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 3 with a walk and a home run.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Alex Verdugo was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Jose Iglesias was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Chris Sale got the win by tossing 5 innings of one run ball allowing 2 hits and a hit batsmen.
Garrett Whitlock tossed a scoreless sixth inning.
Hiro Sawamura tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Martin Perez tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 3 but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
Another good win and badly needed with the season coming to a close. Almost every game is now must win with the AL East race all but locked up and the log jam for the wild card. Sale looked great for five innings and now he needs to be stretched out in case the Sox get to play in October. Renfroe had a big hit tonight and so did Martinez. If the Sox get good starting pitching they might pull this off. There's only 11 games left in the season with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees breathing down their neck. They need to make a stand now if they want to create some separation in the wild card run. The win improved the Sox to 84-65, 8.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East and a half game ahead of the Yankees for the wild card. The Sox look to make it two in a row against the Orioles and four wins straight tomorrow afternoon when Nick Pivetta takes on Zac Lowther of Baltimore. The game begins at 1:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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