Once again Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora failed to let a starter pitch into the sixth inning but also once again, they won anyway. The Sox completed a 3 game sweep of the hapless Baltimore Orioles and won their 5th straight game with a seven inning rally. The Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Alex Wells but the O's got three runs in the top of the third off Nathan Eovaldi. JD Martinez made it 5-3 Sox but the Os rallied for 3 runs in the top of the seventh. Rafael Devers capped off a 3 run rally in the bottom of the seventh and Garrett Richards slammed the door in the top of the ninth. The Sox stole one from the worst team in baseball to win the game 8-6 at Fenway Park.
Eovaldi got the ball in the top of the first and Cedric Mullins led off by striking out swinging to begin. Ryan Mountcastle got a base hit to left but Anthony Santander struck out swinging. Trey Mancini went down hacking to end the inning. The Sox struck first against Wells in the bottom of the first inning as Kike Hernandez walked to start. Hunter Renfroe got a base hit to right and Rafael Devers singled to left to load the bases with nobody out. Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging and JD Martinez took strike three, but Bobby Dalbec got hit with a pitch to score Hernandez. Kevin Plawecki got a base hit to right to score Renfroe and Devers, but Dalbec was thrown out at third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Austin Hays grounded out to short to start the top of the second but Pedro Severino singled to center. Pat Valaika took strike three and Kelvin Gutierrez struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second as Alex Verdugo doubled to center to start. Jose Iglesias grounded out to first to move Verdugo to third and Alex scored on the double down the left field line by Hernandez. Renfroe popped up to right and Devers flied out to center to end the inning but the Sox were up 4-0.
The O's struck back in the top of the third although Richie Martin went down hacking to open. Mullins singled to right, Mountcastle walked and Santander doubled to left to score Mullins. Mancini grounded out to third but Hays got a base hit to center to score both runners. Hays stole second but Severino grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 4-3.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the third as Bogaerts popped up to second to start. Martinez blasted his 27th home run of the season to increase the lead but Dalbec lined out to center. Plawecki flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.
Valaika grounded out to second to start the top of the fourth and Gutierrez took strike three. Martin singled to center but Mullins popped up to third to end the inning. Verdugo lined out to right to start the bottom of the fourth before Iglesias popped up to short. Hernandez took strike three to end the inning.
Mountcastle got a base hit to right to begin the top of the fifth but was forced at second by Santander. Mancini whiffed and Hays flied out to center to end the inning. Foolishly that was it for Eovaldi after just 78 pitches as he allowed 3 runs in 5 innings off 7 hits and a walk.
Renfroe hit one up the elevator shaft to open the bottom of the fifth and Devers popped up to left. Bogaerts was retired on a nubber to the mound to end the inning.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Severino lined out to right to start. Valaika grounded out to short but Gutierrez doubled to left. Martin grounded out to second to end the inning. Eric Hanhold came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Martinez struck out swinging to open. Dalbec grounded out to third and Plawecki flied out to right to end the inning.
The O's sprang to life in the top of the seventh as Mullins walked to start. All of a sudden Whitlock keeled over clutching his arm. He had to be hauled off on a gurney, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Mass General's ICU. Hiro Sawamaura poured gas on the fire as Mountcastle and Santander drew back to back walks to load the bases. Mancini cleared the bases with a double to left to give the O's the lead but was thrown out at third trying to stretch a triple. Hays and Severino both struck out swinging to end the inning but the O's now led 6-5.
Boston rallied against Connor Greene in the bottom of the seventh as Verdugo popped up to third to start. Iglesias doubled to left and Hernandez got a base hit to center to score Jose with the tying run. Renfroe doubled to left to score Hernandez with the go-ahead run and chase Greene. Cole Sulser came in to face Devers and Rafael singled to center to score Renfroe. Bogaerts walked but Martinez popped up to second to end Sulser's night. Dillon Tate got Dalbec to ground out to third to end the inning but the Sox were back on top 8-6.
Hansel Robles came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Valaika popped up to first to start. Gutierrez struck out swinging but Martin singled to left. Mullins popped up to first to end the inning. Plawecki took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth and Verdugo grounded out to short. Iglesias grounded out to third to end the inning.
Garrett Richards came in to close out the top of the ninth and Mountcastle took strike three to start. Santander grounded out to short and Mancini grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-6.
Hero of The Night is Hunter Renfroe. His go-ahead rbi single in the seventh but the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Kike Hernandez was 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Hansel Robles pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Garrett Richards earned his third save with a scoreless ninth.
The Bad:
Garrett Whitlock was charged with a run in one inning of work.
Hiro Sawamura allowed an inherited runner to score and two of his own in an inning of work to vulture the win.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a home run.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Kevin Plawecki was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but the one hit drove in 2 runs.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Jose Iglesias was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed 3 runs in 5 innings off 7 hits and a walk while striking out 8.
Final Thoughts:
Once again if the Sox bullpen runs out of gas before or during October they have no one to blame but Cora. Eovaldi had just one bad inning and had only thrown 78 pitches but Cora yanked him anyway. What if he got through the sixth and then you got Whitlock, Robles & Richards for 7-8-9? As it is, they nearly blew the game but kudos to the bats for rallying. Sawamura, Adam Ottavino, Matt Barnes and Whitlock carried them all season and they all look or already are toast. Still, Robles & Richards shut the door and the bats did enough to get the win. The Sox needed to win to stay in front of the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees while keeping their very slim AL East hopes alive with just 11 games remaining. The win improved the Sox to 86-65, 6.5 games behind the Rays for 1st place in the AL East and 1 game in front of the Blue Jays for the 1st Wild Card. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action against the New York Mets this Tuesday night. Eduardo Rodriguez goes for the Sox against Marcus Stroman of the Mets. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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