It was a great day for Boston sports. The Boston Celtics defeated the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their first round NBA playoff series and the Boston Red Sox made it two wins in a row against the Minnesota Twins. The Sox and Twins battled to a 0-0 tie after five innings when Boston rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Michael Wacha tossed a 5 inning shutout and the bullpen surrendered just 1 run in the remaining four frames. The Sox then exploded for 6 runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the game away. It all added up to an 8-1 Easter Sunday win at Fenway Park.
Wacha got the ball in the top of the first inning and Luis Arraez led off by flying out to the centerfield wall to start. Carlos Correa grounded out to short and Jorge Polanco went down hacking to end the inning. Ober got the ball in the bottom of the first and Kike Hernandez flied out to left to start. Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts stroked back to back base hits but JD Martinez flied out to right. Alex Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning.
Max Kepler took strike three to start the top of the second before Gio Urshela flied out to right. Trevor Larnach struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Trevor Story grounded out to short to start. Bobby Dalbec struck out swinging and Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to first to end the inning.
Gary Sanchez grounded out to third to start the top of the third before Miguel Sano walked. Nick Gordon flied out to center and Arraez grounded out to first to end the inning. Kevin Plawecki struck out swinging to begin the bottom of the third before Hernandez flied out to center. Devers flied out to center to end the inning.
The Twins did nothing in the top of the fourth as Correa took strike three to start. Polanco walked but Kepler banged into a double play to end the inning. Bogaerts lined out to short to start the bottom of the fourth and Martinez struck out swinging. Verdugo singled into the shift in right but Story lined out to left to end the inning.
Urshela ripped a base hit to center to start the top of the fifth and Devers ran into centerfield to catch a pop up from Larnach. Sanchez struck out swinging and Sano popped up to right to end the inning. Even though he only threw just 79 pitches, Sox manager Alex Cora pulled Wacha. He allowed just 1 hit in 5 shutout innings.
Dalbec popped up to second to start the bottom of the fifth but JBJ walked. Plawecki flied out to left and Hernandez popped up to first to end the inning.
Matt "Shaggy" Strahm got the ball in the top of the sixth and Kyle Garlick pinch hit for Gordon. Garlick struck out swinging and Arraez grounded out to first. Correa flied out to right to end the inning. Devers hit a grounder to Sano but the ball went off his glove for an error to start the bottom of the sixth. Bogaerts doubled off the Monster and Martinez scored Devers with a sac fly to center. Bogaerts moved to third on the play and he scored on the sac fly to right by Verdugo. Story hit a bullet but right to Kepler to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Strahm returned for the top of the seventh to snuff out Polanco's bunt attempt. Kepler hit an opposite field single to left and that was it for Strahm. Ryan Brasier came in only for Urshela to stick his bat out, singling to right to move Kepler to third. Larnach hit a sac fly to center to score Kepler to cut the lead. Sanchez singled to left and Sano walked to load the bases. Brasier punched out Garlick to end the inning but the Twins were down 2-1.
Tyler Duffey came in for the bottom of the seventh and Dalbec grounded out to third to start. JBJ walked but was thrown out second trying to steal on the Plawecki strikeout to end the inning.
Jake Diekman came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Arraez grounded out to short to start. Correa struck out swinging as did Polanco to end the inning. Caleb Theilbar came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth as Hernandez singled up the middle to start. Devers lined a base hit to center to move Hernandez to third and Bogaerts hit a squibber to Sano. Miguel bobbled it to allow Hernandez to score and Martinez doubled off the Monster to score Devers. Verdugo popped up to Correa and that was it for Theilbar. Cody Stashak came in and Story ripped a base hit just past the diving Correa to clear the bases. Dalbec dumped a base hit to center and JBJ singled to right to score Story. Dalbec moved to third on the hit and he scored on the Plawecki sac fly to right. Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-1.
Austin Davis was brought in to close out the top of the ninth with Jonathan Arauz in at short to start. Kepler hit one up the elevator shaft, Urshela waived at strike three and Larnach lined out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-1.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He drove in the first run in the sixth and the deciding one in the eighth.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and an rbi.
Michael Wacha allowed 1 hit in 5 shutout innings.
Jake Diekman pitched a scoreless inning.
Austin Davis pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Trevor Story was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 rubs and scored a run.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for with a strikeout but scored a run.
Kevin Plawecki was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Matt Strahm was charged with a run in 1 1/3 innings of work.
Ryan Brasier allowed an inherited runner to score in 2/3 of an inning.
Honorable Mention:
Jonathan Arauz played shortstop in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
For seven innings it looked like the Sox bats were going to remain quiet again and have to rely to on the bullpen to carry them. Finally the offense opened up in the eighth inning and that's the kind of quick strike they're capable of when locked in. The addition of Story could be the key to their lineup this season and if he's anything like he was in Colorado, that could pay dividends this season to a team already boasting Verdugo, Bogaerts, Devers, Vazquez and Martinez. The one who needs to get it going is Hernandez. If Jarren Duran ever learns how to hit, Hernandez is in big trouble. On the other side Wacha was outstanding for 5 innings and Cora refuses to let anyone pitch past the sixth inning no matter what. Unless the Sox have some new arms in the bullpen ready by June, this is going to be a repeat of last season unless Cora quits pulling guys early. The bullpen allowed a single run in 4 innings and mostly due to two bloops off of Strahm who's been solid so far. If that wasn't good enough news, Rougned Odor helped the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees and the NY media is all over Yankees manager Aaron Boone for not having a lefty face Odor when he of all people knows Odor can't hit lefties. All in all it was a good day and a good win, hopefully more are on the way. The Sox play their annual Patriots Day game tomorrow morning against these same Twins in the final game of the series. Dylan "King Kong" Bundy gets the start for Minnesota against Rich Hill (0-0, 6.23) of the Red Sox. The game begins tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM at Fenway Park.
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