As for the game, the Sox snapped their three game losing streak by holding on to defeat the Minnesota Twins. The Sox erupted in the third inning against Minnesota starter Joe Ryan as Xander Bogaerts hit a grand slam and JD Martinez also went yard. Michael Wacha (10-1, 2.56 ERA) continued his strong season by holding the Twins to just 2 runs in 6 strong innings. Bogaerts doubled in another run and the Sox needed it as Garrett Whitlock gave up 3 runs to pull the Twins within one. Matt Barnes saved the day by slamming the door in the ninth to give the Sox a 6-5 victory over the Twins at Target Field.
Ryan got the ball in the top of the first inning and Tommy Pham took strike three to start. Alex Verdugo got a base hit to center and Xander Bogaerts walked, but Rafael Devers struck out swinging. JD Martinez flied out to right to end the inning. Wacha got the ball in the bottom of the first and Luis Arraez grounded out to second to start. Carlos Correa struck out swinging and Jose Miranda lined out to left to end the inning.
Trevor Story struck out swinging to start the top of the second before Kike Hernandez flied out to right. Bobby Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning. Max Kepler hit one up the elevator shaft to start the bottom of the second before Kyle Garlick struck out swinging. Gio Urshela grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the third as Kevin Plawecki got a base hit to left to start. Pham got a base hit to left and Verdugo reached on a roller to first to load the bases. Bogaerts cleared the bases with a grand slam to put the Sox on top. Devers flied out to center and Martinez launched his 11th home run of the season to increase the lead. Story got a base hit to right but Hernandez lined out to left. Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 5-0.
Naturally the Twins responded immediately in the bottom of the third as Nick Gordon grounded out to short to start. Gilberto Celestino flied out to left but Sandy Leon got a base hit to left. Arraez hit a home run all the way to Michigan to cut the lead. Correa grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Twins down 5-2.
Plawecki got a base hit to center to start the top of the fourth and Pham was hit with a pitch. Verdugo lined out to left, Bogaerts flied out to right and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning. Miranda flied out to left to start the bottom of the fourth before Kepler took strike three. Bogaerts booted a grounder by Garlick and Urshela beat out a roller to third, but Gordon struck out swinging to end the inning.
Martinez popped up to short to start the top of the fifth before Story struck out swinging. Hernandez got a base hit to center before Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning. Celestino struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Leon struck out swinging as well. Arraez grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the sixth as Plawecki doubled to left to start. Pham and Verdugo both struck out swinging but who else but Bogaerts doubled to right to score Plawecki with another run. Bogaerts stole third but Devers went down hacking to end the inning with the Sox up 6-2.
Wacha returned for one final inning in the bottom of the sixth and Correa walked to start. Miranda lined out to left but Kepler doubled to right. Garlick grounded out to first and Urshela took strike three to end the inning. Wacha tossed 6 solid innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 7.
Wacha with the solid starts
Martinez lined out to center to start the top of the seventh before Story got a base hit to right. Story took off for second and Leon threw the ball away, allowing Trevor to take third. Hernandez watched strike three go by and Dalbec went down hacking to end the inning. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Gordon doubled to center to start. Celestino grounded out to first to move Gordon to third and Gary Sanchez pinch hit for Leon. Sanchez walked and Arraez hit a sac fly to center to score Gordon. Correa struck out swinging to end the inning with the Twins down 6-3.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the eighth as Plawecki grounded out to third to start. Pham grounded back to the mound and Verdugo grounded out to first to end the inning. The Twins rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Miranda struck out swinging to start. Kepler got a base hit to center and Jake Cave pinch hit for Garlick. Cave struck out swinging but Urshela singled to right. Gordon then smacked a ball into the right field corner to score both runners. Gordon made a mad dash to third but was thrown out at third by Verdugo to end the inning with the Twins still down 6-5.
Yerrrrrr out!
Trevor Megill came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Bogaerts grounded out to third to start. Devers hit one up the elevator shaft but Martinez singled in the hole at third. Story doubled to center and Hernandez grounded out to first to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Celestino singled in the hole at short to start. Sanchez walked and Caleb Hamilton ran for him. Arraez flied out to left and Correa grounded into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-5.
Hero of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. He drove in 5 of the Sox 6 runs and the last one proved to be the difference maker.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 5 with a home run.
Trevor Story was 3 for 5 with a stolen base.
Kevin Plawecki was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Michael Wacha got the win by going 6 innings and allowing 2 runs off 4 hits and a walk while striking out 7.
Matt Barnes earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 4 with a golden sombrero of 4 strikeouts.
Garrett Whitlock allowed 3 runs in 2 innings.
The Ugly:
Tommy Pham was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
Well the Sox have finished August and they're nowhere close to the playoffs. The rotation and bullpen are just too beat up to make a run even though the bats can potentially win a few games. The Sox did get a lift from Bogaerts and Wacha in this one but Story and Plawecki pitched in with multiple hit games. Its not TOO late to make a run but they'd have to go on a red hot streak in September to get back in this one. Otherwise, forget it. Still, the name of the game is pitching and if the rotation can pull out some big wins in September, who knows what might happen. The win improved the Sox to 63-68, 8.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the final wild card spot. The Sox now return home for a four game set with the Texas Rangers. Rich Hill takes the mound for the Sox against Glenn Otto of Texas. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment