As for the game, its not only Nate Eovaldi that's auditioning for other teams. Xander Bogaerts and JD Martinez won't be coming back and Martinez was the hero in this one, breaking a 3-3 tie to put the Sox ahead with a home run. The returning Nathan Eovaldi lasted just 5 innings but only allowed 2 runs to the Baltimore Orioles. The Sox tied the game against Mike Baumann with two rbis from Triston Casas and Kike Hernandez. The Sox took a 3-2 lead but Kyle Stowers hit a home run off Matt Strahm in the seventh. With one out in the eighth, JD Martinez took Dillon Tate deep for a two run home run. Kaleb Ort slammed the door in the ninth and the Sox had taken three in a row from the Orioles including this one 5-3 at Fenway Park.
Eovaldi got the ball in the top of the first and Cedric Mullins struck out swinging to start. Adley Rutschman doubled to left but Anthony Santander lined out to second. Ryan Mountcastle grounded out to second to end the inning. Baumann got the ball in the bottom of the first and Tommy Pham grounded out to short to start. Rafael Devers flied out to center but Xander Bogaerts got a base hit to right. Alex Verdugo doubled to right but JD Martinez flied out to right to end the inning.
Gunnar Henderson doubled to right to start the top of the second but Austin Hays popped up to second. Rougned Odor hit a bullet to Bogaerts who doubled off Gunnar to end the inning. Triston Casas grounded out to second to start the bottom of the second but Christian Arroyo doubled to left. Kike Hernandez and Connor Wong both grounded out to short to end the inning.
The O's struck first in the top of the third as Kyle Stowers got a base hit to right to start. Jorge Mateo got a base hit to left and both runners moved over on the swinging bunt by Mullins in front of the plate. Rutschman grounded out to first to score Stowers and Casas booted a grounder by Santander for an error to score Mateo. Mountcastle lined out to left to end the inning with the O's up 2-0.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the third as Pham grounded out to short to start. Devers also grounded out to short and Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning.
Henderson got a base hit to right to start the top of the fourth but Hays took strike three. Odor flied out to center and Stowers popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Verdugo grounded out to second to start. Martinez doubled to left and and Casas atoned for his error with a double to left to score him. Arroyo struck out swinging but Hernandez drilled a base hit to right to score Casas. Wong took strike three to end the inning but the game was tied 2-2.
Mateo struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth and Mullins popped up to third. All of a sudden Sox manager Alex Cora bounded out of the dugout to take the ball after just 72 pitches. Eovaldi shouted at him and left under protest. How do you take a guy out of his potential last start in Boston out after 72 pitches? Eduardo Bazardo walked Rutschman but got Santander to ground back to the mound to end the inning. Eovaldi lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed 2 runs on just 5 hits.
Bryan Baker came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Pham flied out to right to start. Devers flied out to left and Bogaerts lined out to left to end the inning.
Mountcastle struck out swinging to open the top of the sixth and Henderson also went down hacking. Hays flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox got to Cionel Perez in the bottom of the sixth and Verdugo got a base hit to right to start. A wild pitch moved Verdugo to second but Martinez struck out swinging. Casas beat out a roller to short to put runners at the corners and Arroyo grounded out to third to score Verdugo. Hernandez grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 3-2.
Matt Strahm came in to crap his pants in the top of the seventh as Odor grounded out to second to start. Stowers then hit a home run all the way to Sri Lanka to tie the game. Mateo struck out swinging but Mullins beat out a roller to third. Rutschman grounded out to second to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Logan Gillaspie came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Abraham Almonte pinch hit for Wong. Almonte struck out swinging, Pham lined out to right and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning.
Zack Kelly came in to pitch with Reese McGuire behind the plate for the top of the eighth inning. Santander flied out to left to start and Mountcastle struck out swinging. Arroyo booted a grounder by Henderson for an error and Hays got a base hit to left. Odor forced Hays at second to end the inning. Dillon Tate came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Bogaerts walked to start. Verdugo forced Xander at second but Martinez blasted his 14th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Casas walked but was forced at second by Arroyo. Hernandez forced Arroyo at second to end the inning with the Sox up 5-3.
Yu Chang came in to play second with Kaleb Ort in to close out the top of the ninth. Stowers struck out swinging and Terrin Vavra pinch hit for Mateo. Vavra grounded out to short but Mullins got a base hit to center. Rutschman grounded out to second to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-3.
Hero of The Night is JD Martinez. His two run home run put the Sox up for good in the eighth.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Triston Casas was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed just 1 earned run in 4 2/3 innings off 5 hits.
Eduard Bazardo tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Zack Kelly got the win with a scoreless eighth inning.
Kaleb Ort earned his first save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Tommy Pham was 0 for 4.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Connor Wong was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Abraham Almonte struck out as a pinch hitter.
Matt Strahm allowed a run in the seventh inning.
The Ugly:
Christian Arroyo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout and and error but drove in a run.
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Honorable Mention:
Yu Chang played second base in the top of the ninth.
Reese McGuire caught the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
Six games remaining and this might have been the final home run for JD Martinez and start by Nathan Eovaldi. They might shut them both down or they may not. But if this was it, that was a hell of a goodbye by Martinez. Its too bad Triston Casas wasn't around all year, Jarren Duran regressed and Trevor Story wasn't healthy because a lineup of Duran, Verdugo, Bogaerts, Devers, Martinez, Story, Casas, Christian Vazquez and Kike Hernandez would have been great. Then again, the problem was four of the five starters got hurt and couldn't beat the AL East as a result. The Sox just took 3 out of 4 against Baltimore but its too little, too late. It would be funny if the Sox win their last 6 in a row to end the year on a 10 game win streak...but that's very unrealistic. The only thing left to do is enjoy all these guys that most likely won't be back for the next six games. The win improved the Sox to 75-81, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to Toronto for their final road trip of the season against the Blue Jays, who's 13-3 against them this season. Nick Pivetta (10-11) goes for the Sox against Alek Manoah of Toronto.
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