The good news was the Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of their first round NHL series and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, the bad news was the Sox lost Triston Casas one inning into the game with a serious rib injury. Wilyer Abreu knocked home Jarren Duran after a leadoff triple and Bobby Dalbec beat out a double play ball with the bases loaded to give the Sox an early first inning lead. Kutter Crawford (1-0, 0.66) ERA held the Pirates to just one run in six strong innings. In the top of the sixth, Masataka Yoshida hit a two run bomb for some big insurance runs. Joely Rodriguez allowed another run but Greg Weissert and Kenley Jansen slammed the door to give the Sox a 4-2 win at PNC Park.
The Sox wasted no time getting to Pirates starter Mitch Keller in the top of the first as Jarren Duran tripled to right to start. Wilyer Abreu hit a roller down the third base line to score Jarren to put the Sox up instantly. Rob Refsnyder forced Abreu at second but Triston Casas walked and Masataka Yoshida singled to right to load the bases. Bobby Dalbec beat out a double play ball to score Refsnyder but Enmanuel Valdez flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Unfortunately Casas keeled over in the dugout, was hauled off on a gurney, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to the local ICU, being replaced by Pablo Reyes for the bottom of the first. Crawford got the ball in the bottom of the first and Edward Olivares grounded out to third to start. Brian Reynolds got a base hit to right but Ke'Bryan Hayes flied out to left. Jack Suwinski struck out swinging to end the inning.
Reese McGuire led off the top of the second inning with a grounder to first and Ceddanne Rafaela grounded out to third. Duran grounded out to first to end the inning. Joey Bart got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the second but Rowdy "Roddy" Tellez grounded into a double play. Jared Triolo flied out to center to end the inning.
Abreu walked to start the top of the third but both Refsnyder and Reyes struck out swinging. Yoshida lined out to first to end the inning. Oneil Cruz popped up to short to begin the bottom of the third before Michael A Taylor flied out to right. Olivares got a base hit to left but Reynolds flied out to left to end the inning.
Dalbec flied out to right to start the top of the fourth but Valdez drew a walk. McGuire hit into a double play to end the inning. The Pirates struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Hayes doubled to right to start. Suwinski popped up to second but Bart walked. Tellez somehow hit one up the elevator shaft but Triolo singled to left to score Hayes. Cruz struck out swinging to end the inning with the Pirates back in it down 2-1.
Rafaela grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth. Duran grounded out to second and Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. The Pirates threatened in the bottom of the fifth as Taylor singled to right to start. Somehow Olivares lined out to left but naturally Reynolds singled to left. Hayes walked to load the bases but somehow Suwinski struck out swinging. Bart struck out swinging as well to end the threat and the inning.
The Sox picked up Crawford in the top of the sixth although Refsnyder grounded out to third to start. Reyes walked and Yoshida clubbed his second home run of the season for some much needed insurance. Dalbec struck out swinging but Valdez got a base hit to right. McGuire flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 4-1.
Crawford was still fired up on the bottom of the sixth as Tellez flied out to left to start. Triolo struck out swinging but Cruz walked. Sox manager Alex Cora stormed out of the dugout and instead of taking Crawford out, he gave him a tongue lashing to finish the damn inning. Cruz stole second but Crawford punched out Taylor swinging to end the inning. That was it for Crawford who tossed 6 solid innings allowing just the 1 run on 7 hits and 3 walks while striking out six batters.
Luis L Ortiz came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Rafaela grounded out to third to start. Duran grounded back to the mound but Abreu walked. Refsnyder walked but Reyes grounded out to third to end the inning. Chris Martin came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Olivares grounded out to short to start. Reynolds singled to center but Hayes grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Yoshida doubled to left to start the top of the eighth but Dalbec struck out swinging. Valdez struck out swinging and McGuire flied out to center to end the inning. Joely Rodriguez came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Pirates manager Derek Shelton pinch hit Connor Joe for Suwinski. Naturally Joe hit a home run all the way to Philadelphia to cut the lead. Bart struck out swinging but Andrew McCutchen pinch hit for Tellez only to fly out to center. That was it for Rodriguez as Sox manager Alex Cora wanted Greg Weissert to face the righty Triolo. Jared flied out to right to end the inning with the Pirates still down 4-2.
Colin Holderman came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Rafaela struck out swinging to start. Duran popped up to third but Abreu walked. Refsnyder doubled to left but Reyes took strike three to end the inning. Kenley Jansen came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Cruz took a questionable strike three to start. Somehow Taylor managed to take a time clock violation for strike three and Derek Shelton ran out to scream his head off at home plate umpire DJ Reyburn. DJ had it up to here with Shelton and had him thrown out of the building by armed security. When play resumed, Olivares struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2.
Sox win
Crawford Hero
Hero of The Night is Kutter Crawford. He tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball while allowing 7 hits and 3 walks while striking out six.
The Good:
Wilyer Abreu was 1 for 2 with 3 walks and an rbi.
Triston Casas walked before leaving the game with injury.
Masataka Yoshida was 3 for 4 with a 2 run home run.
Enmanuel Valdez was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Chris Martin pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Greg Weissert retired the only man he faced.
Kenley Jansen picked up his fifth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Reese McGuire was 0 for 4.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Joely Rodriguez allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Pablo Reyes was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
Good win but the Sox are dropping like flies, and its not like these are bumps and bruises either. Sox manager Alex Cora looked somber after the game not only saying Casas "doesn't look good" but Rafael Devers' knee isn't doing well either. For those keeping track, Nick Pivetta, Trevor Story and Lucas Giolito are out for the year while Garrett Whitlock, Tyler O'Neill, Vaughn Grissom, Romy Gonzalez are already on the Injured List. Putting Devers and Casas on the Injured List would cripple the offense but what are you gonna do? Now for the flip side, that was a damn good win. Crawford got challenged by Cora to finish the job and Kutter did it. Joely Rodriguez allowed a run AGAIN but Weissert and Jansen shut the door. Its hard to expect offense out of a team of backups which is why that Yoshida home run ended up being the difference in the game. Its a shame because the Sox aren't as bad as people expected them to be going into the season. You can blame ownership for not signing top flight free agents but you can't blame them for all these injuries. If they got all the guys that aren't out for the year back, they might actually win more than they lose. The Sox look for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon when Josh Winckowski (1-1, 4.63 ERA) gets the spot start against old friend Martin Perez of Pittsburgh. The game begins at 1:35 PM at PNC Park.
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