The good news was the Boston Red Sox won their fifth game in a row to move into a tie for first place with a big win over the Los Angeles Angels. The bad news was several players were hurt in the process including Ceddanne Rafaela and Rafael Devers who were both hit in the wrist. The big story, no pun intended, was Trevor Story landing on his shoulder in the fourth inning and had to leave the game. If he's seriously injured, the fact he's been hurt in a freak accident every year for three years straight is flat out snakebiting. The Sox won the game despite of their pitching and defense by clocking five home runs, two of which by Tyler O'Neill and the go-ahead one by Jarren Duran. Kutter Crawford got knocked out in the fifth inning, Josh Winckowski gave up a grand slam, the Sox made 3 errors in the field and Chris Martin allowed his first run since last July. Still, Reese McGuire added a two run bomb and Triston Casas got his first homer of the season to help the Sox beat the Angels 8-6 at Angels Stadium.
Canning got the ball in the top of the first inning as Jarren Duran popped up to short to start. Rafael Devers walked but Trevor Story flied out to center. Masataka Yoshida took strike three to end the inning. Crawford got the ball in the bottom of the first and Anthony Rendon struck out swinging to end the inning. Nolan Schanuel took strike three and Mike Trout hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the second inning as Tyler O'Neill crushed his third home run of the year to put the Sox on top. Triston Casas then smashed his first home run of the season for back to back jacks. Enmanuel Valdez grounded out to first but Ceddanne Rafaela was hit in the wrist by a pitch. Reese McGuire made Canning pay by smashing his first home run of the year for the third home run of the inning. Duran struck out swinging and Devers flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Casas booted a grounder by Taylor Ward to start the bottom of the second but Brandon Drury forced Ward at second. Miguel Sano hit one up the elevator shaft and Mickey Moniak popped up to short to end the inning.
Story flied out to right to start the top of the third but Yoshida got a base hit to right. O'Neill flied out to left but Casas walked. Valdez struck out swinging to end the inning. Logan O'Hoppe grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Zach Neto popped up to first. Rendon popped up to first to end the inning.
Rafaela grounded out to short to start the top of the fourth and McGuire took strike three. Duran grounded out to second to end the inning. Things went south in the bottom of the fourth as Schanuel grounded back to the mound to start. Trout then hit a ball in the hole at short and Story landed on his shoulder in serious pain. Pablo Reyes came in for Story and Ward struck out swinging. Drury struck out swinging to end the inning but Story was gone.
Devers popped up to short to start the top of the fifth but Reyes walked. Yoshida flied out to left but O'Neill singled to right to chase Canning. Jose Suarez came in to pitch and Casas struck out swinging to end the inning. The Angels began their comeback in the bottom of the fifth as Sano walked to start. Moniak took strike three but O'Hoppe singled to center. Neto flied out to left but Rendon walked to load the bases. Schanuel walked to score Sano and chase Crawford. Kutter lasted just 4 2/3 innings and allowed 1 run on 2 hits and 3 walks. Greg Weissert came in to finish the inning and Trout flied out to center to end the inning with the Angels down 4-1.
The Sox got the run back in the top of the sixth as Valdez grounded out to third to start. Rafaela walked but was thrown out at second trying to st....but wait! Sox manager Alex Cora challenged and Rafaela was ruled safe. McGuire popped up to second but Duran singled to right to score Rafaela. Devers then got hit on the wrist as well to chase Suarez. Luis Garcia came in and Reyes forced Devers at second to end the inning with the Sox up 5-1.
Things fell apart in the bottom of the sixth with Josh Winckowski taking the beating. Ward hit a routine fly ball to center and Rafaela inexplicably dropped it for an error. Drury then hit a double play ball to Devers who flipped to Valdez.....who dropped the ball for another error. Sano got plunked to load the bases but somehow Moniak popped up to third. O'Hoppe then crushed a grand slam all the way to Sacremento to tie the game. Neto struck out swinging but Rendon beat out a roller to third. Schanuel took strike three to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.
The Sox answered in the top of the seventh with Jose Soriano now on the mound. Yoshida grounded out to third but O'Neill was hit. Casas ripped a base hit to center to put runners at the corners and Valdez scored O'Neill with a sac fly to center to put the Sox back on top. Rafaela forced Casas at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-5.
Chris Martin came in to crap his pants in the bottom of the seventh and Trout struck out swinging to start. O'Neill then failed to catch a bloop by Ward and Drury was plunked. Sano ripped a base hit to left to score Ward and move Drury to third. Moniak struck out swinging and O'Hoppe flied out to right to end the inning but the game was tied 6-6.
The Sox showed some heart although McGuire led off the top of the eighth by striking out swinging. Duran then launched his first home run of the season to put the Sox in front again. Devers walked but Reyes grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-6.
Isaiah Campbell came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Neto grounded out to second to start. Rendon grounded out to third and Schanuel grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the top of the ninth as Yoshida grounded out to first to start. O'Neill launched his second home run of the game for a big insurance run but Casas lined out to left. Valdez grounded out to second to end the inning with Boston ahead 8-6
Kenley Jansen came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Trout flied out to right to start. Ward lined out to first and Drury struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-6.
Hero of The Night is Tyler O'Neill. He hit two big home runs and scored the sixth run of the game as well.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 2 for 5 with a home run and two total rbis.
Rafael Devers walked twice in four plate appearances.
Triston Casas was 2 for 4 with a walk and a home run.
Greg Weissert retired the only man he faced.
Isaiah Campbell pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Kenley Jansen got the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 2 before leaving with injury.
Josh Winckowski allowed a grand slam in the sixth inning.
Chris Martin allowed a run in the seventh inning.
The Ugly:
Pablo Reyes was 0 for 2 but walked.
Masataka Yoshida was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Enmanuel Valdez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error but drove in a run.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 2 with an error but walked and scored two runs.
Reese McGuire was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a two run home run.
Kutter Crawford was knocked out in the 5th inning after allowing 1 run off 2 hits and 3 walks after 4 2/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
This game was like surviving a war with a big explosion and now having to look for survivors. Is Story okay? Are Rafaela, Devers and O'Neill okay after being hit with pitches? What a mess! Defensively the Sox looked like the Oakland A's with Rafaela dropping a routine pop up and Valdez dropping a double play ball that proceeded the grand slam. Speaking of which, Dr. Quick Hook Cora pulling Crawford in the fifth inning meant once again the bullpen had to toss nearly five innings, this time they faltered. Winckowski giving up the grand slam and Martin allowing his first run since last July put the Sox in a bad place. Luckily the Sox home run parade bailed them out of this one. O'Neill is living up to his billing as a power threat and Duran is showing 2011 Jacoby Ellsbury flashes. Cora said after the game that Story will have an MRI tomorrow so best case scenario is a shoulder sprain or dislocation that will keep him out a few weeks. Worst case scenario is bye bye Story for the season. The Sox can't afford to lose him in the field or at-bat because they'd have to go with Pablo Reyes full time or call up Romy Gonzalez who hit a whopping .194 last year. Nick Yorke and Marcelo Mayer aren't ready yet so this is a huge blow to the Sox for sure. The worst part is this should have been a great, gutsy win against an Angels team that fought to the last pitch. The Sox have won five in a row and look to make it six in a row tomorrow night when Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock (1-0, 1.80 ERA) takes on Reid Detmers of the Angels. The game begins at 9:30 PM Eastern time at Angels Stadium.
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