Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Josh Winckowski was sent back to Worcester to stretch him out as a starter. Brayan Bello was activated to make today's start against the Washington Nationals. It was definitely a shock to see Winckowski go but if they want him to be an emergency starter, it makes perfect sense since they already have a crowded bullpen. With all the injuries the Sox have suffered, its better to have depth.
The bad news was the Boston Bruins lost to the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of their second round NHL playoff series but the good news was the Boston Red Sox narrowly defeated the Washington Nationals. Brayan Bello (4-1, 3.13 ERA) came off the Injured List to throw five gutty innings, holding the Nationals bats to just two runs. Meanwhile the anemic Red Sox offense only scored in one inning but they made the runs count. Ceddanne Rafaela hit a lucky ground rule double off Nats starter MacKenzie Gore to drive in a pair and a wild pitch and Jarren Duran scored on a wild pitch. As usual the Boston bats were silent otherwise, but Bello and the Boston bullpen held the fort for the second straight day. Kenley Jansen slammed the door in the ninth inning and the Sox had beaten the Nationals 3-2 at Fenway Park.
The Voorhees family approves of the Mother's Day win
Rafaela gets the double
Nats fight back
Welcome back Bello
Young is out and the Sox have won
"You saved my ass, Hero" - Jansen
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Bello got the ball in the top of the first inning and CJ Abrams got a base hit to center to start. It looked like Abrams had stolen second but Sox manager Alex Cora challenged that he was out. The call was overturned and Abrams was out. Luis Garcia Jr flied out to left and Joey Meneses lined out to short. Gore got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Romy Gonzalez got a base hit to center to start. Rob Refsnyder struck out swinging and Gonzalez took off for second base. The catcher's throw sailed into center and Gonzalez made it to third. Naturally Tyler O'Neill took strike three and Rafael Devers struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jesse Winker grounded out to second to begin the top of the second before Nick Senzel lined out to center. Eddie Rosario walked but was picked off to end the inning. Connor Wong walked to begin the bottom of the first and Garrett Cooper got a base hit to center. Victor Robles dropped a pop up by Vaughn Grissom for an error to load the bases but Jarren Duran forced Wong at home. Ceddanne Rafaela popped up down the right field line but it dropped in for a ground rule double to score both Cooper and Grissom. A wild pitch scored Duran and moved Rafaela to third but Gonzalez took strike three. Refsnyder lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 3-0.
Ildemaro Vargas grounded out to short to start the top of the third before Riley Adams singled to center. Robles hit a routine grounder to third but Cooper dropped the throw for an error. Abrams got a base hit to right but Robles was thrown out at third. Garcia grounded out to second to end the inning. O'Neill walked to start the bottom of the third before Devers struck out swinging. Wong flied out to center but Cooper doubled to left. Grissom struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Nationals struck back in the top of the fourth as Meneses struck out swinging to start. Winker flied out to center but Senzel walked. Rosario hit a home run all the way to Alabama to cut the lead. Vargas grounded out to second to end the inning with the Nats down 3-2.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Duran grounded back to the mound to start. Rafaela grounded out to short and Gonzalez flied out to right to end the inning.
Adams grounded out to first to start the top of the fifth before Robles flied out to center. Adams grounded out to second to end the inning. As usual that was it for Bello after just 5 innings and 68 pitches. Bello allowed 4 hits and 2 walks in his outing.
Refsnyder singled to left to start the bottom of the fifth before O'Neill struck out swinging. Devers forced Refsnyder at second and WOngs truck out swinging to end the inning.
Cam Booser came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Garcia Jr flied out to center to begin. Meneses flied out to center and Trey Lipscomb pinch hit to Winker. Lipscomb struck out swinging to end the inning. Cooper grounded out to short to start the bottom of the sixth but Grissom got a base hit to right. A wild pitch moved Grissom to second and he moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Duran. Rafaela struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt to end the inning.
Zack Kelly came in for the top of the seventh as Senzel walked to start. Senzel was picked off but Rosario walked as well. Vargas grounded out to second to move Rosario to second but Adams was hit with a pitch. The Nats pulled off a double steal but Robles flied out to left to end the inning. Derek Law came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Wilyer Abreu pinch hit for Gonzalez. Abreu struck out swinging, Refsnyder popped up to first and O'Neill struck out swinging again to end the inning.
Chris Martin came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Abrams grounded out to first to start. Garcia Jr was called out on strikes and Meneses flied out to center to end the inning. Dylan Floro came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Devers clubbed a double off the Monster to start. Naturally Wong popped up a bunt to Floro and Dominic Smith pinch hit for Cooper. Smith popped up to third and Grissom flied out to right to end the inning.
Kenley Jansen came in to close out the top of the ninth and Lipscomb grounded out to third to start. Senzel ripped a base hit to left and Jacob Young ran for him at first. Rosario flied out to the right field warning track but Young was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the game.....but wait! Nationals manager Dave Martinez challenged that Young was safe. The umps looked at the replay and determined he was out. The Red Sox had won the game 3-2.
Hero of The Night is Connor Wong. He somehow gunned down Young who had a huge lead to end the game.
The Good:
Romy Gonzalez was 1 for 3 with a stolen base.
Garrett Cooper was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 with 2 rbis.
Brayan Bello got the win by tossing 5 innings and allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks.
Cam Booser tossed a scoreless sixth inning.
Zack Kelly pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Chris Martin pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Kenley Jansen earned his seventh save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Wilyer Abreu struck out as a pinch hitter.
Dominic Smith was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Tyler O'Neill was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Vaughn Grissom was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Jarren Duran was 0 for 3 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Once again the Sox can barely score runs but the pitching bailed them out again. Bello came off the Injured List to throw 5 innings and looked pretty good all things considered. He made one mistake to Rosario that Rafaela could have caught with a better angle. The bullpen slammed the door the rest of the way and the Sox won it. The Nationals ran into five outs during the game, Rafaela's double was lucky and the wild pitch was lucky as well. Sometimes you have to be lucky and good and the Sox were both today. The bats once again failed again and again in the clutch and its going to be a problem moving forward. The Sox haven't scored more than four runs in a game since May 5th and that needs to change pretty soon. The pitching is working itself out with Nick Pivetta and Bello back, but SOMEBODY needs to step up on offense or they're going to be a .500 team all season. The win improved the Sox to 21-19, 5.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox now have their toughest test of the season so far when they face the incoming Tampa Bay Rays in a four game set beginning tomorrow night. Kutter Crawford (2-1, 1.75 ERA) gets the start against Zach Eflin of Tampa. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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