Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Tyler O'Neill was activated from the Injured List and his finally good to go. Tyler Heineman was sent down to Worcester as his corresponding move. Sadly Chris Martin was placed on the Injured List due to a bout with anxiety and Zack Kelly was called up from Worcester to take his place.
As for the game, the Sox might be depleted but Nick Pivetta (3-4, 3.40 ERA) certainly was not. He pitched arguably his best game of the season, holding the Braves to just 1 hit and 2 walks through seven shutout innings. Meanwhile the Boston bats woke up big time. The Sox rallied for three runs in the second off Spencer Schwellenbach before tagging him for three in the fifth. Rafael Devers and Jarren Duran both went yard as well before Brad Keller slammed the door in the ninth inning. The Sox had blanked the Braves 9-0 at Fenway Park.
Pivetta got the ball in the top of the first inning as Michael Harris Jr grounded out to second to start. Austin Riley grounded out to third and Marcell Ozuna struck out swinging to end the inning. Schwellenbach got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jarren Duran grounded out to second to start. Enmanuel Valdez grounded out to first and Ron Refsnyder grounded out to short to end the inning.
Matt Olson walked to start the top of the second inning before Ozzie Albies struck out swinging. Travis d'Arnaud struck out swinging and Adam Duvall popped up to first to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Rafael Devers pounded his 12th home run of the season to start. Tyler O'Neill singled to center, Dominic Smith walked and David Hamilton doubled home O'Neill. Ceddanne Rafaela flied out to left and Reese McGuire hit a sac fly to left to score Smith. Duran struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Jared Kelenic grounded out to second to start the top of the third and Orlando Arcia struck out swinging. Harris watched strike three go by to end the inning. Valdez grounded out to first to start the bottom of the third but Refsnyder singled to center. Devers forced Refsnyder at second and O'Neill forced Devers to end the inning.
Riley singled to right to start the top of the fourth before Ozuna went down hacking. Olson popped up to second but Albies walked. D'arnaud struck out swinging to end the inning. Smith went down hacking to start the bottom of the fourth and Hamilton lined out to center. Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning.
Duvall popped up to first to begin the top of the fifth and Kelenic grounded out to second. Arcia struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox poured it on in the bottom of the fifth as McGuire's bunt attempt was snuffed out by Schwellenbach to begin. Duran tripled into the centerfield triangle and Valdez doubled to right to score Jarren. Refsnyder struck out swinging and Devers was intentionally walked to get to O'Neill. Tyler found that offensive and ripped a base hit to left to score Valdez. Ray Kerr came in to face Smith and Dominic doubled to right to score Devers. Hamilton walked but Rafaela flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-0.
Harris flied out to center to start the top of the sixth and Riley grounded out to third. Ozuna lined out to center to end the inning. McGuire grounded out to short to start the bottom of the sixth and Duran lined out to center. Valdez lined out to left to end the inning.
Pivetta came back for one final inning in the top of the seventh and Olson grounded out to short to start. Albies struck out swinging and d'Arnaud flied out to center to end the inning. Pivetta was outstanding, allowing just a hit and 2 walks while striking out nine.
Good work by Pivetta
The Sox struck again in the bottom of the seventh as Refsnyder hit a ground rule double into the left field stands to start. Devers then cracked his second home of the day to extend the lead. O'Neill struck out swinging but Smith got a base hit to center. Hamilton flied out to left and Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-0.
Devers does it again
Zack Kelly came in to pitch the top of the eighth with Bobby Dalbec in for Devers. Duvall lined out to center but JP Martinez pinch hit for Kelenic. Martinez and Arcia both struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with Brian Anderson in for Riley and Jimmy Herget on the mound. McGuire flied out to right but Duran hit his 4th home run of the season to add to the lead. Jamie Westbrook pinch hit for Valdez and got a base hit to left. Refsnyder and Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-0.
Brad Keller came in to pitch the top of the ninth and McGuire rolled around on top of a squibber hit by Harris for an error to start. Anderson grounded into a double play and old pal Zack Short pinch hit for Ozuna. Short flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won the game 9-0.
Sox win
Pivetta The Hero
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 home runs, 3 total rbis and 3 total runs scored.
Hero of The Night is Nick Pivetta. He shut out the Braves for 7 innings allowing just 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out nine.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 2 for 5 with a home run and two total runs scored.
Jamie Westbrook singled as a pinch hitter.
Rob Refsnyder was 2 for 5 with run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 home runs, 3 total rbis and 3 total runs scored.
Tyler O'Neill was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Dominic Smith was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Zack Kelly pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Brad Keller pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Bobby Dalbec struck out in his only at-bat.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Enmanuel Valdez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run.
Reese McGuire was 0 for 3 with an error but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
Damn good win all things considered. That was arguably Pivetta's best start of the season pitching a 1 hitter through seven innings. He's been a .500 pitcher his whole career so expecting him to do that again next time is unfair. Still, you CAN expect the offense to put up some runs like they did in this one. Devers got some help from Duran and two big hits from Tyler O'Neill and Dominic Smith. If O'Neill could stay healthy, that would be nice. The running game didn't really take effect but they didn't need it the way everyone was swinging the bat. Even the duo of Kelly and Keller held the fort in the later innings without giving up a run. Not much to complain about in this one. The win improved the Sox to 31-31, 12.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to Chicago for a four game set with the worthless White Sox. Tanner Houck (5-5) goes for Boston against Jake Woodford of Chicago. The game begins tomorrow night at 8:10 PM Eastern time at Comiskey Park.
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