As for the game, thank goodness for Garrett Crochet (11-4, 2.19 ERA). After the Red Sox dropped the first two games to the NL Central leading Chicago Cubs, the Sox needed a stopper. Crochet once again picked the team up on his back, tossing 6 innings and allowing just 1 run. Meanwhile for six innings the Boston Red Sox were held in check by Cade Horton. Going into the top of the seventh the Sox had scored 1 run in 24 innings. Then they exploded. Wilyer Abreu hit a 2 run bomb off Ryan Pressly in the seventh to put Boston on top. Then Alex Bregman hit a pinch hit three run home run to ice the game in the eighth. Abreu hit another home run for good measure and the Sox took the game 6-1 at Wrigley Field.
Horton got the ball in the top of the first and Jarren Duran grounded out to second to start. Roman Anthony got a base hit to right but Ceddanne Rafaela flied out to center. Masataka Yoshida grounded out to second to end the inning. Crochet got the ball in the bottom of the first and Nico Hoerner greeted him with a base hit to center. Kyle Tucker struck out swinging but Hoerner swiped second. Seiya Suzuki grounded back to the mound to send Hoerner to third but Carson Kelly grounded out to first to end the inning.
Trevor Story struck out swinging to start the top of the second before Wilyer Abreu grounded out to short. Carlos Narvaez also struck out swinging to end the inning. The Cubs struck first in the bottom of the second as Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled to right to start. Dansby Swanson got a base hit in the hole at short and PCA was thrown out at third in a rundown trying to steal. Swanson moved to second on the play and he scored on the Ian Happ base hit to right. Old pal Justin Turner flied out to right and Happ got thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning with the Cubs up 1-0.
Marcelo Mayer lined out to left to start the top of the third before Romy Gonzalez grounded back to the mound. Duran struck out swinging to end the inning. Matt Shaw singled to center to start the bottom of the third before Duran made a sliding catch to rob Hoerner of a hit. Tucker grounded out to first and Suzuki popped up to third to end the inning.
Anthony walked to start the top of the fourth but Rafaela popped up to first. Yoshida lined out to right and Story lined out to left to end the inning. Kelly took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth and PCA went down hacking. Swanson got a base hit to left but Happ flied out to left to end the inning.
Abreu walked to start the top of the fifth but Narvaez struck out swinging. It looked like Abreu had stolen second but Cubs manager Craig Counsell challenged that he was out. Sure enough, replays overturned the call and naturally Mayer got a base hit to center. Tucker then made a great diving catch to rob Gonzalez of a hit to end the inning. Turner grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fifth then Shaw did the same. Hoerner got a base hit to left before Tucker walked. Suzuki walked to load the bases but Kelly forced Suzuki at second to end the inning.
Duran walked to start the top of the sixth before moving to second on the grounder to third by Anthony. Rafaela grounded out to third and that was it for Horton. Caleb Thielbar struck out Yoshida swinging to end the inning. Crochet returned for one final inning in the bottom of the sixth and PCA doubled to right to start. Swanson struck out swinging and Happ grounded out to third. A wild pitch moved PCA to third but Turner struck out swinging to end the inning. Crochet had held the Cubs to just 1 run in 6 innings off 8 hits and 2 walks.
Suddenly the Sox sprang to life in the top of the seventh against Ryan Pressly. Story walked and Abreu hit his 19th home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Narvaez took strike three, Mayer flied out to center and Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning with Boston ahead 2-1.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock took over for the bottom of the seventh and Michael Busch pinch hit for Shaw. Busch struck out swinging but Rafaela booted a grounder by Hoerner for an error. Tucker grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Drew Pomeranz came in for the top of the eighth and Duran walked to start. Anthony singled to center but was forced at second by Rafaela. Alex Bregman pinch hit for Yoshida and blasted his 12th home run of the season to ice the game. That was it for Pomeranz as Ethan Roberts came in to pitch. Story flied out to center but Abreu launched his 20th home run of the season for good measure. Narvaez doubled to center but Mayer flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 6-1.
Jordan Hicks came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Suzuki took strike three to start. Kelly lined out to left and PCA popped up to short to end the inning.
Brooks Kriske came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Gonzalez struck out swinging to start. Duran flied out to right and Anthony struck out swinging to end the inning. Jorge Alcala came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Swanson struck out swinging to start. Happ flied out to right and Turner lined out to left to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-1.
Hero of the Night is Wilyer Abreu. His two run home run put the Sox ahead and he hit another one for good measure.
The Good:
Roman Anthony was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Alex Bregman hit a pinch hit 3 run home run.
Garrett Crochet got the win with 6 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
Garrett Whitlock tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Jordan Hicks pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Jorge Alcala pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Romy Gonzalez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked twice.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 4 but scored a run.
Trevor Story was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Carlos Narvaez was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Marcelo Mayer was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Better late than never. Going into the seventh inning the Sox had scored just 1 run in 24 innings this series. Then with a snap of a finger Abreu and Bregman go off and the Sox never look back. Crochet did a good job but kudos to Whitlock and the others for holding the fort as well. Anthony continues to look like he belongs and if Bregman ever gets healthy, good things will happen. Crochet continues his march toward the AL Cy Young Award, hopefully he can stay upright the next two months as well. The Sox are running into a gauntlet and need a strong showing against Philadelphia and Los Angeles if they want to keep their spot in the wild card race. The Tampa Bay Rays lost as well so the Sox at least gain a game on them. The win improved the Sox to 54-47, 5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to Philadelphia to play Dave Dombrowski's Phillies. Tomorrow night Walker Buehler takes on Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. The game begins at 6:45 PM at Citizen's Bank Park.
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