Yefry Ramirez got the ball to start the game and Mr. Mookie Betts greeted him by grounding out to short. Brock "The Hitman" Holt popped up to second and Steve Pearce looked at strike three to end the inning. Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez got the start for the Sox in the bottom of the first and Jace Peterson lined out to second to begin. Jonathan Villar grounded out to second and Adam Jones grounded out to first to end the inning.
Martinez began his great day by walking to open the top of the second inning. Xander Bogaerts lined out to right, Rafael Devers popped up to short and Eduardo Nunez lined out to right to end the inning. The O's struck first in the bottom of the second as Trey Mancini singled to start. Chris Davis was pluned and Renato Nunez doubled Mancini home when Martinez completely missed a catch. In what turned out to be more important than it seemed at the time, that was all the O's got as Cedric Mullins failed to score anyone with a sharp grounder to second. Joey Rickard flied out to right but the slow Davis refused to challenge Mookie's arm. Caleb Joseph grounded to third to end the inning with the O's ahead 1-0 but it could have been far worse.
Dan Butler led off the top of the third by swinging at air before Jackie Bradley Jr grounded one off of Ramirez but Renato Nunez threw Jackie out at first. Mr. Mookie singled and stole second but Holt whiffed to end the inning. Velazquez didn't last long in the bottom of the third and walking Peterson didn't help. Villar advanced Peterson on a force and Jones grounded out to third, but that was it for Velazquez. He wasn't supposed to throw this many pitches but did the best he could.
Brandon Workman came in and Mancini lashed a single to score Peterson. Davis and Nunez walked to load the bases but Mullins grounded into a force to end the inning with the O's leading 2-0.
The Sox began their comeback in the top of the fourth inning although Pearce whiffed to start. Martinez blasted his 36th homer of the year to center to cut the lead in half. Bogaerts grounded out to short and Devers whiffed to end the inning but it was 2-1 O's.
The much maligned Drew Pomeranz came in to pitch the bottom of the fourth and Rickard greeted him with a single. Drew recovered to get Joseph to fly out to right and Peterson to pop up to short. The alert Pomeranz then picked off Rickard to end the inning.
The Sox tied it up in the top of the fifth when Nunez motored around for a triple to start before scoring on the Butler sac fly. JBJ walked and stole second but Mr. Mookie lined out to second. Holt flied out to right to end the inning but it was 2-2.
Pomeranz returned for the bottom of the fifth and Villar grounded out to short to start. Jones flied out to right but Mancini walked. Davis grounded out to first to end the inning.
Cody Carroll came in for the top of the sixth and couldn't find the plate, walking both Pearce and Martinez to begin. Bogaerts banged into a double play but Devers walked on a pitch over everything, scoring Pearce with the go-ahead run. Nunez lined out to right to end the inning but the Sox took the lead 3-2.
Heath Hembree was brought in to cough up the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Nunez flied out to left but Mullins walked. Hembree picked off Mullins and its a good thing he did because Rickard blasted a 7,000 foot bomb to tie the game. Joseph grounded out to short to end the inning but it was now 3-3.
Mike Wright Jr got the call to pitch the top of the seventh and Butler grounded out to short to start. JBJ whiffed before Mr. Mookie popped up to second to end the inning. Joe Kelly was summoned to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Petersn flied out to left to begin. Villar singled but was erased on the force by Jones. Jones swiped second and Mancini walked but Davis flied out to center to end the inning. Can any Sox reliever not struggle?
The Sox broke the tie in the top of the eighth inning. Holt lined out to third but Pearce singled. Martinez blasted his second homer of the game, number 37 total to give the Sox the lead. Bogaerts grounded out to short and Paul Fry relieved Wright to walk Pearce. Nunez lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.
William Cuevas, called up today, had a very eventful botom of the eighth inning. Nunez grounded out to third before Mullins walked. Rickard lined out to center as Mark Trumbo pinch hit for Joseph, drawing a walk. Austin Wynns pinch ran for Trumbo and both runners moved over on a wild pitch by Cuevas. William got out of it by striking out Peterson to end the inning. Good work soldier!
Andrew Benintendi pinch hit for Butler to open the top of the ninth and whiffed. JBJ was hit by a pitch but was thrown out at second trying to steal. The caught stealing hurt as Mr. Mookie doubled and Holt singled Betts home. Unfortunately Holt was thrown out at second trying to stretch to end the inning but it was 6-3 Sox.
Sandy Leon came in to catch the bottom of the ninth with Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel going for the save. Villar looked at strike three to begin before Jones whiffed. Mancini crashed the party with a solo bomb but Davis whiffed to end the game. The Sox had won their 84th game of the season and swept the double-header with a 6-4 win.
Hero of the Night is a no-brainer. JD Martinez clubbed two home runs, the second a game deciding 2 run homer to give the Sox the win.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with a stolen base and a run scored.
Steve Pearce was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers walked twice in four plate appearances.
Drew Pomeranz pitched a scoreless 5th inning.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
William Cuevas pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4.
Andrew Benintendi struck out as a pinch hitter.
Jackie Bradley was plunked and walked in four plate appearances.
Brandon Workman allowed an inherited run to score and walked two guys in 1/3 of an inning.
Heath Hembree gave up a run in the 6th inning.
The Ugly:
Brock Holt was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Dan Butler was 0 for 2 but drove in a run.
Hector Velazquez allowed 2 runs in 2 2/3 innings in an emergency start.
Craig Kimbrel gave up a home run in the bottom of the ninth but earned his 34th save.
Honorable Mention:
Sandy Leon caught the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox keep rolling but a wart has appeared on this seemingly unbeatable monster. The Boston bullpen has been giving up runs in bunches the last few weeks. It started against the Yankees and its continuing against Baltimore. I dont know if its fatigue or ineffectiveness but the bullpen has been as shaky as a 20 year old car. The only one that's been close to lights out is Ryan Brasier who most Red Sox fans had no idea he was in the league when the year started. Still, the Sox are finding ways to win game after game and you need a team with heart like that if you want to make a run through the playoffs. The good news is the win improved the Sox to 84-35, 9.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The 1991 Red Sox who collapsed at the end of September finished with 84 wins, this year's team has 84 on August 11th. Tomorrow its the return of Chris Sale (11-4) from the disabled list and he takes on Alex Cobb in the series finale at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
