Before the game the Boston Red Sox organization made some roster moves. The Florida Complex Red Sox season ended and the Sox released three guys as soon as the final game was over. Venezuelan right handed pitchers Denison Sanchez and Yoelvin Chirino was released as well as 2025 14th round pick, right handed pitcher Carter Rasmussen. Chirino allowed 25 runs in 33 innings for the Complex Sox last year and 37 runs in 23 innings this year. That wasn't going to get it done. Sanchez at least had one moment in the sun when he was apart of a combined no-hitter but still allowed 24 runs in 21 innings. The 6 foot 5 Rasmussen was a head scratcher as he was AWFUL at Brown University when the Sox drafted him and he allowed 27 runs in 16 innings for the FCS. Goes to show Sox GM Craig Breslow can't turn everyone that's over 6'4 into a stud. Apart from a wasted draft pick, no big loss.
As for the game, rarely this season are games considered "must win" but this was certainly one of them for the Red Sox. The Sox win streak was snapped on Wednesday night and contrarian Sox fans and radio hosts spent all of Thursday saying to sell the team, trade all the stars and blow up Fenway Park. Coming back against the Toronto Blue Jays was a must tonight, and they nearly blew it. Patrick Sandoval lasted just 4 2/3 innings but the Sox built a 4-0 lead. Anthony Seigler hit a leadoff home run off Trey Yesavage and two innings later Ceddanne Rafaela went yard. Andruw Monasterio hit a sac fly and things looked great with one out in the seventh inning....and it fell apart. Greg Weissert allowed a 3 run home run to Kazuma Okamoto in the seventh and Garrett Whitlock allowed the tying run to score in the eighth. Game over right? WRONG! Romy Gonzalez came off the bench to knock in a run and Seigler drove in yet another run to give the Sox the lead back. Aroldis Chapman slammed the door in the ninth inning and the Sox had gotten back on the winning track with a 6-4 victory at Fenway Park.
Sandoval got the ball in the top of the first inning and Ernie Clement immediately reached on an error by Patrick to start. Vladimir Guerrero Jr flied out to left and Kazuma Okamoto took strike three. Clement took second on a wild pitch, George Springer walked and both runners moved over on a passed ball. Alejandro Kirk walked to load the bases but Davis Schneider took strike three to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting to Yesavage in the bottom of the first as Anthony Seigler smashed his third home run of the season to start. Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging and Wilyer Abreu lined out to left, but Willson Contreras beat out a roller to old pal Luis Urias. Contreras stole second and Masataka Yoshida walked, but Caleb Durbin struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Daulton Varsho beat out a roller to second to start the top of the second but Urias struck out swinging. Myles Straw lined out to right and Clement lined out to short to end the inning. Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start the bottom of the second and Andruw Monasterio did the same. Connor Wong struck out swinging to end the inning.
Guerrero Jr popped up to first to start the top of the second and Okamoto grounded out to short. Springer flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second as Seigler got a base hit to left to start. Rafaela blasted his 10th home run of the season to increase the lead but Abreu struck out swinging. Contreras struck out swinging and Yoshida lined out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Kirk got a base hit to right to start the top of the fourth but Schneider forced him at second. Varsho got a base hit to center but Urias popped up to first. Straw lined out to left to end the inning. Durbin took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth and Duran grounded out to first. Monasterio got a base hit to right but Wong struck out swinging to end the inning.
Clement grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth inning but Guerrero Jr got a base hit to left. Naturally Okamoto doubled to left but Springer hit one up the elevator shaft. That was it for Sandoval as Sox manager wasnt going go take any chances with a rested bullpen. He lasted just 4 2/3 innings but allowed no runs off 5 hits and 2 walks. Tyron Guerrero came in and Kirk flied out to right to end the inning.
Mason Fluharty came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Seigler flied out to right to start. Rafaela and Abreu both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Nathan Lukes pinch hit for Schneider to start the top of the sixth and struck out swinging. Rafaela made a great diving catch to rob Varsho of a hit and Urias grounded out to third to end the inning. Braydon Fisher came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Contreras struck out swinging to start. Yoshida walked, Durbin was hit with a pitch and Duran beat out a roller to short to load the bases. Monasterio hit a sac fly to center to score Yoshida to increase the lead and Wong got a base hit to left. Unfortunately Durbin was thrown out at home to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Yohendrick Pinango pinch hit for Straw. Pinango took strike three but Clement was hit with a pitch. Naturally Guerrero Jr got a base hit to center and Okamoto hot a home run all the way to Finland to cut the lead. Springer flied out to right and Kirk grounded out to short to end the inning but the Jays were back in it down 4-3.
Jeff Hoffman came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Seigler doubled to left to start. Naturally Rafaela failed to get him over by grounding out to short but Abreu walked. Contreras flied out to center but Yoshida reached on an error by Guerrero to load the bases. Naturally Durbin grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The inevitable happened as Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock got tagged in the top of the eighth as Lukes doubled to left to start. Varsho got a base hit to right to move Lukes to third and Andres Gimenez pinch hit for Urias. Gimenez hit a sac fly to center to score Lukes to tie the game but Pinango struck out swinging. Clement flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
CJ Van Eyk came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Duran got a base hit to left to start. Monasterio popped up to Guerrero and Romy Gonzalez pinch hit for Wong. Gonzalez doubled into the left field corner to score Duran to give the Sox the lead. Seigler doubled off the Monster to score Gonzalez and Rafaela got a base hit to left to put runners at the corners. That was it for Van Eyk as Adam Macko came in to face Abreu. Abreu popped up to Clement and Contreras was intentionally walked to load the bases to get to Yoshida. Sox manager Chad Tracy countered by sending in Jahmai Jones to pinch hit. Jones struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-4.
Aroldis Chapman came in to close out the top of the ninth with Carlos Narvaez now behind the plate. Naturally Guerrero Jr walked but Okamoto struck out swinging. Springer flied out to center but Guerrero took second on defensive indifference. Kirk struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had held on to win 6-4.
Hero of The Night is Romy Gonzalez. He came in ice cold off the bench and delivered the rbi to put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Anthony Seigler was 4 for 5 with a home run, 2 rbis and 2 total runs scored.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 2 for 5 with a 2 run home run.
Masataka Yoshida walked twice in four plate appearances and scored a run.
Jarren Duran was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Andruw Monasterio was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Connor Wong was 1 for 3.
Patrick Sandoval tossed 4 2/3 shutout innings allowing 5 hits and 2 walks.
Tyron Guerrero tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Aroldis Chapman earned his 24th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jahmai Jones struck out as a pinch hitter.
Greg Weissert allowed a 3 run home run in the seventh.
Garrett Whitlock allowed a run in the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Willson Contreras was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and stole a base.
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but was hit with a pitch.
Honorable Mention:
Carlos Narvaez caught the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Talk about going from an easy victory to a potential heartbreaking loss to a gutty win. The Sox had this game in the bag with the bases empty and one out in the seventh inning and found a way to blow it. Between April and June you could have penciled in a ninth or tenth inning loss but these days the Sox find way to get it done. Romy Gonzalez comes in ice cold to deliver the big hit and a guy who slumped for 3 weeks getting the insurance knock wasn't happening 2 months ago. Too bad Sandoval couldn't go longer but like mentioned before, this was a must win game. Pundits and critics were saying for 48 hours that the Sox crashed back to earth and another loss might have justified their absurdity. Instead the Sox claw their way back to victory to shut them up. The bad news was both the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees lost so the Sox gained no ground on them, but the good news was Tampa beat Cleveland. Mostly due to games in hand, the Sox are now currently in possession of the second wild card even though the Indians have one more win than they do. The funny thing is the Sox have a better record than the AL West front runner Texas Rangers and are one game behind the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox. Somehow in one calendar month the Sox went from one game in front of the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in baseball to the fourth best record in the American League. The Sox still have a lot of work to do and we're still one week from the trade deadline. Craig Breslow has to make a choice of doing nothing at the deadline and banking on the injured players coming back or sacrificing prospects to make a trade for a big bat. Either way things will work itself out in the next week or so. The win improved the Sox to 53-49, 6.5 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row against the Jays tomorrow afternoon in a battle of aces. Sonny Gray (12-1, 2.48 ERA) takes on Dylan Cease of Toronto. The game begins at 4:10 PM at Fenway Park.
