As for the game, for eight innings the Boston Red Sox and the Seattle Mariners were locked in a pitcher's duel. Joe Kelly of the Sox and Roenis Elias of the Mariners combined to allow a single earned run apiece in 6 plus innings. A Shane Victorino home run in the top of the fourth and a Logan Morrison rbi in the bottom of the sixth amounted for the only runs of the game. Then in the top of the ninth, Mookie Betts hit a fly ball to Rickie Weeks who threw the ball away, allowing Brock Holt to score. Koji Uehara slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth and the Sox had won it 2-1 at Safeco Field.
Elias got the ball in the top of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts lined out to Brad Miller to start. Dustin Pedroia popped up to first and David Ortiz grounded out to short to end the inning. Kelly got the ball in the bottom of the first and Seth Smith flied out to center to start. Miller got a base hit to left but was forced at second on a grounder by Robinson Cano. Nelson Cruz got a base hit to right to move Cano to third but Kyle Seager grounded out to first to end the inning.
Hanley Ramirez reached on a swinging bunt in front of the plate to start the top of the second but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Mike Napoli took strike three but Shane Victorino dumped a base hit to left. Brock "The Hitman" Holt ripped a base hit to right but Xander Bogaerts grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Logan Morrison grounded back to the mound to start. Mike Zunino grounded out to short and Dustin Ackley also grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Blake Swihart grounded out to third to start the top of the third before Mr. Mookie got a base hit to left. Pedroia popped up to second and Ortiz flied out to center to end the inning. Chris Taylor grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third and Smith grounded out to first. Miller grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the fourth as Ramirez got a base hit to left to start. Ortiz grounded into a double play but Victorino belted his first home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Holt walked but Bogaerts flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Cano grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fourth but Cruz got a base hit to center. Seager singled to left and Morrison walked to load the bases. Zunino was frozen for strike three and Ackley lined a ball off Napoli's glove, but the alert Pedroia threw to Kelly covering for the out to end the inning.
Swihart popped up to first to start the top of the fifth before Mr. Mookie popped up to second. Pedroia flied out to center to end the inning. Taylor grounded out to short to begin the bottom of the fifth before Smith lined out to center. Miller grounded out to short to end the inning.
Ortiz grounded out to short to start the top of the sixth but Ramirez doubled to right. Napoli struck out swinging but Victorino walked. Holt forced Shane at second to end the inning. The Mariners struck back in the bottom of the sixth as Cano grounded out to second to start. Cruz walked and Seager got a base hit to right before a wild pitch moved both runners. Morrison grounded out to second but Cruz scored to tie the game. Zunino took strike three to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Mariners tie it
Bogaerts got a base hit to center to start the top of the seventh and Swihart dropped down a bunt to move him to second. Elias was sent to the showers and Mark Lowe came in to face Betts. Mr. Mookie struck out swinging but Pedroia walked to chase Lowe. Charlie Furbush got Ortiz to line out to center to end the inning. Ackley popped up to third to start the bottom of the seventh before Taylor walked to chase Kelly. Joe did well, allowing just 1 run in 6 1/3 innings off 5 hits and 3 walks. Tommy Layne came in to face pinch hitter Justin Ruggiano. Taylor got caught at first base on a botched hit and run when Victorino made a great jumping catch on a Ruggiano line drive to end the inning.
Carson Smith came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Ramirez singled in the hole at short to begin. Ramirez was thrown out second trying to steal and Napoli struck out looking. Victorino took strike three to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Rickie Weeks pinch hit for Miller. Weeks grounded back to the mound but Cano got a base hit to center. Cruz reached on a swinging bunt by Barnes but Seager grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox rallied against Fernando Rodney in the top of the ninth as Holt doubled to center to start. Bogaerts dropped down a bunt and Mr. Mookie hit a fly ball to left. I'll let Sox broadcaster Don Orsillo handle this...."In the air to left field for Mookie Betts, Weeks goes back, he is under it, he makes the ca...NO HE DOESN'T!" Weeks dropped the ball for an error to score Holt to put the Sox on top. Pedroia grounded out to second to move both runners over and Ortiz walked to load the bases. Ramirez popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning but the Sox were up 2-1.
"I don't got it" - Weeks
Jackie Bradley Jr came in to play left, Sandy Leon came in to catch and Koji Uehara came in to close out the bottom of the ninth. Morrison flied out to left, Zunino popped up to second and Ackley was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the game. The Sox had won it 2-1.
Sox win
Hitman Hero
Hero of The Night is Brock Holt. His ninth inning double started the rally and he finished it by scoring the go-ahead run.
The Good:
Hanley Ramirez was 4 for 5.
Pablo Sandoval was hit with a pitch as a pinch hitter.
Shane Victorino was 2 for 3 with a walk and a home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3.
Joe Kelly tossed 6 1/3 innings of 1 run ball allowing just 5 hits and 3 walks.
Tommy Layne tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Matt Barnes earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning.
Koji Uehara earned his 8th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Mike Napoli was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 2.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 but walked.
David Ortiz was 0 for 4 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Sandy Leon caught the bottom of the ninth.
Jackie Bradley Jr played left in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
The Red Sox are officially in bizarro world as they've won 2 of the last three games despite scoring just 2 runs in each of the games. Wade Miley last night and Joe Kelly tonight stepped up big with good starts and the bullpen locked it down. The Sox were built on their offense but if they get this kind of pitching more often, they'll be in the hunt this season. The offense will come but the question all along was the pitching, so far its held up recently. Still, the underlying problem is the Sox bats have suddenly gone quiet, especially with men on base. It took a cataclysmic error by Weeks just to get the winning run across. Still, a win is a win no matter how it comes by. The win improved the Sox to 17-18, 3.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it three wins in a row and second straight over Seattle tomorrow night when Clay Buchholz goes one on one with JA Happ of the Mariners. The game begins at 10:00 PM Eastern time at Safeco Field.
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