As for the game, yet another massacre of the Oakland A's by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The red hot offense set a 3 game record with 40 runs, capping it off with a 13-3 thrashing to end the 3 game series.
Coco Crisp tried to catch Christian Vazquez asleep with a bunt but Vaz gunned him down at first to open the top of the first inning. Billy Burns grounded out to Hanley Ramirez at first and Josh Reddick popped up to Travis Shaw to end the inning. Oakland spot starter Eric Surkamp got the ball to start the bottom of the first and struck out Mr. Mookie Betts. Dustin Pedroia grounded out but Xander Bogaerts reached when Yonder Alonso and Marcus Semien crossed each other up and let the ground ball go right between them. David Ortiz flied out to end the inning.
The A's struck first in the top of the second. Khris Davis struck out but Steven Voght singled. Porcello punched out Billy Butler but Yonder Alonso doubled home Davis to give the A's a 1-0 lead. Marcus Semien whiffed to end the inning but the damage was done. Before the start of the bottom of the second inning, NESN showed how Ryan Hanigan got spiked on the Butler play the night before. Ramirez grounded out but Chris Young doubled. Travis Shaw was plunked and Vazquez struck out. Jackie Bradley Jr had been smoking hot and he continued to be with a 3 run blast to put the Sox up 3-1 just like that. Mr. Mookie grounded out to end the inning.
Slick Rick wasn't so slick in the top of the third inning. Chris Coghlan singled and advanced to second on the sacrifice bunt by Crisp. Burns walked and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Reddick popped up but right on cue Davis slammed home both runners with a single to tie the game. Voght grounded out to end the inning but the A's had tied it up 3-3. Pedroia walked to lead off the bottom of the third then swiped second as Bogaerts struck out. Ortiz was unintentionally intentionally walked but Ramirez popped up. Young doubled off the monster to score Pedroia and advance Ortiz to third, giving the Sox the lead back. That was it for Surkamp as A's manager Bob Melvin pulled him for Ryan Dull. Travis Shaw was intentionally walked but Christian Vazquez flied out to end the inning. Still, it was 4-3 Sox.
Butler and Alonso lined out to begin the top of the fourth. Semien grounded out to end the inning. The hit parade continued in the bottom of the fourth. JBJ grounded out but Mr. Mookie singled. Pedroia then blasted a 2 run bomb into the monster seats to increase the lead 6-3. Bogaerts and Ortiz hit back to back singles but Ramirez and Young looked at strike 3 to end the inning.
Slick Rick ran into trouble in the top of the fifth. Coghlan grounded out and Crisp flied out before Burns singled. Reddick walked and Davis was hit with a pitch to load the bases. Voght grounded out to end the inning. Good work by Rick to get out of it. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the fifth against Mark Rzepczynski. Shaw singled and swiped second then Vazquez singled him to third. JBJ doubled home Shaw and chased Rzepcynski. Andrew Triggs was brought in and Mr. Mookie drove in Vazquez with a ground out. JBJ was thrown out at home on the force by Pedroia. Bogaerts singled and Ortiz walked to load the bases. Ramirez joined the parade by doubling home 2 runners and advancing Ortiz to third. Young flied out but it was 10-3 Boston.
Porcello returned for the top of the sixth and got Butler grounded out. Alonso grounded out and Semien struck out to end the inning. Another quality start by Porcello. The Sox continued to tack it on in the bottom of the sixth. Zach Neal came in to pitch and Shaw flied out. Vazquez doubled as JBJ struck out. Vazquez took third on a wild pitch and Mr. Mookie slammed a single to drive him in. Betts took second on a wild pitch and Pedroia flied out to end the inning with the Sox up 11-3.
Porcello came out for the seventh but Coghlan greeted him with a single. Crisp whiffed and Coghlan was erased at second on the force by Burns. Sox manager John Farrell bounded out of the dugout and pulled Rick to a decent ovation. Tommy Layne was the first out of the pen and he whiffed Josh Reddick to end the inning. Solid effort by Rick as he continues to be the unofficial ace of the staff.
The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the seventh as Bogaerts struck out, Ortiz lined out and Ramirez grounded out to end the inning.
Koji Uehara came on to pitch in the top of the eighth as Brock Holt came in to play short. Shaw moved to first as Josh "Razor" Rutledge came in to play third. Davis grounded out as Voght singled. Butler lined out and Alonso struck out to end the inning. The Sox wrapped up the scoring in emphatic fashion in the bottom of the eighth. Young popped up and Shaw grounded out, but Vazquez singled. The blazing hot JBJ then blasted a 2 run home run to right to increase the lead 13-3. JBJ is now one rbi behind Ortiz. Mr. Mookie grounded out to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came on to close it out in the top of the ninth. Semien grounded out but Coghlan walked. Crisp lined out but Burns singled. Tyler Ladendorf pinch hit for Reddick and struck out to end the game. The Sox had won 13-3.
Hero of the Night is Jackie Bradley Jr. He was 3 for 5 with 2 runs and 6 rbis off of two home runs. He has one fewer rbi than David Ortiz on the season.
Hero of the Night: Jackie Bradley Jr
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 5 with a run scored. David Ortiz was 1 for 3 with 2 walks. Chris Young was 2 for 5 with a run scored and an rbi. Travis Shaw was 1 for 3 with a walk, stolen base and 2 runs scored. Christian Vazquez was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored. Rick Porcello improved to 6-1 with a 3.11 ERA. He tossed 6 2/3 innings of 3 run ball, 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. Tommy Layne struck out the only batter he faced. Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless 8th. Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 9th.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 2 for 6 with a run and 2 rbi's. Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4 but walked, stole a base, clubbed a 2 run home run and scored 3 runs. Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 5 but drove in 2 runs.
Honorable Mention:
Brock Holt played shortstop in the 8th and 9th inning. Josh Rutledge played 3rd base in the 8th and 9th.
Final Thought:
What a 3 game set that was. The Sox scored 40 total runs, hit a bunch of home runs and got themselves on a run. Porcello continues to pitch well and this offense is on fire. I know it won't last but it'll be fun to enjoy it while it lasts. If Price can fix himself then this team could go a long way. The win put the Sox at 21-13 on the season, tied for first place with the Baltimore Orioles. Tomorrow night the Sox open a 4 game set with the Houston Astros at Fenway. David Price battles Dallas Kuechel at 7:10 PM.
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