The bad news was the Boston Celtics were defeated in Game 4 of their NBA East Finals series with the Cleveland Cavaliers but the good news was the Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers. The Rangers were the gift that kept on giving. "Slick" Rick Porcello (3-5, 4.35 ERA) stunk the joint out but the Rangers fumbled and bumbled around for 9 innings which allowed the Boston Red Sox to ultimately defeat the sloppy Rangers 11-6 at Fenway Park.
Porcello took the mound in the top of the first and Shin-Soo Choo flied out to right. Elvis Andrus flied out to center and Nomar Mazara struck out to end the inning. Andrew Cashner got the ball in the bottom of the first and got Mr. Mookie Betts to line out to left. Dustin Pedroia grounded out to the pitcher and Xander Bogaerts watched strike three go by to end the inning.
Porcello got some help from his defense in the top of the second inning. Mr. Mookie ran down a pop up by Jonathan Lucroy and Pedroia made a diving stab and throw to rob Rougned Odor. Old friend Mike Napoli struck out to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Andrew Benintendi grounded out but Hanley Ramirez drew a walk. Moreland almost cleaned out Cashner on a base hit up the middle. A wild pitch by Cashner advanced both runners and Jackie Bradley Jr walked to load the bases. Sandy Leon beat out a double play ball to score Ramirez to give the Sox the lead. Deven Marrero struck out to end the inning but the Sox were up 1-0.
Could Porcello pitch with the lead in the top of the third inning? NO! Joey Gallo doubled off the ledge of the Scoreboard to start. Jared Hoying singled to right and Gallo scored on the sac fly by Delino DeShields Jr. Choo flied out to left and Andrus lined out to a jumping Betts to end the inning. The Sox took advantage of shoddy defense in the bottom of the third although Mr. Mookie grounded out to start. Pedroia grounded out but Bogaerts just beat out a ground ball for a single. Andrus then dropped a flare by Benintendi, allowing Xander to reach third. Another wild pitch scored Bogaerts and sent Benintendi to second. Ramirez lined out to second but the gift run put the Sox up 2-1.
Things looked grim as Mazara singled to right to lead off the top of the fourth but Lucroy grounded into a double play. Odor singled but Pedroia literally ran over to short, fielding a ground ball to get Napoli at first to end the inning. Cashner cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Moreland lined out, JBJ flied out and Leon popped up to end the inning.
The Rangers tied it up in the top of the fifth although Porcello struck out both Gallo and Hoying. Deshields Jr then reached on a swinging bunt that commentator Dennis Eckersley called a "crime" then Choo doubled off the Monster to score Deshields Jr. Andrus grounded out to end the inning but the Rangers had tied it, 2-2. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the fifth, Shockingly Marrero singled to lead off. Mr. Mookie singled and Pedroia walked to load the bases. Bogaerts singled home Marrero and Betts to give the Sox the lead back. Benny The Kid walked but Pedroia was forced home on a fielder's choice by Ramirez. The side was retired when Moreland hit a sac fly to score Bogaerts but Benny The Kid was thrown out at third to end the inning. The Sox now had a 5-2 lead.
The Rangers struck again in the top of the sixth inning. Mazara grounded out and Lucroy flied out but Odor hit a ground rule double down the left field line. Napoli singled to right and Mr. Mookie decided to fire the ball at a heckling fan behind the bullpen for an error that scored Odor. Gallo popped up to end the inning with the Rangers now down 5-3. The Sox tacked it on in the bottom of the sixth against Dario Alvarez. JBJ grounded out and Leon struck out but Marrero walked to chase Alvarez. Jeremy Jeffress came in to pour gas on the fire. Mr. Mookie walked and Pedroia doubled home both runners. Bogaerts doubled home Pedroia and Benny The Kid was intentionally walked. Ramirez walked to load the bases and Bogaerts scored on a wild pitch. Moreland struck out to end the inning but the Sox were now up 9-3.
As soon as the Sox took a big lead, Porcello found a way to give it back. Hoying singled and Deshields Jr was hit with a pitch. Choo singled home Hoying and advance DeShields Jr to third. Andrus grounded into a double play but DeShields Jr scored. Mazara singled to chase Porcello. He lasted just 6 2/3 innings and gave up 5 runs, its a good thing the offense woke up tonight.
Heath Hembree came in and allowed a double to Lucroy but Mazara was gunned down at the plate to end the inning with the Sox up 9-5. Tony Barnette got the ball in the bottom of the seventh and struck out JBJ to start. Leon doubled but Marrero flied out. Mr. Mookie struck out to end the inning.
Robby Scott got the ball in the top of the eighth inning and got Odor and Napoli to ground out, then surrendered the first home run of his career off the bat of Gallo. Hoying flied out but it was now a save situation in a 9-6 game. Just as soon as Texas clawed back, the Sox iced the game in the bottom of the eighth. Pedroia singled but was erased on the Bogaerts fielder's choice. Benny The Kid singled but Ramirez struck out. That was it for Barnette as Alex Claudio came in and allowed a single to Moreland, scoring Bogaerts and advancing Benintendi to third. Claudio then balked Benintendi home but JBJ grounded out to end the inning with the Sox now up 11-6.
With the save situation gone, Matt Barnes got the call to pitch the top of the ninth. DeShields Jr flied out, Choo grounded out and Andrus struck out to end the game. The Sox had won 11-6.
"Too cool for school Matt" - SL "What??" - MB
Hero of the Night is a tough one but I'll go with Xander Bogaerts. He went 3 for 5, scoring 4 runs and driving in 3 of his own.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 rbi's and a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, a stolen base and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's.
Deven Marrero was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Heath Hembree got the final out of the 7th inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Robby Scott allowed the first home run of his career in the top of the eighth.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with a walk and a throwing error but scored 2 runs.
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 but walked.
Sandy Leon was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Rick Porcello got the win but got smacked around, giving up 5 runs (4 earned) and 11 hits, although he did go 6 2/3.
Final Thoughts:
Not the best pitched game on either side but a win is a win. The bigger news is what's going on around the team than on the field. David Price, Brock Holt and Pablo Sandoval are rehabbing in Pawtucket and Carson Smith is close to a rehab assignment. Still no word on Marco Hernandez and Tyler Thornburg. Porcello continued to struggle but at least this time the Sox scored some runs. Price can't come back fast enough because after Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez, it gets dicey. Sam Travis is rumored to get the start tomorrow night and its been a long time coming. He was a hit machine in the minors in 2014 and 2015 before getting hurt last year. The win improved the Sox to 23-21, 3 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night is Game 2 of the series with Chris Sale looking to make major league history opposite Martin Perez at Fenway Park at 7:10 PM.
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