Rodriguez got the ball in the top of the first and Jean Segura flied out to right. Guillermo Heredia singled but Robinson Cano grounded out to third, advancing Heredia to third. Nelson Cruz grounded back to Rodriguez to end the inning. Seattle starter Yovani Gallardo retired Mr. Mookie Betts on a liner to center to begin the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Benintendi popped up and Xander Bogaerts struck out to end the inning.
Rodriguez nearly got tagged in the top of the second inning when he walked Kyle Seager to start the top of the second inning. Old friend Danny Valencia singled off the Monster but tried to stretch it into a double. Jackie Bradley Jr fired to second and Josh Rutledge applied the tag...OUT! Turns out he was safe but Seattle didn't challenge so the Sox got away with one, although Seager moved to third. Seager couldn't score on the sharp liner by Taylor Motter. Ben Gamel struck out to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Hanley Ramirez snapped an 0 for 9 slump with a double down the left field line. Mitch Moreland grounded out but Hanley moved to third. Rutledge grounded out but Ramirez scored to make it 1-0 Sox. Jackie Bradley Jr hustled to second on a double and Christan Vazquez worked a rare walk, but Deven Marrero struck out on a full count to end the inning.
Mike Zunino popped up to begin the top of the third inning but Segura doubled. Heredia whiffed but Segura stole third. Cano grounded out to end the inning with the Sox still ahead. Gallardo barely got through the bottom of the third by getting Mr. Mookie and Benny The Kid to ground out, but Bogaerts singled off the foot of Gallardo. Ramirez and Moreland worked back to back walks to load the bases. Rutledge popped up to end the inning, a huge chance wasted.
Rodriguez labored through the top of the fourth as Cruz grounded out but Seager singled. Valencia hit into a double play to end the inning. Gallardo matched Rodriguez in the bottom of the fourth. JBJ grounded out but Vazquez singled. Marrero singled to Gamel who muffed the ball on the ground, allowing Vazquez to reach third on the error. The Sox failed to capitalize as Mr. Mookie banged into a double play to end the inning.
Rodriguez battled in the top of the fifth, getting Motter to fly out to start the inning. Gamel took strike three down the middle but Zunino walked. Segura legged out an infield single but Heredia flied out to end the inning. The M's played some bad defense in the bottom of the fifth although Benny The Kid and Bogaerts struck out. Ramirez singled to center and Heredia bobbled the ball, allowing Hanley to take second. Moreland whiffed to end the inning.
Rodriguez returned for one last inning in the top of the sixth. Cano flied out and Cruz grounded out but Seager walked. On his 112th pitch, Rodriguez froze Valencia to end the inning. He had tossed 6 innings of shut-out ball, good work.
The Sox added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth without really having to do anything. Rutledge got it started with a single and JBJ walked. Vazquez grounded out to advance the runners although JBJ pulled up lame at second, the same leg he hurt last month. He did stay in the game as Marrero walked to load the bases. A wild pitch by Gallardo scored Rutledge and advanced the others. Mr. Mookie walked to re-load the bases and that was it for Gallardo. Dan Altavilla came in and Zunino muffed a pitch allowing JBJ to score and advance the others. Benny The Kid whiffed but Bogaerts walked to re-load the bases again. The gifts were over as Ramirez flied out to end the inning. The Sox scored 2 runs on 3 walks, a single, a wild pitch and a passed ball. Go team.
Heath Hembree got the call in the top of the seventh inning. Motter flied out to right, Gamel flied out to left and Zunino looked at strike three to end the inning. The Sox offense shut it down in the bottom of the seventh as Moreland struck out, Rutledge lined out and JBJ whiffed to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning and immediately Segura singled passed Marrero at third. Heredia flied out to Betts and Cano struck out before Cruz grounded out to end the inning.
Steve Cishek had the bottom of the eighth and Vazquez greeted him with a single but was erased on the force by Marrero. Deven was erased on the force by Mr. Mookie and Benny The Kid lined out to end the inning.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came on to pitch the top of the ninth looking for the save. Right handed batters hadn't gotten a hit off him yet this season and this continued. Seager, Valencia and Motter all grounded out in short order to end the game. The Sox had gotten the shut-out 3-0 at a rainy Fenway.
Hero of the night is Eduardo Rodriguez. The offense was basically gifted by the Mariners incompetence but Rodriguez kept them in the game with 6 innings of shut out ball.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Deven Marrero was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 13th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 5
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 but walked.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 3 but walked.
Josh Rutledge was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored.
Final Thoughts:
Wow, a 5 game winning streak...this is what it feels like? It was a long time coming because the Sox were too talented to suck for this long. Even though they didn't exactly light up the sky tonight, they pitched well enough to win. They're going to have to score runs tomorrow with Brian Johnson rumored to be the scheduled starter. Rodriguez has emerged as a bonafide 3rd starter and you can argue he's out performed Rick Porcello this year. If only David Price was healthy then the Sox would have a scary four man rotation. The offense was off tonight but it was worse for Seattle. The win moved the Sox to 26-21, 2 games behind the New York Yankees, who lost to Oakland tonight, for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow Brian Johnson (1-0, 7.20 ERA) takes on call-up Rob Whalen at 4.05 PM.
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