Fister Outduels Gray, Sox Defeat Yankees (9/1/17)

Before the game it was September call-ups day. The Boston Red Sox roster expanded from 25 to 40 and first on the list was Dustin Pedroia being activated from the Disabled List. Matt Barnes was also removed from the disabled list and Blake Swihart, Sam Travis, Austin Maddox and Roenis Elias were all brought up from Pawtucket. We have seen Travis and Maddox this year but Elias was the forgotten man in the Wade Miley trade that sent Carson Smith to Boston. If he has anything left, this could be his last chance to show it. Blake Swihart was another one ruined by the boneheaded decision to put him in left field last year. Not learning their lesson from Hanley Ramirez in 2015, Swihart tore his ankle so badly he still is having problems catching and hitting THIS year. This could be his last chance to show anything as well.

                                                               IN

As for the game, that was a big, BIG win. Most people in New York and a few Boston media personalities were literally trumpeting the Yankees winning the AL East at the trade deadline for picking up Sonny Gray. Meanwhile barely anyone in Boston said "yay" when the Sox picked up Doug Fister (4-7, 4.19 ERA) off the scrap heap in June. Tonight Fister shoved it up New York and the Boston media's ass by outpitching Sonny Gray, tossing another gem to give the Sox a much needed 4-1 win at Yankee Stadium.

                                                    Vinnie Vincent approves of the win

Gray got the ball in the top of the first inning and Eduardo Nunez grounded out to short to begin the game. Andrew Benintendi popped up to second and Mookie Betts whiffed to end the inning. Fister began his day terribly. Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge stroked back to back doubles to give the Yankees the lead 2 batters into the game. Fister recovered to get Gary Sanchez to ground out to third, Didi Gregorious to ground out to second and Starlin Castro to ground out to third to end the inning. Great recovery by Fister but it was 1-0 Yankees.

                                        The Yankees were convinced they were going to win

The Sox accomplished nothing in the top of the second inning as Mitch Moreland flied out to center to start. The returning Dustin Pedroia watched strike three go by and Rafael Devers swung and missed.....but Sanchez muffed the ball, allowing Devers to reach first. Hanley Ramirez grounded out to second to end the inning. Fister began to dominate the bottom of the second inning. Greg Bird whiffed and Chase Headley flied out to center, but Jacoby Ellsbury singled. Todd Frazier struck out to end the inning.

The Sox took command in the top of the third inning. Sandy Leon whiffed but Brock Holt walked. Nunez told CC Sabathia "Take THAT" with a 2 run home run to give the Sox the lead. Andrew Benintendi stroked a single to right as Betts beat out a double play ball. Moreland whiffed to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.

                                              Nunez doesn't but, he blasts for a 2-1 lead

Fister took the lead and ran with it in the bottom of the third inning. Gardner grounded out to third and Judge struck out. Sanchez grounded out to short to end the inning.

Gray turned up the heat in the top of the fourth inning although Pedroia singled to start. He was stranded as Devers, Ramirez and Leon all struck out to end the inning. Fister had almost no trouble in the bottom of the fourth as Gregorious popped up to third and Castro flied out to right. Bird walked but Headley flied out to left to end the inning.

The Sox struck back in the top of the fifth inning as Holt popped to short to start. Nunez popped up to short but Benintendi hit an absolute blast to right to increase the lead. Betts was robbed at the wall by Gardner to end the inning but it was 3-1 Sox.

                                           Benny's blast makes it 3-1

More than enough cushion for Fister as he retired Ellsbury on a ground out to start the bottom of the fifth. Frazier struck out and Gardner grounded out to second to end the inning.

Gray returned for the top of the sixth inning and cruised. Moreland grounded out to second, Pedroia struck out and Devers grounded out to second to end the inning. Fister matched Gray in the bottom of the sixth as he got Judge to ground out to begin. Sanchez grounded out to short and Gregorious flied out to left to end the inning.

The Sox iced the game quickly in the top of the seventh when Ramirez got a hold of one to dead center for a solo home run. Gray recovered to get Leon to fly out to right, Holt to ground out to short and Nunez to fly out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.

                                                 Ramirez' blast makes it 4-1.

Fister returned for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh. Castro struck out and Bird grounded out to second but Headley bunted his way on. Immediately the Red Sox pointed to the Yankees dugout and shouted at CC Sabathia "Mad about that too??" Fister got Ellbury to ground out to first to end the inning. When all was said and done, the "washed up" Doug Fister had outpitched the big trade deadline pickup Sonny Gray with the AL East hanging in the balance. 7 innings of 1 run ball for Fister.

                                                   Outstanding effort by Fister

Aroldis Chapman was brought in to pitch the top of the 8th and surprisingly did not crap himself. Benintndi struck out but Betts singled. Betts swiped second although Moreland struck out. Pedroia looked at strike three to end the inning. Pedroia's night was over as Xander Bogaerts came in to play short with Nunez moving to second with Addison Reed now pitching. Reed cruised as pinch hitter Aaron Hicks lined out to center, Gardner grounded out to first and Judge flied out to center to end the inning.

Adam Warren got the call for the top of the ninth and Devers led off with a base hit to center. Ramirez looked at strike three and Leon flied out to left. Holt popped up to third to end the inning. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came in for the save in the bottom of the ninth. Sanchez whiffed, Gregorious popped up and Castro hit a comebacker to Kimbrel to end it. The Sox had beaten the Yankees 4-1.

                                              Win, Dance, Repeat


Hero of the Night is Doug Fister. Nobody gave him a chance in this one and he dominated the Yankees with the AL East race coming to an end in a few weeks. He tossed 7 innings of shut-out ball and kept the game going with a quick pace.

                                                    Hero of the Night: Doug Fister


The Good:

Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 4 with a solo home run.

Addison Reed pitched a scoreless 8th.

Craig Kimbrel earned his 32nd save with a scoreless ninth, surpassing his total from last year.



The Bad:

Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.



The Ugly:

Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a 2 run home run to put the Sox up.

Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4.

Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts in his first game back.

Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4.

Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as a solo home run.

Brock Holt was 0 for 3 but walked and scored a run.



Honorable Mention:

Xander Bogaerts played shortstop in the final 2 innings.




Final Thoughts:

This was a devastating loss for the Yankees who pretty much needed to sweep all four games to put the pressure on the Red Sox. The pressure is still on the Yankees with 2 games left to play in this series and Chris Sale is looming in the finale. The Sox offense is still completely inept for the most part but if the pitching is solid, they just might win the division after all. The Sox still have to play Toronto and Cincinnati, both in last place in their respective divisions. That will be the Sox chance to wrap up the division by winning each series. As for tonight, Fister just made a strong case for being starter number 3 in the post-season given his experience and the ineptitude of Eduardo Rodriguez. The win propelled the Sox to 77-58, 5.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow Drew Pomeranz (14-4, 3.23 ERA) matches up with Masahiro Tanaka at 1:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.