As for the game, what a remarkable season Drew Pomeranz (16-5, 3.28 ERA) is having. One year after fans questioned why the Boston Red Sox didn't give him back to San Diego when it was discovered they had the chance to, he's become the most dependable starter on the team. With Chris Sale's second half struggles well documented, Pomeranz has been solid all season and today was no different. Getting some unusual late inning run support, Drew tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball to earn the win over the Oakland A's. The Sox finished the homestand with a 6-2 victory over the A's at Fenway Park.
Pomeranz got the ball in the top of the first inning and got Marcus Semien to ground out to second. Chad Pinder was rung up for strike three but Jed Lowrie walked. Ryon Healy flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox went quietly against Ryan Gossett in the bottom of the first. Xander Bogaerts flied out to right, Dustin Pedroia grounded out to third and Andrew Benintendi flied out to right to end the inning.
Pomeranz cruised in the top of the second inning as Matt Olson flied out to left, Matt Chapman whiffed and Renato Nunez popped up to first to end the inning. The Sox mustered nothing in the bottom of the second as Mookie Betts whiffed, Mitch Moreland lined out to right and Christian Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Mark Canha opened the top of the third inning with a fly out to right before Josh Phegley flied out to left. Semien hit a fly ball to left and Benintendi mysteriously threw his glove straight up in the air to knock the ball down, Semien advancing to second on the bizarre error. Pinder singled in the hole at short and Semien broke for home...but when Benintendi's throw got there, Semien went back to third. Not realizing this, Pinder made a mad dash to second and Vazquez gunned the ball there. Pinder put on the brakes and tried to scamper back to first hoping Semien would try for home. He didn't, and Holt threw the ball to first where Moreland tagged out Pinder to end the inning. Very bad baserunning by Oakland.
The Sox failed to capitalize in the bottom of the third inning as Rafael Devers struck out to begin. Brock Holt walked and Jackie Bradley Jr singled, but Bogaerts grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Pomeranz cruised in the top of the fourth as Lowrie watched strike three go by, Healy lined out to right and Olson popped up to short to end the inning. Pedroia whiffed to open the bottom of the fourth but Benintendi doubled. Betts popped up to first and Moreland flied out to center to end the inning.
The A's struck first in the top of the fifth inning as Chapman walked. Nunez struck out but Canha doubled. Phegley hit a fly ball to Benintendi who said to hell with Chapman and gunned the ball to third, catching Canha in a rundown. Mark was tagged out to end the inning but it was 1-0 A's.
Boston took exactly two pitches to tie the game when Vazquez croaked a home run to left. Devers lined out to center, Holt grounded out to third and JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning, but it was tied 1-1.
Pomeranz returned for the top of the sixth and Semien singled but was erased on the Pinder double play. Lowrie walked and Healy singled but Drew stepped up to strike out Olson to end the inning. After 111 pitches, Pomeranz was done but had held the A's to just 1 run at this point.
The Sox took command in the bottom of the sixth although Bogaerts flied out to center to start. Pedroia and Benintendi mashed back to back doubles to give the Sox the lead and chase Gossett from the game. Ryan Dull came in and Betts flied out to left, but Moreland doubled home Benintendi with an insurance run. Vazquez struck out to end the inning but it was now 3-1 Boston.
Oakland manager Bob Melvin and Sox manager John Farrell engaged in a proverbial chess match in the top of the seventh inning. Brandon Workman started the inning and walked Chapman, which prompted Melvin to send up Matt Joyce as a pinch hitter. Farrell countered by bringing in Robby Scott, so Melvin tackled Joyce and dragged him away. Franklin Barreto pinch hit for Joyce only to strike out. Addison Reed came in and gave up a double to Canha, so Melvin pinch hit Bruce Maxwell for Phegley. Reed blew away Maxwell but Semien walked to load the bases. Reed froze Pinder for strike 3 to end the inning. Guess Farrell won that one. Boog Powell came in to play center with Sam Moll on the mound. The Sox iced it as Devers doubled and Chapman threw a ground ball hit by Holt away, allowing Holt to reach second with Devers on third. JBJ struck out and Melvin, managing this game like it was the world series, brought in Santiago Cassila who plunked Bogaerts to load the bases. Pedroia hit a sac fly to score Devers and Bogaerts stole second. Benintendi iced it with a single to score both men. Betts flied out to center to end the inning with the score 6-1.
Joe Kelly began the top of the eighth inning by striking out Lowrie, but Healy blasted a solo home run just to piss him off. Olson walked but was erased on the force by Chapman. Powell grounded out to end the inning but it was now 6-2.
The Sox offense was done for the night in the bottom of the eighth with old friend Chris Smith on the mound. Chris was drafted in the fourth round of the 2002 draft by the Sox. Guess who was their 2nd round pick? Jon Lester...wish they still had him. Moreland grounded out to Smith, Vazquez grounded out to short and Devers flied out to center to end the inning.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Canha greeted him with a single. Maxwell walked to scare the fans but Semien flied out to right. Kimbrel blew away Pinder and froze Lowrie to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-2
Hero of the Night is Andrew Benintendi. He was 3 for 4 with a run scored and drove in 3 runs by himself.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3.
Drew Pomeranz earned his 16th win by tossing 6 innings of 1 run ball, giving up 5 hits, walking 3 and striking out 5.
Robby Scott struck out the only man he faced.
Addison Reed got the final 2 outs of the 7th inning.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Brandon Workman walked the only man he faced
Joe Kelly gave up a home run in the top of the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 but was hit with a pitch, stole a base and scored a run.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a solo home run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Brock Holt was 0 for 2 but walked and scored.
Final Thoughts:
I hate to say it after a win but that was a disappointing home-stand. They played 3 bottom dwelling teams and managed to go just 6-3. Meanwhile the Cleveland Indians are in the midst of a 21 game winning streak where the games aren't even close. It doesn't matter if the Red Sox collapse in the final 16 games or win the division because nobody is giving them a chance against Cleveland or the Houston Astros in the playoffs. Why should they? The most mediocre of pitchers shut down their offense and the starters seem to crap themselves at the worst of times. Chris Sale is mortal, Eduardo Rodriguez, Doug Fister and Rick Porcello are inconsistent and the last time Pomeranz pitched in October, he gave up what turned out to be the decisive run in Game 3's season ending loss. You would think the Sox lost today and it sure felt like they did to lose three games on the homestand. The win put the Sox at 83-63, 3 games in front of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox are on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays. Chris Sale (16-7, 2.76 ERA) goes up against Matt Andriese at 7:10 PM.
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