The Sox rolled over and died in the top of the first inning as Xander Bogaerts grounded out to second, Dustin Pedroia grounded out to third and Dustin Pedroia didn't bother to swing the bat for strike three. Meanwhile the O's had no trouble scoring against Fister in the bottom of the first inning. Tim Beckham worked a walk and Manny Machado singled Beckham to third off the glove of Rafael Devers. Jonathan Schoop beat out a double play ball and the O's led batters into the game. Adam Jones beat out a double play ball and Trey Mancini grounded out to third to end the inning with the O's ahead 1-0.
The Sox again laid down in the top of the second inning as Mookie Betts whiffed on a pitch that wasn't even close. Mitch Moreland popped up to left and Christian Vazquez flied out to center to end the inning. Fister crapped his pants in the bottom of the second inning as Chris Davis led off with a double and Wellington Castillo walked. Pedro Alvarez walked to load the bases and Austin Hays doubled off the second base bag to score both Davis and Castillo. Beckham hit a rocket but right to Betts in right for the first out. Machado nearly blasted a 3 run homer but JBJ robbed him at the wall but Alvarez scored to increase the lead. Bogaerts made a great diving catch to rob Schoop of a hit to end the inning but it was 4-0 O's and the game looked over.
Rafael Devers caught the O's asleep with a bunt single to open the top of the thitd but Sandy Leon popped up to third. Jackie Bradley Jr popped up and Bogaerts lined out to center to end the inning. For whatever reason Fister returned for the bottom of the third and promptly walked Jones. Mancini singled and Davus walked to load the bases with nobody out. All of a sudden Sox hitting coach Chili Davis kicked manager John Farrell awake and John staggered out of the dugout to take out Fister. The Sox needed Doug down the stretch and he failed miserably.
As if Fister dropping a turd wasnt bad enough, Farrell brought in Heath Hembree who has the worst percentage of inherited runners allowed to score in the league. Sure enough Castillo hit a sac fly to score Jones to increase the lead. Alvarez walked to reload the bases and Hembree got a monumental double play by Hays to end the inning. It was 5-0 O's but it could have been worse.
Things went from bad to worse when Pedroia fouled a ball off his face and broke his nose. Pedroia did a 360 and collapsed on his way to first. Dustin was hauled off on a stretcher and Brock Holt took his place. Holt responded with a double and moved to third on the fly-out by Benintendi. Betts singled to score Holt to put the Sox on the board. Moreland bangedinto a double play to end the inning but it was now 5-1.
The O's struck again in the bottom of the fourth when Benintendi misjudged a double by Beckham. Machado lined out to the centerfield wall and JBJ nearly heaved the ball into the Sox dugout, moving Beckham to third. Hembree struck out Schoop but Jones singled home Beckham to increase the lead. Mancini whiffed to end the inning but it was 6-1 O's.
Suddenly the Sox exploded in the top of the fifth inning. Vazquez singled and Devers singled him to third. Leon lined out to center but JBJ singled home Vazquez and advanced Devers to third. Bogaerts walked to load the bases and Holt singled home both Devers and JBJ. That was it for King Kong Bundy as Richard Bleier came in obly to give up a single to Benintendi to reload the bases. Mychal Givens replaced Bleier and Betts stepped up with a bases clearing double to take the lead. Betts was thrown out at third in a rundown force by Moreland and Vazquez grounded out to end the inning but the Sox erased a 5 run lead and was now ahead 7-6.
Sox manager John Farrell decided to bring in "The Human White Flag" Fernando Abad and at first it looked like a good move when Davis popped up to Bogaerts in foul territory. Castillo looked at strike three but Abad threw his eephus pitch....and Alvarez clobbered it for his first homer ALL YEAR to tie the game. Sox manager John Farrell sprinted out of the dugout screaming like a banshee and threwa pencil sharpener at Abad, chasing him from the mound. Brandon Workman strutted in from the bullpen and Hays hit a routine ground ball to Devers. Rafael picked the ball up and started talking to the it and his glove like they were puppets for a bizarre error. Beckham then hit a deep drive to Benintendi.....AND HE DROPPED IT! It was ruled as an rbi double but Benintendi should have had it but the O's had the lead. Devers did make a great play to rob Machado of a hit but it was now 8-7 O's.
Donnie Hart came in for Baltimore and shut down the Sox in the top of the sixth inning. Devers flied out to center, Leon was thrown out by Hart on a tapper and JBJ grounded out to short to end the inning. Workman returned for the bottom of the sixth and shockingly did not give up a run. Schoop was retired on a tapper to Workman, Jones grounded out to third and Mancini was rung up for strike three to end the inning.
The question of whether or not the Sox could come back was answered 3 pitches into the top of the seventh when Bogaerts clobbered a solo home run to tie the game. Sox manager John Farrell decided to pinch hit Sam Travis for Brock Holt despite Holt already had two hits. O's manager Buck Showalter countered by bringing in Darren O'Day. Naturally Travis struck out as did Benintendi. Betts grounded out to end the inning but it was tied 8-8.
Deven Marrero took over at second with Robby Scott now on the mound. He got Davis to fly out to left and he was done. Joe Kelly came in to strike out Castillo although Alvarez hit a ball to the centerfield wall. JBJ fired to second and HE'S OUT OF THERE!!!!!! A great throw by JBJ ended the inning with the game still tied.
Brad Bach took the mound in the top of the eighth inning and Moreland whiffed to start, but Vazquez doubled. Rajai Davis pinch ran for Vazquez but didn't even move as Devers grounded out to first. Leon whiffed to end the inning. Now Vazquez was out of the game for nothing, nice going Farrell. Addison Reed came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Hays hit a routine ground ball to Bogaerts who let it go by and pretended to throw the ball to first for the 2 base error. Beckham grounded out to second but Hays moved to third. Machado walked and Reed got a huge strikeout of Schoop. Jones grounded out to short to end the inning. Big inning by Reed.
Zach Britton took over for the top of the ninth and JBJ greeted him by grounding out to short. Bogaerts walked and Farrell sent in Hanley Ramirez walking with a cane to the plate to hit for Marrero. As expected, Ramirez whiffed badly before Benintendi also whiffed to end the inning. Tzu-Wei Lin took over at second with Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel now on the mound. Mancini lined out to right, Davis lined out to short and Castillo was rung up for strike three to end the inning. On to extra innings AGAIN.
Miguel Castro was brought in to pitch the top of the 10th and Betts watched strike three go by to begin. Moreland flied out to left and Davis looked at strike three to end the inning. Once again Farrell paid no attention to scouting reports when he brought in Matt Barnes who has been terrible on the road for the bottom of the 10th. Alvarez singled and Craig Gentry ran for him, only to immediately run for second directly out of the dug-out, getting thrown out by Leon. Hays whiffed and Beckham grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox have made some terrible defensive play but also some great ones.
The Sox finally broke through in the top of the 11th inning but Devers grounded out to short to start. Leon drew a walk and moved to second when JBJ hit a ground ball off Davis but recovered to make the tag. Blake Swihart pinch ran for Leon and Bogaerts walked. Lin worked an 8 pitch walk to load the bases and Benintendi hit a ground ball past the diving Schoop to score both Swihart and Bogaerts to give the Sox the lead. Jimmy Yacabonis came in for Castro and got Betts to fly out to end the inning. Benintendi delivered and it was 10-8 Sox.
Carson Smith got the call to close out the game in the bottom of the 11th inning. Machado grounded out to third, Schoop grounded out to short and Jones was retired on a tapper back to Smith to end the game.The Sox had won it 10-8 in 11 innings.
Hero of the Night is Andrew Benintendi. His 2 run single put the Sox up for good
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a solo home run, 3 walks and 3 total runs scored.
Brock Holt was 2 for 2 with 2 rbi's and 2 runs score.
Tzu-Wei Lin drew a key walk.
Mookie Betts was 2 for 6 with 4 rbis.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Blake Swihart scored thewinning run as a pinch runner.
Robby Scott retired the only man he faced.
Joe Kelly got the final two outs of the 7th inning.
Addison Reed pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
Matt Barnes got the win by pitching a scoreless 10th inning.
Carson Smith got the save with a scoreless 11th inning.
The Bad:
Dustin Pedrois was 0 for 1 before leaving with injury.
Sam Travis struck out as a pinch hitter.
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 5.
Rajai Davis was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Doug Fister was terrible allowing 5 runs in just 2 plus innings.
Heath Hembree allowed an inherited runner to score and one of his own in 2 innings.
Fernando Abad allowed a solo home run in just 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run and scored one.
Brandon Workman allowed an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings.
Honorable Mention:
Deven Marrero played second base for an inning.
Final Thoughts:
Say what you will about how frustrating this team is, but they have a set of brass balls. This was a game they could have given up 3 times but came back all 3 times only to slam the door in extras. Its frustrating to see Fister struggle but great to see Smith, Kimbrel and Reed finding their groove with the season coming to a close. If the Sox are tied or leading after 6 innings, you have to feel good. The problem is their offense is so anemic a lead after 6 is a rare occasion. The Red Sox are now 14-3 in extra inning games but more importantly 86-64 on the season, 3 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Drew Pomeranz and the Sox look to solve the Kevin Gausman puzzle at 7:10 PM at Camden Yards.
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