As for the game, what a finish. That was a comeback for the ages. The Red Sox were down 7-2 in the bottom of the eighth after losing Xander Bogaerts to a gruesome ankle injury on a freezing cold day. Just when everyone thought the game was over, the Sox pulled off an absolute miracle rally for 6 runs, stunning the Tampa Bay Rays for an 8-7 win. Losing Bogaerts is a huge blow but the Sox have won their eighth game in a row.
Rodriguez took the mound in the top of the first inning and Matt Duffy whiffed on a 3-2 94 mph fastball to start. Kevin Kiermaier was frozen on an inside slider for strike three and an irate Carlos Gomez whiffed on a 3-2 fastball to end the inning. Rodriguez struck out the side but had thrown 21 pitches. Andrew Kittredge got the start for the Rays and Mookie Betts greeted him with a double high off the Monster that would have been gone anywhere else. Andrew Benintendi grounded out to second but Betts moved to third. Ramirez grounded out to short but Betts scored to give the Sox the quick lead. JD Martinez lined out to right to end the inning but it was 1-0 Sox.
The Rays wasted no time scoring in the top of the second a CJ Cron smashed a 7,000 foot home run to dead center. Daniel Robertson watched strike three go by on the outside corner and Brad Miller took strike three on the inside corner. Jesus Sucre grounded out to short to end the inning but it was tied 1-1.
Xander Bogaerts tried to start a rally in the bottom of the second by lining a base hit to left to start. Mitch Moreland flied out to right and Eduardo Nunez popped up to right to ruin that. Rafael Devers whiffed to end the inning.
The Rays took the lead in the top of the third although Adeiny Hechavarria grounded out to first to start. Rob Refsnyder drew a full count walk but Rodriguez himself threw out Duffy on a bang bang play at first....but wait! Rays manager Kevin Cash challenged the call and Yankees manag.....err....head of MLB Operations Joe Torre demanded the call be reversed so it was now first and second with one out. Rodriguez blew away Kiermaier with a 3-2 fastball but Gomez check swinged a double down the right field line to give the Rays the lead. Cron whiffed on a 2-2 fastball to end the inning but the Rays were up 2-1.
Ryan Yarbrough replaced Kittredge for the bottom of the third and Christian Vazquez flied out to left to start. Betts grounded out to short and Benintendi lined out to second to end the inning.
The Rays iced the game in the top of the fourth inning when Robertson beat out an infield single to thrid to start. Miller walked and Sucre hit a perfect double play ball to Bogaerts.....who booted it. Bogaerts got the out at first but both runners advanced. Hechavarria blooped a single to center to score Robertson but Miller had to stay at second. Martinez caught a line drive by Refsnyder and had a chance to double off Miller at second....but threw the ball 50 feet over the head of Bogaerts and runners remained. That was it for Rodriguez after just 3 2/3 innings and 3 runs allowed so far.
Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez came on and got no help when Devers threw wide of first on a ground ball by Duffy. Kiermaier flied out to left to end the inning but it was 3-1 Rays.
Could the Sox respond in the bottom of the fourth? NO! Ramirez drew a lucky walk but Martinez flied out to right. Bogaerts flied out harmlessly to right and Moreland flied out to center to end the inning.
The Rays tacked it on in the top of the fifth although Gomez popped up to first to start. Cron grounded out to third and Robertson beat out another infield single when Devers bounced a throw to first. Robertson stole second and he scored on the bloop single to center by Miller. Sucre grounded out to second to end the inning but the game was over 4-1.
Yarbrough came back for the bottom of the fifth and Nunez drew a lucky walk, but Devers popped up to second. Vazquez got a lucky single down the right field line and Betts drew a lucky walk as well. Naturally Benintendi watched strike three go by on the outside corner, a pitch Rodriguez didn't get all game. The Sox caught a break when Ramirez hit a grounder that Hechavarria made a diving stop but Robertson dropped the throw at second. Nunez scored and the bases were re-loaded, but Yarbrough blew away Martinez to end the inning. The Sox did get a run and trailed 4-2, but missed out big time.
Velazquez returned for the top of the sixth and got Hechavarria to ground out to short to start. Hector blew away Refsnyder but walked Duffy to end this day. Sox manager Alex Cora brought in rookie Bobby Poyner to pitch to Kiermaier. The gamble failed as Kiermaier tripled to dead center to increase the lead. Gomez whiffed to end the inning but it was 5-2 Rays.
The Sox rolled over and died in the bottom of the sixth as Bogaerts was robbed of a hit by a diving Hechavarria to start. Moreland whiffed and Nunez flied out to center to end the inning.
Brian Johnson replaced Poyner for the top of the seventh inning and Cron whiffed to start. Robertson walked and Joey Wendle pinch hit for Miller and tripled off the Monster because Martinez had no idea how to play it. Bogaerts muffed the throw and had to slide into the dugout to keep it from being an inside the park home run. Bogaerts grabbed his ankle and the trainer sprinted out of the dugout to check on him. Sure enough, Bogaerts had to be carried out on a stretcher with a broken ankle. Brock Holt replaced Bogaerts as Heath Hembree replaced Johnson. Sucre hit a sac fly to score Wendle and Hechavarria grounded out to third to end the inning. The Rays were up 7-2 and Bogaerts was likely done for the season, great.
Jose Alvarado came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Devers drew a leadoff walk. Devers moved to second on the groundout by Vazquez and to third on the passed ball by Sucre. It didn't matter as Betts popped up to second and Benintendi grounded to first to end the inning. The Tampa Bay bullpen had held the Sox to two measly runs and 4 lucky hits in 7 innings. PATHETIC!!!!
Carson Smith came in for a beating in the top of the eighth as Mallex Smith pinch hit for Refsnyder and grounded out to second. Duffy grounded out to short but Kiermaier walked and Gomez singled to left. Cron walked but Robertson whiffed to end the inning. Matt Andriese came on to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning and Ramirez greeted him with a single. Ramirez took second on a wild pitch as Martinez whiffed badly. Holt hit a measly pop up to center but somehow Moreland doubled off the Monster to score Ramirez. Somehow Nunez singled to center and Devers doubled down the left field line to score both Moreland and Nunez. How big was Martinez striking out or misplaying the ball off the Monster now? Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in closer Alex Colome to pitch to Vazquez. Somehow Vazquez singled up the middle to score Devers and took second on a wild pitch. Now the tying run was at second and Betts delivered with a single to left. Vazquez broke for home and the throw came in......SAFE!! The Sox had tied it with the go-ahead run at second. Tampa's collapse was complete when Benintendi hit a fly ball to left that Smith completely misplayed, the ball dropping in for an rbi double. Somehow the Sox went from down 7-2 to up 8-7, 3 outs away from stealing one. Ramirez whiffed badly to end the inning but the Sox had rallied to take an 8-7 lead with one inning left, unbelievable.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel was 3 outs away from the un-real save and Wendle popped up to third to start. Dernard Span pinch hit for Sucre and also popped up to third. One out away from the save, Kimbrel got Hechavarria to ground out to short to end the game. Somehow the Sox had won it 8-7 for their 8th win in a row heading to the big series with the New York Yankees beginning Tuesday Night.
Hero of the Night could be anybody on the offense but I'll go with Andrew Benintendi. He has been ice cold the first 8 games of the season but his rbi double proved to be the difference in the game.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a walk, the game tying double and 2 runs scored.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 4 with a walk, run scored and 2 rbis.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 before leaving with injury.
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Heath Hembree retired both men he faced.
Carson Smith got the win with a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel got his 3rd save of the year with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and 5 men left on base.
Brock Holt was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Eduardo Rodriguez stunk in his season debut. He was charged with 3 runs in just 3 2/3 innings. He gave up 5 hits and 2 walks but did strike out 7.
Hector Velazquez gave up 2 runs in 2 innings of work.
Brian Johnson allowed 2 runs in just 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was an rbi double before scoring a run.
Bobby Poyner allowed an inherited runner to score but got the other guy he faced.
Final Thoughts:
Lots of grumpy New York Yankee fans are saying Sox fans shouldn't be talking after playing nothing but the Rays and Miami Marlins this year. For the most part they're right, but you still have to win the games that are on the schedule. The Sox were handed a gift schedule and delivered, winning 8 of 9 games in that tilt. The Yankees play the exact same teams the exact same amount of times so if they don't go 8-1, that's on them. This was a gutsy win after falling behind by 5 runs and losing Bogaerts possibly for good. A win is a win no matter how ugly it is but they all count. It was definitely a mistake to send Rodriguez out there without a rehab start, but they managed to win the game anyway. Hopefully next time he won't be so rusty. Martinez continues to stink the joint out and it doesn't look like he's going to turn it around any time soon. After an off-day the Sox return to action Tuesday night against the Yankees. Chris Sale (0-0, 0.82 ERA) is matched up with Luis Severino at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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