It wasn't pretty but David Price (7-4, 4.00 ERA) and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Chicago White Sox on the back of Price's pitching and the bat of JD Martinez. Price allowed two first inning runs but was nearly perfect the next 5 innings as Martinez put the BoSox on top. After Craig Kimbrel slammed the door, the Boston Red Sox enjoyed their 4-2 victory at Fenway Park.
George Winter approves of the win
The White Sox wasted no time scoring off Price in the top of the first inning. Tim Anderson got it started with a single before Jose Rondon walked. Jose Abreu doubled home Anderson to put Chicago up 3 batters into the game. Matt Davidson whiffed but Kevan Smith scored Rondon with a groundout. Yoan Moncada looked at strike three to end the inning with Chicago ahead 2-0.
Down 2 already?
The BoSox managed to fight back in the bottom of the first inning as Andrew Benintendi walked to start against starter Carlos Rodon. Anderson threw a ground ball by Xander Bogaerts away and Moncada threw a double play ball hit by JD Martinez away to score Benintendi. Eduardo Nunez singled but Sam Travis whiffed. A wild pitch moved up both runners but Rafael Devers grounded out to second to end the inning with the BoSox down 2-1.
A herculean groundout
Price settled down in the top of the second as Trayce Thompson whiffed to begin. Daniel Palka walked but Charlie Tilson grounded into a force. Anderson flied out to left to end the inning. The BoSox tied it up in the bottom of the second as Christian Vazquez flied out to right to begin. Blake Swihart flied out to right but Jackie Bradley Jr smashed his 3rd home run of the year to tie the game. Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning with the score tied 2-2.
JBJ ties it up
Price cruised in the top of the third inning as Rondon hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Abreu grounded out to third before Davidson grounded out to third to end the inning. Bogaerts led off the bottom of the third with a single but Martinez whiffed. Nunez whiffed and Travis looked at strike three to end the inning.
Price allowed a leadoff single to Smith to start the top of the fourth but Moncada grounded into a double play. Thompson grounded out to third to end the inning. Devers and Vazquez singled to begin the bottom of the fourth but Swihart looked at strike three. JBJ and Benintendi whiffed to end the inning,
Price kept pace in the top of the fifth as Palka looked at strike three to start. Tilson lined out to right and Anderson whiffed to end the inning. The BoSox took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Bogaerts reached on an error and Martinez made the ChiSox pay with a 2 run home run to give the BoSox the lead. Nunez walked and stole second before moving to third on the Travis ground out. Nunez broke for home but Devers grounded back to the mound, getting Eduardo thrown out at home. Vazquez grounded out to second to end the inning but the BoSox were up 4-2.
Martinez puts Boston on top
Rondon singled to begin the top of the sixth but Abreu banged into a double play. Davidson walked and Smith singled but Moncada whiffed to end the inning. That was it for Price who tossed a serviceable 6 innings while allowing just 2 runs.
Price gets it done
Xavier Cedeno came in and blew away the BoSox in the bottom of the sixth. Swihart and JBJ whiffed before Benintendi looked at strike three to end the inning.
Brock "The Hitman" Holt came in to play right with Joe Kelly now on the mound for the BoSox in the top of the seventh inning. Thompson and Palka whiffed before Tilson grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Chris Volstad got the ball in the bottom of the seventh and Bogaerts grounded out to short to begin. Martinez singled but Nunez grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning and Anderson grounded out to third to begin. Yolmer Sanchez pinch hit for Rondon and tripled, but Abreu whiffed. Davidson walked to put runners at the corners but Smith flied out to right to end the inning. Travis grounded out to begin the bottom of the eighth before Luis Avilan came in to get Devers to pop up to third. Vazquez singled and took second on a wild pitch but Holt whiffed to end the inning.
Mitch Moreland came in to play first with Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel coming in to close out the top of the ninth inning. Moncada flied out to left before Thompson whiffed. Palka looked at strike three to end the game, the BoSox had won it 4-2.
Kimbrel locks it down
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. His 2 run homer was the difference in the game and he also drove in the first run.
Martinez is the Hero
The Good:
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 including a solo home run.
David Price got the win with 6 innings of 2 run ball with 6 strikeouts.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 20th save with a scoreless 9th.
The Bad:
Sam Travis was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 3.
Brock Holt struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Mitch Moreland played first in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Not having some guys on offense doesn't help but it shouldn't be this hard to beat the damn White Sox who are 20 games under .500 in a complete rebuild mode. Martinez is doing all he can to keep the Sox within earshot of first place but he's gonna need some help. The bullpen did its job as did David Price. The Sox just have to survive this wave of injuries so they can topple the New York Yankees soon. The win improved the Sox to 44-21, percentage points behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East Tomorrow afternoon the BoSox look to take the three game set when they send "Slick" Rick Porcello (8-2) to the mound to take on Reynaldo Lopez at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
Price cruised in the top of the third inning as Rondon hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Abreu grounded out to third before Davidson grounded out to third to end the inning. Bogaerts led off the bottom of the third with a single but Martinez whiffed. Nunez whiffed and Travis looked at strike three to end the inning.
Price allowed a leadoff single to Smith to start the top of the fourth but Moncada grounded into a double play. Thompson grounded out to third to end the inning. Devers and Vazquez singled to begin the bottom of the fourth but Swihart looked at strike three. JBJ and Benintendi whiffed to end the inning,
Price kept pace in the top of the fifth as Palka looked at strike three to start. Tilson lined out to right and Anderson whiffed to end the inning. The BoSox took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Bogaerts reached on an error and Martinez made the ChiSox pay with a 2 run home run to give the BoSox the lead. Nunez walked and stole second before moving to third on the Travis ground out. Nunez broke for home but Devers grounded back to the mound, getting Eduardo thrown out at home. Vazquez grounded out to second to end the inning but the BoSox were up 4-2.
Rondon singled to begin the top of the sixth but Abreu banged into a double play. Davidson walked and Smith singled but Moncada whiffed to end the inning. That was it for Price who tossed a serviceable 6 innings while allowing just 2 runs.
Xavier Cedeno came in and blew away the BoSox in the bottom of the sixth. Swihart and JBJ whiffed before Benintendi looked at strike three to end the inning.
Brock "The Hitman" Holt came in to play right with Joe Kelly now on the mound for the BoSox in the top of the seventh inning. Thompson and Palka whiffed before Tilson grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Chris Volstad got the ball in the bottom of the seventh and Bogaerts grounded out to short to begin. Martinez singled but Nunez grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning and Anderson grounded out to third to begin. Yolmer Sanchez pinch hit for Rondon and tripled, but Abreu whiffed. Davidson walked to put runners at the corners but Smith flied out to right to end the inning. Travis grounded out to begin the bottom of the eighth before Luis Avilan came in to get Devers to pop up to third. Vazquez singled and took second on a wild pitch but Holt whiffed to end the inning.
Mitch Moreland came in to play first with Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel coming in to close out the top of the ninth inning. Moncada flied out to left before Thompson whiffed. Palka looked at strike three to end the game, the BoSox had won it 4-2.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. His 2 run homer was the difference in the game and he also drove in the first run.
The Good:
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 including a solo home run.
David Price got the win with 6 innings of 2 run ball with 6 strikeouts.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 20th save with a scoreless 9th.
The Bad:
Sam Travis was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 3.
Brock Holt struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Mitch Moreland played first in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Not having some guys on offense doesn't help but it shouldn't be this hard to beat the damn White Sox who are 20 games under .500 in a complete rebuild mode. Martinez is doing all he can to keep the Sox within earshot of first place but he's gonna need some help. The bullpen did its job as did David Price. The Sox just have to survive this wave of injuries so they can topple the New York Yankees soon. The win improved the Sox to 44-21, percentage points behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East Tomorrow afternoon the BoSox look to take the three game set when they send "Slick" Rick Porcello (8-2) to the mound to take on Reynaldo Lopez at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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