"Slick" Rick Porcello took the mound in the top of the first inning and Ian Kinsler whiffed to start. Mike Trout grounded out to third before Justin Upton grounded out to short to end the inning. Angels starter Andrew Heaney was greeted by a Mr. Mookie Betts single to open the bottom of the first. Betts was erased on the force by Andrew Benintendi but JD Martinez walked. Xander Bogaerts and Mitch Moreland both whiffed to end the inning.
Porcello got Albert Pujols to pop up to first to begin the top of the second before Luis Valbuena was rung up for strike three. Andrelton Simmons and Kole Calhoun hit back to back singles but Martin Maldonado flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the second and it started when Eduardo Nunez launched his 5th home run of the season to begin the inning. Rafael Devers singled and Sandy Leon somehow smoked his 3rd home run of the year to increase the lead. Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed but Mr. Mookie walked. Benintendi singled and Martinez hit the third home run of the inning to seemingly ice the game early. Bogaerts flied out to right and Moreland flied out to center to end the inning but after 3 homers it was 6-0 Sox.
Porcello almost got tagged in the top of the third inning although Michael Hermosillo whiffed to start. Kinsler grounded out to third but Trout singled and Upton walked. Pujols flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Nunez lined out to center to begin. Devers whiffed before Leon lined out to third to end the inning.
Valbuena doubled to start the top of the fourth but Simmons grounded out to third. Calhoun whiffed but Maldonado walked. Hermosillo popped up to first to end the inning. JBJ singled to open the bottom of the fourth before Mr. Mookie walked. Benintendi flied out to right but Martinez singled to load the bases and chase Heaney. Hansel Robbles came in and JBJ was thrown out at home on the Bogaerts force. Moreland grounded out to end the inning, what a squander.
The Angels got a run back in the top of the fifth when Kinsler crushed a 500,000 foot bomb to put LA on the board. Trout whiffed, Upton grounded out to short and Pujols flied out to center to end the inning with the Angels down 6-1.
Cam Bedrosian came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Nunez grounded out to third to begin. Devers singled and swiped second but Leon whiffed. JBJ grounded out to second to end the inning.
Porcello fell apart in the top of the sixth although Valbuena flied out to left to begin. Simmons and Calhoun stroked back to back singles before Maldonado crushed a 12,000 foot bomb to put the Angels back in the game. Hermosillo grounded out to short and Sox manager Alex Cora had seen enough, lifting Porcello with the Sox still head. Porcello ran aground in the 6th but left with the lead. Heath Hembree came in and got Kinsler to fly out to right to end the inning with the Angels inching closer 6-4.
Justin Anderson came in for the bottom of the sixth and Mr. Mookie flied out to center to begin. Benintendi flied out to center and Martinez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Joe Kelly came in for the top of the seventh and crapped his pants. Trout popped up to first but Upton and Pujols stroked back to back singles. Valbuena hit a little squibber to Kelly who threw the ball 500 feet completely out of Fenway for an error to score Upton. Simmons doubled home Pujols to tie the game as the boo birds rained down. Kelly froze Calhoun but Sox manager Alex Cora was done with him. Matt Barnes came in and blew away Maldonado to end the inning but it was tied 6-6.
The Sox wasted no time getting the lead back against Jose Alvarez in the bottom of the seventh. Bogaerts flied out to right before Moreland grounded out to second. Nunez walked and Devers doubled. Nunez came all the way around to score and Devers took third when Simmons dropped the ball for an error. Leon singled home Devers for the insurance run before JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-6.
Barnes returned for the top of the eighth but ran into trouble although pinch hitter David Fletcher (fr Hermosillo) whiffed to start. Kinsler hit a routine grounder to Devers who jumped on the ball and swam on top of it for an error. Trout walked but Upton whiffed. Sox manager Alex Cora took no chances and brought in Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel for the four out save. Things looked scary when Pujols walked to load the bases and Chris Yung ran for him, but Kimbrel blew away Valbuena to end the inning.
Things got scary in the bottom of the eighth as Young stayed in at center, Valbuena moved to first and Fletcher took over at third with Jake Jewell now on the mound. Mr. Mookie flied out to left but Benintendi walked. Benintendi was erased on the force by Martinez before Bogaerts doubled. Jewell uncorked a wild pitch and Martinez made a mad dash for home. Jewell tried to make the play but was spiked in the ankle by the sliding (and safe) Martinez. Jewell had to be hauled off on a gurney and carted out on a golf cart, pretty scary. Blake Parker came in and got Moreland to fly out to left to end the inning but it was 9-6 Sox.
The Angels were deflated after the injury and Kimbrel locked it down in the top of the ninth. Simmons popped up to first, Calhoun grounded out to third and Maldonado whiffed to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-6.
Hero of the Night is Craig Kimbrel. The Sox were in danger of blowing their 2 run lead when he slammed the door in the 8th and dominated the 9th to save the game for the Sox.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with a walk, 3 total rbi's and 2 runs scored including a 2 run home run.
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3 with a walk, 2 total runs scored and a solo home run.
Rafael Devers was 3 for 4 with an rbi, stolen base and 2 runs scored.
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4 with 3 total rbis including a 2 run home run.
Heath Hembree retired the only man he faced.
Matt Barnes tossed a full scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Joe Kelly allowed 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but walked and stole a base.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4.
Rick Porcello gave up 4 runs in just 5 2/3 innings of work, falling apart in the 6th inning but ending up with a no-decision.
Final Thoughts:
That could have been a lot worse but a win is a win and they all count the same. Give the Sox credit for blowing the lead only to come back and take it again. Good teams respond to adversity well and the Sox did that tonight. Porcello and Kelly werent the best but they didn't get much help defensively either, namely Kelly. Kimbrel saved the day and once again the Sox need all the momentum they can get before heading to the Bronx with first place possibly on the line, not to mention bragging rights, in the Bronx. The win improved the Sox to 54-27, percentage points ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look for the series and season sweep of the Angels as they send Brian Johnson to the mound up against Jaime Barria at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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