As for the game, uh-oh. The last year and a half has been close to automatic for Craig Kimbrel after a sub-standard 2016. What derailed his 2016 was him nibbling the strike zone, walking people and not trusting his stuff. The past two days has been that kind of performance for Craig. He was able to escape trouble last night was not so lucky tonight. The Sox led 6-2 against the Baltimore Orioles coming off a strong Eduardo Rodriguez (8-1, 3.64 ERA) start and some timely offense by Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez. Thanks to Kimbrel the Sox had to hold on to a 6-4 win that was closer than it needed to be at Camden Yards.
The Sox made solid contact in the top of the first against David Hess but had little to show for it. Eduardo Nunez popped up to short and Andrew Benintendi hit a rocket to center but right to Adam Jones. JD Martinez walked but Mitch Moreland whiffed to end the inning. Meanwhile the O's took just 5 pitches to take the lead off Rodriguez when Joey Rickard crushed a 3,800 foot bomb to put Baltimore up early. Adam Jones lined a rocket to center for a hit but was erased on the Manny Machado force. Danny Valencia banged into a double play to end the inning but it was 1-0 O's.
The Sox equally wasted no time taking the lead in the top of the second inning. Xander Bogaerts drew a walk and Rafael Devers smashed a 2 run bomb to dead center to give the Sox the lead. Brock "The Hitman" Hot lined out to center, Christian Vazquez flied out to right and Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to left to end the inning but the Sox were up 2-1.
Could Rodriguez pitch with the lead in the bottom of the second? It didn't look like it when Rret Mancini singled and Andrew Benintendi decided to get down on his knees and pet a ground ball single by Jonathan Schoop like a dog for an error that advanced Mancini to third. Rodriguez showed some balls by striking out both Mark Trumbo and Craig Gentry before Austin Wynns lined out to center to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the third although Nunez hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Benintendi crushed a solo shot to left to increase the lead. Martinez was plunked and Moreland walked but Bogaerts flied out to right. Devers whiffed to end the inning but the Sox now led 3-1.
Sox fans groaned when Rickard walked to open the bottom of the third then advanced to second on the ground out by Jones. Machado whiffed but Valencia singled home Rickard to cut into the lead. Mancini whiffed to end the inning but it was 3-2 Sox.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth as Holt and Vazquez stroked back to back singles. JBJ lined out to right but Nunez singled to load the bases. Benintendi walked to score Holt and chase Hess from the game. Miguel Castro replaced him and made a wonderful impression when he balked home Vazquez and advanced both runners. Martinez walked to re-load the bases but Moreland banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-2.
Rodriguez got in trouble again in the bottom of the fourth although Schoop grounded out to second to begin. Trumbo popped up to second but Gentry and Wynns stroked back to back singles. Rickard flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fifth as Bogaerts singled to start. Devers lined out to right but a wild pitch moved Bogaerts to second. Grumpy O's manager Buck Showalter had Holt intentionally walked to set up what he thought was a sure double play. Instead Vazquez got the last laugh with a base hit to score Bogaerts. JBJ did indeed hit into a double play but one batter too late as it was a 6-2 Sox lead.
Rodriguez got Jones to fly out to left to start the bottom of the fifth but Machado walked. Valencia popped up to second and Mancini grounded out to short to end the inning. Once again Rodriguez had thrown nearly 100 pitches in just 5 innings although he was in position for the win.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the sixth as Nunez lined out to center and Benintendi whiffed quickly. Martinez lined out to third to end the inning. Rodriguez returned briefly in the bottom of the sixth as Schoop grounded out to short to begin. Trumbo grounded out to second but Gentry singled to chase Rodriguez. Eduardo had tossed 5 2/3 innings of 2 run ball, not great but it'll do. Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez got the ball and struck out Wynns to end the inning.
Zach Britton took over for the top of the seventh and walked Moreland only for Mitch to run right past first for second, getting thrown out by a mile on the foolish decision. Bogaerts walked but Devers whiffed. Holt walked which should have loaded the bases but instead Vazquez grounded out to third to end the inning. Velazquez returned for the bottom of the seventh by getting Rickard to fly out to right to start. Jones and Machado stroked back to back singles before Valencia walked to load the bases. Velazquez whiffed Mancini and that was it for him, Sox manager Alex Cora going with "Machine Gun" Joe Kelly to pitch to Schoop. Joe won the battle but getting Schoop to ground into a force to end the inning.
Donnie Hart got brought in to pitch the top of the eighth and JBJ grounded out to third to start. Nunez walked but Benintendi took strike three. Martinez singled and so did Moreland, Nunez breaking for home. Naturally Nunez was thrown out by a mile at home to end the inning. More lousy baserunning for this team. Matt Barnes was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and walked Trumbo to begin. Gentry hit a routine grounder to Devers who picked the ball up and shot it like a basketball to first base, falling way short for an error. Chance Sisco pinch hit for Wynns and Barnes blew him away on a full count. Rickard and Jones both flied out to right to end the inning.
Darren O'Day had the ball in the top of the ninth and Bogaerts flied out to center to start. Devers looked at strike three and Holt whiffed to end the inning. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel came in to close out the ninth and almost imploded. Machado worked the count full before lining out to center and Valencia walked on four pitches not even close. Kimbrel had to work to get Mancini to pop up to first but Schoop took a full count ball in the dirt for a walk. Trumbo doubled home both runners to bring the tying run to the plate. Pedro Alvarez pinch hit for Gentry but Kimbrel blew him away to end the game. It got hairy at the end but the Sox had won it 6-4.
Hero of the Night is Rafael Devers. His 2 run blast proved to be the difference in this ultimately close game.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and a hit by pitch.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3 with 2 walks.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.
Brock Holt was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Eduardo Rodriguez earned the win with 5 2/3 innings of 2 run ball while striking out 4.
Hector Velazquez pitched a scoreless inning.
Joe Kelly retired the only man he faced.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4.
Craig Kimbrel allowed 2 runs in the 9th inning.
The Ugly:
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 with an error, but walked and had 2 rbi's including a home run.
Final Thoughts:
Apart from Kimbrel reverting back to 2016 there wasn't much to sneeze at tonight. Betts and Dustin Pedroia were out and they still managed to pound out 6 runs thanks to the efforts of Devers and Benintendi. If Devers can hit 20-25 home runs they can withstand him hitting .230 in order to do it. It would be nice to get everyone back healthy so they could move Nunez and Holt into 6th man roles where they would be perfect for. Its too bad Vazquez can't do what he did last year or else this lineup would be as stacked as New York....minus Bradley of course. Rodriguez is turning into Dice K 2.0 by going 5-6 innings and still winning the game. Still, a win is a win. The win improved the Sox to 46-22, percentage points behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox finish their 3 game set with the Orioles with Chris Sale (5-4, 2.83 ERA) on the mound opposite Yefry Ramirez making his major league debut. Knowing the Sox the kid will pitch a 3 hit shutout for sure. The sure loss begins at 3:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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