As for the game, the Sox have swept back to back road series after today's win against the Kansas City Royals. Andrew Benintendi led the offensive charge as they once again scored more than 6 runs. "Slick" Rick Porcello (11-3, 3.58 ERA) pitched 7 strong innings and the Sox swept the Royals out of Kansas City with a 7-4 victory at Kauffman Stadium.
Royals starter Heath Fillmyer got the ball in the top of the first inning and Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to secon to begin. Andrew Benintendi singled to center and Steve Pearce drew a walk, but Mitch Moreland banged into a double play to end the inning. Porcello was greeted by a Whit Merrifield single to open the bottom of the first but Jackie Bradley Jr made a great diving catch to rob Jorge Bonifacio of extra bases. Mike Moustakas flied out to right and Lucas Duda lined out to a running JBJ to end the inning.
The Sox threatened in the top of the second inning when Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers stroked back to back singles, but Eduardo Nunez banged into a double play. Sandy Leon grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Porcello cruised in the bottom of the second as he froze Alex Gordon for strike three to start. Hunter Dozier whiffed and Abraham Almonte grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the third although JBJ grounded out to second to begin. Mr. Mookie drew a walk and Benintendi singled him to third. Pearce scored Betts with a sac fly to give the Sox the lead but Moreland grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
The Royals struck back in the bottom of the third although Adalberto Mondesi whiffed to begin. Drew Butera and Merrifield stroked back to back singles before Bonifacio doubled home both runners. Moustakas popped up to third and Duda whiffed to end the inning but the Royals were up 2-1.
The Sox answered in the top of the fourth when Mondesi booted a ground ball by Bogaerts to start. Devers popped up to third but Nunez singled home Bogaerts to tie the game. Leon grounded into a double play to end the inning but it was tied 2-2.
Just as soon as the Sox tied it, the Royals jumped ahead in the bottom of the fourth. Gordon singled and moved to second on the Dozier grounder to second. Almonte whiffed but a wild moved Gordon to third, where he scored on the Mondesi single. Butera flied out to center to end the inning but it was 3-2 Royals.
The Sox fought back in the top of the fifth although JBJ flied out to center to begin. Mr. Mookie and Benintendi stroked back to back singles before Pearce singled to left to load the bases. Moreland drew a walk to tie the game and that was it for Fillmyer. Glen Sparkman came in and Bogaerts scored Benintendi with a sac fly to give the Sox the lead. Devers grounded out to second to end the inning but it was 4-3 Sox.
The Royals looked to answer when Merrifield doubled to start the bottom of the fifth but Bonifacio lined out to right. Moustakas lined out to left and Duda looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Nunez grounded out to short to start. Leon looked at strike three but JBJ walked. Mr. Mookie whiffed to end the inning. Porcello stayed strong in the bottom of the sixth as Gordon grounded out to short to start. Dozier grounded back to the mound but Almonte walked. Mondesi whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox iced the game in the top of the seventh inning as Benintendi doubled to begin. Pearce singled him to third and Moreland singled him home. Bogaerts doubled home Pearce to chase Sparkman. Enny Romero came in and struck out Devers but Nunez singled ome Moreland. Leon hit into yet another double play to end the inning but the Sox were up 7-3.
Porcello came back for one final inning although the Royals threatend when Butera singled and Merrifield doubled to start. Porcello roared back to whff Bonifacio and Moustakas before getting Duda to fly out to center to end the inning. Porcello had gone 7 innings and allowed 3 runs to put the Sox in position for victory.
Jason Adam came in to pitch the top of the eighth and JBJ greeted him with a single. Mr. Mookie popped up to second before JBJ swiped second. Benintendi whiffed but Pearce walked. Moreland grounded out to first to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in for the bottom of the eighth and Gordon grounded out to short to begin. Barnes blew away Dozier and Almonte to end the inning.
Wily Peralta came in for the top of the ninth and promptly walked Bogaerts and Devers back to back. The rally ended as Nunez hit into the FIFTH double play of the game before Leon whiffed to end the inning. Tyler Thornburg made a mad dash from the bullpen to the mound for the bottom of the ninth and Mondesi doubled to start. Butera flied out to left but a wild pitch moved Mondesi to third and he scored on the Merrifield single. Thornburg then bolted into the dugout and up the runway leading Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel to come in for the save. Bonifacio singled to bring the tying run to the plate but Kimbrel blew away both Moustakas and Duda to end the game. The Sox had hung on to win 7-4 for their second consecutive road sweep.
Hero of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, drove in 2 runs and scored one.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 4 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Steve Pearce was 2 for 2 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Rick Porcello got the win with 7 innings of 3 run ball, striking out 9.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 27th save by getting the final two outs of the ninth.
The Bad:
Sandy Leon was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Tyler Thornburg allowed a run in just 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored 2 runs.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in 2 runs and scored.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
It wasn't pretty but a win is a win. The Sox fell behind twice and the Sox answered each time to show some balls. Porcello wasn't the sharpest by allowing 9 hits but he went 7 and struck out 9 to earn the win. Tyler Thornburg doesn't look right at all but he hasn't pitched in 2 years so rust is expected. Can they stop hitting into double plays please? The offense has been clicking the last 6 games and they need it to continue if they want to put some distance between them and the New York Yankees. Hard to believe it would be the Sox to go on a run after that disaster in New York but then again, they played the .500 Nationals and sub .500 Royals. The win improved the Sox to 62-29, 2 games in front of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox come home for a three game set against the Texas Rangers. Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3) gets the start against Mike Minor at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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