As for the game, welcome back Eduardo Rodriguez (12-3, 3.34 ERA). The lefty's return to the rotation was a breath of fresh air after the recent string of stinkers. The Boston bats exploded on the Chicago White Sox late with four runs in the final three innings to take a 6-1 victory at Commiskey Park.
Carlos Rodon took the mound in the top of the first inning and Mr. Mookie Betts looked at strike three to start. Andrew Benintendi flied out to right before Steve Pearce grounded out to third. Rodriguez sent a message he was back by striking out the side in the bottom of the first inning. Tim Anderson whiffed, Nicky Delmonico was frozen for strike three and Avisail Garcia also whiffed to end the inning.
The BoSox swung and missed themselves in the top of the second inning as JD Martinez and Xander Bogaerts whiffed to start. Eduardo Nunez flied out to left to end the inning. Rodriguez kept up the heat in the bottom of the second as Matt Davidson whiffed, Yoan Moncada popped up to first and Ryan LaMarre whiffed to end the inning.
Nothing happened in the top of the third as Ian Kinsler lined out to center to start. Christian Vazquez popped up to first but Jackie Bradley Jr singled. Mr. Mookie lined out to left to end the inning. Rodriguez kept up the pace in the bottom of the third as Oscar Narvaez looked at strike three, Yolmer Sanchez flied out to center and Adam Engel whiffed to end the inning.
The BoSox offense was still asleep in the top of the fourth as Benintendi flied out to left to start. Pearce was plunked then made it to second on the Martinez grounder to third. Bogaerts popped up to second to end the inning. Rodriguez was on a mission in the bottom of the fourth as he froze Anderson and Delmonico for strike three before Garcia swung and missed to end the inning.
The BoSox struck first in the top of the fifth when Nunez smacked his 10th homer of the year to break the tie. Kinsler grounded out to third and Vazquez whiffed but JBJ crushed his 12th home run of the year to increase the lead. Sanchez threw a ball hit by Betts away but Benintendi flied out to center to end the inning with Boston ahead 2-0.
The Chisox broke up the no-hitter when Davidson singled to open the bottom of the fifth. Moncada banged into a double play but LeMarre walked. Narvaez looked at strike three to end the inning.
The BoSox squandered a chance to break it open in the top of the sixth when Pearce grounded out to start. Martinez singled and Bogaerts walked, but Nunez grounded out and Kinsler popped up to second to end the inning. Rodriguez returned for the bottom of the sixth but allowed a leadoff single to Sanchez to begin. He recovered to to get Engel to ground into a force and to whiff Anderson, but Delmonico chased him with an rbi double. Sox manager Alex Cora ran out to the mound to get Rodriguez out after 5 2/3 innings and 12 strikeouts. Ryan Brasier came in and blew away Garcia to end the inning with the BoSox ahead 2-1.
Daniel Palka took Garcia's spot in batting but was in left field with LaMarre moving to right as the BoSox broke it open in the top of the seventh. Vazquez walked but JBJ flied out to left. Mr. Mookie doubled and Rodon heaved a ground ball by Benintendi away allowing Vazquez to score. Pearce singled home Betts to chase Rodon. Ryan "Not Aaron" Burr came in and allowed an rbi single to Martinez but Bogaerts grounded into a double play to end the inning with the BoSox ahead 5-1.
Brasier returned of the bottom of the seventh with Mitch Moreland now playing first. Davidson and Moncada worked back to back singles before both moved up on the grounder by LaMarre. Brasier blew away Narvaez and Sanchez to end the inning.
The Sox poured it on in the top of the eighth as Nunez lind out to center to begin. Kinsler smashed his 14th homer of the year to increase the lead. Vazquez lined out to first and that was it for Burr. Aaron Bummer came in and got Engel to fly out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1.
Matt Barnes got the call to pitch the bottom of the eighth abd Engel flied out to right to start. Anderson looked at strike three and Delmonico whiffed to end the inning.
Mr. Mookie singled to open the top of the ninth but Benintendi whiffed and Moreland banged into a double play to end the inning. Joe Kelly had mop up duty in the bottom of the ninth and Palka flied out to left to begin. Davidson flied out to right and Moncada whiffed to end the game. The BoSox had won it 6-1.
Hero of the Night is Eduardo Rodriguez. He came off the disabled list to strike out 12 White Sox and earn his 12th win in 5 2/3 innings to work.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Steve Pearce was 1 for 3 with an HBP and an rbi.
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 including a solo home run.
Ryan Brasier tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 5 but scored a run.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 but walked.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a solo home run.
Ian Kinsler was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a solo home run.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Final Thoughts:
Welcome back E-Rod. The rotation needed a lift and the bullpen needed a break, well they got one out of the two. Alex Cora was once again Mr. Quick Hook and once again the bullpen had to toss beyond 3 innings. The bullpen is going to run down quick unless the rotation improves and hopefully they do. The offense will be there but the Sox need a strong rotation to have a repeat of 2011. The win improved the Sox to 94-43...7.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. It should be noted the 1999 Red Sox that featured an MVP season from Pedro Martinez and fell 3 wins short of winning the AL pennant won 94 games. The 2018 Red Sox have 94 wins....with 25 games to play. Tomorrow afternoon Brian Johnson (4-3) tries to guide the Sox to take 3 out of 4 in Chicago but has "Big Game" James Shields standing in his way. The game begins at 1:10 PM at Commiskey Park.
Magic Number: 18
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