The eccentric Trevor Bauer took the ball in the top of the first and Tzu-Wei Lin lined out to center to begin. Brandon Phillips walked but Rafael Devers flied out to left. Phillips got picked off to end the inning. Sale looked strong in the bottom of the first as Fransisco Lindor popped up to short to begin. Michael Brantley grounded out to second and Jose Ramirez whiffed to end the inning.
JD Martinez continued his slump by whiffing badly to begin the top of the second. Suddenly Steve Pearce and Brock "The Hitman" Holt stroked back to back singles to chase Bauer 1 1/3 innings into the game. Tyler Olson came in and Blake Swihart banged into a double play to end the inning. Sale turned up the heat to strike out Edwin Encarnacion to start the bottom of the second. Josh Donaldson singled but Yandy Diaz looked at strike three. Brandon Guyer whiffed to end the inning.
Shane Bieber was called in to pitch the top of the third and Sam Travis greeted him with his first major league home run to put the Sox on top. Sandy Leon looked at strike three, Lin flied out to left and Phillips grounded out to third to end the inning but the Sox were up 1-0.
Sale allowed a single to Yan Gomes to open the bottom of the third but struck out Jason Kipnis on a nasty slider. Lindor looked at strike three but Brantley singled. Ramirez grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Devers grounded out to third to begin. Martinez walked but Pearce banged into a double play to end the inning. Sale whiffed Encarnacion to begin the bottom of the fourth but Donaldson blasted a 4,000 foot home run to tie the game. It was the first run allowed by Sale in a month and Diaz' single chased him after 3 1/3 innings. He was supposed to throw 75 pitches and was at 73, oh well.
Heath Hembree came in to pitch and got Guyer to ground out to short, but just like last night Gomes blasted a 4,000 foot bomb to give the Indians the lead. Kipnis whiffed to end the inning but the Indians were ahead 3-1.
Greg Allen came in for Guyer after he crashed into the wall on the Travis homer to begin the top of the fifth. Holt singled and Swihart walked, but Travis banged into a double play. Leon grounded out to second to end the inning. Bobby Poyner got called in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and crapped his pants. Lindor doubled, Brantley singled him to third and Lindor scored on the Ramirez sac fly. Encarncion whiffed before Donaldson flied out to left to end the inning with the Indians up 4-1.
The Sox began their comeback in the top of the sixth although Lin and Phillips grounded out to short to begin. Devers smashed his 18th home run of the year to cut into the lead. Martinez lined out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 4-2.
Matt Barnes made his first appearance since September 2nd and walked Diaz to begin. Old pal Rajai Davis pinch ran for him and the alert Leon gunned him down at second trying to steal. Allen grounded out to third and Gomes whiffed to end the inning.
Once again the Sox exploded in the top of the seventh inning with Erik Gonzalez now playing third. Pearce grounded out to short but Holt and Swihart hit back to back singles. A wild pitch moved both runners and Travis doubled home both men to tie the game. Leon grounded out to second but Travis moved to third, and Lin lined one off of Bieber for a base hit to score Sam to increase the lead. Phillips singled Lin to third and that was it for Bieber. Neil Ramirez came in and Devers greeted him with a base hit to left to score Lin. Martinez walked to load the bases but Pearce grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-4.
Drew Pomeranz was sent in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and at first it looked like a good move when Kipnis looked at strike three and Lindor whiffed. Then Brantley was plunked and Ramirez doubled him home. Encarnacion walked and that was it for Pomeranz. Sox manager Alex Cora threw his hands up and brought in Brandon Workman to save the day. Donaldson lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 6-5.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the eighth inning as Holt lined out to left to begin. Swihart grounded out to first and Travis whiffed to end the inning. Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez got no help from his defense in the bottom of the eighth when Devers muffed a routine ground ball by Gonzalez for an error. Allen lined out to left but Swihart missed catching a line drive by Gomes to put runners on second and third. Sox manager Alex Cora shook his head and brought in Robby Scott and somehow Scott got Kipnis to hit one up the elevator shaft. Lindor was intentionally walked to load the bases and Scott put on his big boy pants to get Brantley to fly out to end the inning.
The Sox got a surprise insurance run in the top of the ninth inning and against Dan Otero. Leon grounded out to first but Lin of all people crushed a solo home run, his first of the season. Phillips singled but Devers grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-5.
Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel was brought in for the save in the bottom of the ninth inning with Jackie Bradley Jr now in right. Ramirez grounded out to short to start before Encarnacion whiffed. Donaldson grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-5.
We got Co-Heroes of the Night this time. Sam Travis and Tzu-Wei Lin strong armed the Sox as both hit solo shots and drove in 5 runs combined.
The Good:
Brandon Phillips was 2 for 4 with a walk.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with 2 rbi's and a run scored including a solo home run.
JD Martinez walked twice in four plate appearances.
Brock Holt was 3 for 4 with a run scored.
Blake Swihart was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Matt Barnes got the win with a scoreless 6th inning.
Brandon Workman retired the only man he faced.
Hector Velazquez got a man out in the bottom of the eighth.
Robby Scott got the final two outs of the bottom of the eighth.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 42nd save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Heath Hembree gave up the two run homer to Gomes in just 1/3 of an inning.
Bobby Poyner allowed the fourth run in 1 inning of work.
Drew Pomeranz allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Steve Pearce was just 1 for 4.
Chris Sale lasted just 3 1/3 innings and was charged with 2 runs. He got hit around more than his last few starts.
Honorable Mention:
Jackie Bradley Jr played right field in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Yet another formulaic win. Starter falters, Hembree gives up a moonshot, Sox rally and win in it late. Rinse and repeat. That formula will not work in the playoffs but it seems to be working this September. A win is a win no matter how ugly it is. With the division clinched Sox manager Alex Cora can rest whoever he wants but he's got to let the starters go 7 with virtually nobody reliable in the bullpen. Hembree, Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier, Workman, etc can't be counted on in big game situations so its imperative the starters last. The Sox have 8 games left and offensively they're meaningless but they still have time to set the rotation for the ALDS and stretch the guys out for the long haul. The win improved the Sox to 105-49, matching the 1912 Boston Red Sox for best record in franchise history. They have 8 games to break that record and it looks like they will with 3 games against Baltimore coming up. Tomorrow night Rick Porcello (17-7, 4.30 ERA) takes the mound opposite Mike Clevinger at 7:10 PM at Progressive Field.
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