Arthur Morgan approves of the win
The impotent Sox offense did nothing in the top of the first inning as Andrew Benintendi flailed away for strike three to begin. Mr. Mookie Betts meekly popped up to right as well as JD Martinez to end the inning. Meanwhile the Mariners effortlessly tagged Eovaldi in the bottom of the first as Mallex Smith hit the second pitch he saw into the Pacific Ocean to give the Mariners the lead. Mitch Haniger somehow struck out but then Domingo Santana smashed a 540,000 foot bomb halfway to Tacoma to extend the lead. Somehow Jay Bruce popped up to third but Edwin Encarnacion lined out to third to end the inning with the M's ahead 2-0.
That didn't take long
The Sox did try to fight back in the top of the second when Xander Bogaerts hit the Sox first home run of the season to cut the lead. Eduardo Nunez and Rafael Devers both whiffed badly before somehow Sam Travis singled to right. Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
The Mariners poured it on in the bottom of the second as Benintendi had to jump over the wall to rob Tim Beckham of a home run before Omar Narvaez hit a 900 foot bomb to increase the lead. JBJ also had to leap the wall to rob Ryon Healy of a home run before Dee Gordon grounded out to short to end the inning with the M's up 3-1.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the third as Christian Vazquez flied out to center to start. Benintendi flied out to left and Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to end the inning. Benintendi had to climb the wall AGAIN to rob Smith of his second home run to start the bottom of the third. JBJ once again had to scale the centerfield wall to rob Haniger of a homer before Santana singled to right. Bruce walked but Encarnacion grounded into a force to end the inning.
More impotence in the top of the fourth as Martinez lined out to right to start. Bogaerts grounded out to short and Nunez popped up to second to end the inning. The Mariners iced the game in the bottom of the fourth as Beckham doubled off the wall in left before Narvaez singled him to third. Healy doubled home Beckham and Narvaez scored on the sac fly by Gordon with Healy moving to third. Smith scored Healy with a sac fly before Haniger singled. Santana walked but Bruce grounded out to short to end the inning with the Ma's up for good 6-1.
The Sox caught a break in the top of the fifth as Beckham pulled the first baseman off the bag with a throw and Devers reached on the error. Travis singled Devers to third before JBJ grounded into a double play, scoring Sam on the play. Vazquez popped up to second to end the inning but it was 6-2.
Somehow Eovaldi came back for the bottom of the fifth and Encarnacion began by hitting a routine grounder to Devers. Rafael turned and threw the ball out of Safeco Field for an error although Beckham looked at strike three. Narvaez flied out to right and Healy whiffed to end the inning. That was it for Eovaldi who looked pathetic giving up 6 runs in just 5 innings.
Not his best stuff
The Sox refused to go quietly in the top of the sixth although Benintendi grounded out to second to begin. Mr. Mookie lined out to right but Martinez launched his first home run of the year to cut the lead in half. Bogaerts whiffed to end the inning but it was 6-3 Mariners.
Martinez starts the comeback
Colten Brewer made his Red Sox debut in the bottom of the sixth and got Gordon to ground out to second to start. Smith walked and stole second although Haniger struck out on the steal.Santana walked but Bruce grounded out to second to end the inning.
Matt Festa came in for the top of the seventh inning and Nunez lined out to short to begin. Devers walked but was erased on the force by Travis. Zac Rosscup came in to face JBJ and uncorked a wild pitch to move Sam to second, but came back to punch out JBJ to end the inning. Brandon Workman made his season debut in the bottom of the seventh and got Encarnacion to line out to left to begin. Beckham flied out to right and Narvaez whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox squandered a huge chance to get back in the game in the top of the eighth inning. Dyan Moore came in to play third with Healy moving to first as Vazquez swatted his first home run of the year to cut the lead. Benintendi walked and Cory Gearrin came in to pitch to Mr. Mookie. Betts singled Benintendi to third but Martinez watched strike three go by. Bogaerts walked to load the bases for Nunez. Nunez grounded back to the mound and Bogaerts was thrown out, but Nunez stopped running to first because he stopped to check out a bird. Nunez was out on the 1-2-3 double play and it was 6-4 Mariners.
Brian Johnson (1-0, 0.00 ERA) came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and struck out the side. Healy whiffed, Gordon was rung up and Smith whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox made a statement with a ninth inning rally off of Seattle closer Hunter Strickland. Devers doubled to start and Blake Swihart pinch hit for Travis, which caused a passed ball to move Devers to third. Swihart was plunked to put runners at the corners but Devers was thrown out at home on a grounder by JBJ. At least JBJ ran to first unlike Nunez. Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Vazquez and turned the clock back to October by belting a three run bomb into the seats to put the Sox on top. Roenis Elias replaced the shaken Strickland and Benintendi flied out to center. Mr. Mookie whiffed to end the inning with the Sox somehow ahead 7-6.
Shades of the World Series
New closer Matt Barnes was brought in to finish off the Mariners in the bottom of the ninth with Swihart behind the plate and Moreland at first. Haniger grounded out to short before Santana was rung up for strike three. Daniel Vogelbach pinch hit for Moore and whiffed to end the game. The Sox had stolen one 7-6.
Swihart - "We won?" Barnes "Bet your ass we did!"
Hero of the Night is Mitch Moreland. His pinch hit 3 run jack was the difference in the game.
Moreland the Hero
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk including a solo home run.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Sam Travis was 2 for 3.
Blake Swihart was hit with a pitch and scored.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3 including a solo home run.
Colten Brewer pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Brian Johnson got the win with a scoreless 8th inning.
Matt Barnes earned the save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 4 including a costly baserunning blunder.
Nathan Eovaldi got hammered for 6 runs in just 5 innings of work. He allowed 8 hits including 3 home runs and 2 walks.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4 but drew a walk.
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a solo home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Just when it looked like the Sox were headed to 0-2 on the season they flipped the switch back to last year to pull a win out of their collective ass. They looked half asleep for 5 innings and Nathan Eovaldi didn't have it, but the bullpen slammed the door and the offense woke up to steal this one. The injuries to Dustin Pedroia and Steve Pearce limit the bench but thank goodness Moreland was available tonight. The baserunning blunder by Nunez could have been the focal point but thankfully the Sox won anyway. This will be a big win down the road if the Sox are locked in a neck and neck struggle for post-season position. Tomorrow night Eduardo Rodriguez makes his season debut for the Red Sox opposite Mike Leake. The game begins at the ridiculous start time of 9:00 PM at Safeco Field.
Matt Festa came in for the top of the seventh inning and Nunez lined out to short to begin. Devers walked but was erased on the force by Travis. Zac Rosscup came in to face JBJ and uncorked a wild pitch to move Sam to second, but came back to punch out JBJ to end the inning. Brandon Workman made his season debut in the bottom of the seventh and got Encarnacion to line out to left to begin. Beckham flied out to right and Narvaez whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox squandered a huge chance to get back in the game in the top of the eighth inning. Dyan Moore came in to play third with Healy moving to first as Vazquez swatted his first home run of the year to cut the lead. Benintendi walked and Cory Gearrin came in to pitch to Mr. Mookie. Betts singled Benintendi to third but Martinez watched strike three go by. Bogaerts walked to load the bases for Nunez. Nunez grounded back to the mound and Bogaerts was thrown out, but Nunez stopped running to first because he stopped to check out a bird. Nunez was out on the 1-2-3 double play and it was 6-4 Mariners.
Brian Johnson (1-0, 0.00 ERA) came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and struck out the side. Healy whiffed, Gordon was rung up and Smith whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox made a statement with a ninth inning rally off of Seattle closer Hunter Strickland. Devers doubled to start and Blake Swihart pinch hit for Travis, which caused a passed ball to move Devers to third. Swihart was plunked to put runners at the corners but Devers was thrown out at home on a grounder by JBJ. At least JBJ ran to first unlike Nunez. Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Vazquez and turned the clock back to October by belting a three run bomb into the seats to put the Sox on top. Roenis Elias replaced the shaken Strickland and Benintendi flied out to center. Mr. Mookie whiffed to end the inning with the Sox somehow ahead 7-6.
New closer Matt Barnes was brought in to finish off the Mariners in the bottom of the ninth with Swihart behind the plate and Moreland at first. Haniger grounded out to short before Santana was rung up for strike three. Daniel Vogelbach pinch hit for Moore and whiffed to end the game. The Sox had stolen one 7-6.
Hero of the Night is Mitch Moreland. His pinch hit 3 run jack was the difference in the game.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk including a solo home run.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Sam Travis was 2 for 3.
Blake Swihart was hit with a pitch and scored.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3 including a solo home run.
Colten Brewer pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Brian Johnson got the win with a scoreless 8th inning.
Matt Barnes earned the save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 4 including a costly baserunning blunder.
Nathan Eovaldi got hammered for 6 runs in just 5 innings of work. He allowed 8 hits including 3 home runs and 2 walks.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4 but drew a walk.
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a solo home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Just when it looked like the Sox were headed to 0-2 on the season they flipped the switch back to last year to pull a win out of their collective ass. They looked half asleep for 5 innings and Nathan Eovaldi didn't have it, but the bullpen slammed the door and the offense woke up to steal this one. The injuries to Dustin Pedroia and Steve Pearce limit the bench but thank goodness Moreland was available tonight. The baserunning blunder by Nunez could have been the focal point but thankfully the Sox won anyway. This will be a big win down the road if the Sox are locked in a neck and neck struggle for post-season position. Tomorrow night Eduardo Rodriguez makes his season debut for the Red Sox opposite Mike Leake. The game begins at the ridiculous start time of 9:00 PM at Safeco Field.
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