Price, Sox Blank Orioles (4/14/19)

It was a good say for Boston sports. The Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their first round NBA playoff series and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles. The Red Sox offense continued to struggle for most of the game but finally a starter stepped up with a gem. David Price (1-1, 3.79 ERA) tossed 7 spectacular innings and Xander Bogaerts struck the kill shot in the 8th inning to defeat the Orioles. Price's 7 shutout innings were instrumental as the Sox finally won a game with a 4-0 victory at Fenway Park.

                                              Marcus Morris approves of the win

Price cruised in the top of the first inning as Jonathan Villar popped up to first to start. Joey Rickard whiffed and Trey Mancini lined out to short to end the inning. The Sox couldn't crack John Means in the bottom of the first as Andrew Benintendi whiffed badly on a pitch that bounced to start. Mr. Mookie Betts hit a pathetic grounder back to the mound and Steve Pearce whiffed on a 3-2 slider in the dirt to end the inning.

Renato Nunez hit one of the hardest hit balls to left to start the top of the second before JD Martinez had to nearly fall into the bullpen to rob Hanser Alberto of a home run. Martinez then had to dive into the right field corner to rob Jesus Sucre of a triple before Chris Davis grounded out to first to end the inning. Somehow JD Martinez was hit with a pitch to begin the bottom of the second and more shocking that Xander Bogaerts singled him to third. Naturally Dustin Pedroia hit a piece of crap pop up to right and Eduardo Nunez banged into a double play to end the inning.

Price turned on the heat in the top of the third by blowing away both Richie Martin and Cedric Mullins to start. Villar then hit an absolute rocket Betts had to climb the wall to get to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Rafael Devers hit a measly pop up to short before Christian Vazquez whiffed on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt. Somehow Benintendi killed his own foot with a foul ball but still poked a double into the left field corner. Naturally Mr. Mookie his a routine pop up to center to end the inning.

                                                    Down goes Benintendi

Benintendi keeled over as soon as he got back in the dugout. He had to be hauled off on a gurney headed to Mass General while Blake Swihart replaced him in left for the top of the fourth. Rickard hit a routine grounder to Devers who picked the ball up and spiked it like a football, doing the funky chicken after for an error. Price whiffed Mancini and the alert Vazquez gunned down Rickard trying to steal third. Price blew away Nunez to end the inning. The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Pearce singled to right to begin. Martinez doubled Pearce to third and Bogaerts scored him with a sac fly to give the Sox the lead. Martinez took third on the throw but was thrown out at home when Pedroia hit a piece of crap grounder back to the mound. Dustin took second when Martinez was caught in the rundown and Nunez walked. Devers hit a piece of crap grounder to short to end the inning but it was 1-0 Sox.

                                                        Yerrrrrrrr out!

Price cruised in the top of the fifth as Alberto flied out to right, Sucre popped up to first and Davis popped up to second to end the inning. The Sox failed to score as usual in the bottom of the fifth as Vazquez hit a measly pop up to left, Swihart hit a pathetic grounder to third and Betts hit a worthless grounder to short to end the inning.

The O's almost struck back in the top of the sixth as Martin effortlessly doubled to start before Price somehow froze Mullins for strike three. Villar whiffed and Devers robbed Rickard of a sure double on a line drive to end the inning. That was it for Means as Evan Phillips came on to pitch the bottom of the sixth. Pearce was plunked but Bogaerts took a 2-2 pitch right down the middle for strike three. Pedroia reached on an error by Martin but Nunez whiffed on a full count pitch in the dirt to end the inning. As good as Price has been, the offense was downright horrible.

Right on cue the O's almost took the lead in the top of the seventh as Mancini effortlessly crushed a double off the Monster to start. Betts climbed the wall to rob Nunez of a tying double before Alberto somehow grounded back to the mound Sucre popped up to first to end the inning and Price's afternoon. He was outstanding tossing 7 shutout innings while allowing just 3 hits.

                                                  Price stepped it up

The Sox failed to get any insurance runs against Paul Fry in the bottom of the seventh as Devers grounded out to first, Vazquez grounded out to second and Swihart whiffed to end the inning.

Ryan Brasier took over for the top of the eighth and he punched out Davis to start. Rio Ruiz pinch hit for Martin and walked before Betts made a running over the shoulder grab on Mullins in center. Villar lined one over the head of Brasier to center to send Ruiz to third. Dwight Smith pinch hit for Rickard and Betts made another mad dash to snare the line drive to end the inning. Villar moved to short, Smith went to left, Mancini moved to right, Alberto went to second and Ruinz stayed at first to start the bottom of the eighth. Mr. Mookie singled up the middle to chase Fry as Josh Lucas came in to pitch. Pearce was rung up for strike three on a check swing of a pitch headed to the backstop but Martinez singled to left. Bogaerts iced the game with a 3 run bomb to dead center on a slider that didn't slide to ice it. Miguel Castro came in and froze Pedroia for strike three before Nunez flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.

                                                  X gonna give it to ya

Matt Barnes had the top of the ninth and made it interesting by walking Mancini to start. Barnes froze Nunez for strike three but Alberto singled to right. Sucre moved both runners over with a groundout to short but Davis looked at strike three to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-0.

Hero of the Night is David Price. He was amazing tossing 7 shutout innings while allowing just 3 hits while striking out 7.

                                                   Price is the Hero



The Good:

Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 2 before leaving.

Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 8th.

Steve Pearce was 1 for 3 with a hit by pitch and a run scored.

JD Martinez was 2 for 3 with a hit by pitch and a run scored.

Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with 4 total rbis including a 3 run home run.



The Bad:

Blake Swihart was 0 for 2 with a strikeout

Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with an error.

Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.



The Ugly:

Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.

Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 3 but walked.




Final Thoughts:

Looks like Price has it figured out this year, time for Chris Sale, Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi to follow suit. The Sox offense was mostly dormant today but came alive when needed but the real story was Price pitching well. Yes it was the against the Orioles but the fact he didn't walk anyone is a breath of fresh air after last night's disaster. The Sox needed a start like that to rest their beleaguered bullpen for tomorrow's morning game. Patriots Day will see Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez take on Dan Straily at the special start time of 11:00 AM at Fenway Park.