Eduardo Rodriguez got the start for the Red Sox and was back to his nibbling ways. He went 2-2 on Marcus Semien before freezing him for strike three to begin. Matt Chapman singled but Stephen Piscotty whiffed. Khris Davis lined out to right to end the inning. A's starter Frankie Montas got Andrew Benintendi to line out to left to open the bottom of the first before Mr. Mookie Betts singled. JD Martinez banged into a double play.
Rodriguez vomited up his intestines in the top of the second and it started with back to back full count walks on Chad Pinder and Kendrys Morales. Ramon Laureano beat out a double play ball before swiping second. Jurickson Profar slammed a single to left to score both runners and put the A's on the board. A wild pitch moved Profar to second and Josh Phegley singled him home. Semien looked at strike three but Chapman doubled home Phegley as the boo bird rained down. Piscotty grounded out to third to end the inning with the A's up 4-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second as Xander Bogaerts flied out to right to begin. Rafael Devers singled but Michael Chavis banged into a double play to end the inning.
Rodriguez got his head out of his ass in the top of the third inning by striking out Davis to begin. Pinder lined out to left and Morales froze for strike three to end the inning. The Sox exploded in the bottom of the third although Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to third to start. Christian Vazquez walked and the A's made a huge blunder when Profar threw away a double play ball by Tzu-Wei Lin. The A's made another boo-boo when Montas dropped a relay throw on a grounder to first by Benintendi to load the bases. Mr. Mookie made the A's pay with a base hit to right to score Vazquez and reload the bases. Martinez then singled to right to score Lin and once again reload the bases. Bogaerts tied up the game with a double to score Benintendi and Betts but Devers grounded out to second. Chavis singled home Martinez and Bogaerts to give the Sox the lead. JBJ looked at strike three to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-4.
Rodriguez kept nibbling in the top of the fourth but did manage to strike out Laureano and Profar on 2-2 counts. Phegley grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Vazquez popped up to second to begin. Lin whiffed but the catcher muffed the ball allowing Tzu to reach first. Benintendi whiffed but Lin swiped second. Mr. Mookie walked and Lin took third on a passed ball but Martinez grounded into a force to end the inning.
Semien singled to open the top of the fifth but the alert Vazquez picked him off. Chapman grounded out to third on a full count but Piscotty singled to chase Rodriguez. He was back to his nibbling self, lasting just 4 2/3 innings while allowing 4 runs on 97 pitches.
Heath Hembree came in and got Pinder to ground out to short to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth as Bogaerts whiffed to start. Devers doubled and Chavis blooped a single to center to score him with another run. That was it for Montas as Ryan Butcher came in to strike out JBJ. Vazquez was intentionally walked but Lin drew a regular walk to load the bases. Benintendi flied out to center on the first pitch to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-4.
Colten Brewer came in for the top of the sixth and Morales grounded out to second to start. Laureano walked but Profar banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth against Yusmeiro Petit as Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to start. Martinez grounded out to second and Bogaerts flied out to left to end the inning.
Brandon Workman came in for the top of the seventh and Robbie Grossman pinch hit for Phegley. Grossman and Semien walked but Chapman was frozen for strike three. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position but Piscotty whiffed. Sox manager Alex Cora turned to Ryan Brasier to get the final out and he did by striking out Davis to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the seventh with Nick Hundley now catching and Fernando Rodney on the mound. Devers walked and stole second before Chavis whiffed. JBJ singled home Devers before swiping second himself. Vazquez popped up to third and Lin grounded out to first to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 8-4.
Brasier cruised in the top of the eighth inning as Pinder lined out to right to start. Morales flied out to right and Laureano flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck again against Ryan Dull in the bottom of the eighth as Benintendi and Betts stroked back to back singles. Betts was picked off but Benintendi made it to third in the process and he scored on the sac fly by Martinez. Bogaerts doubled but Devers flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-4.
Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez came in for the top of the ninth and Profar flied out to center to start. Hundley walked, Semien singled and Chapman walked to load the bases and summon Matt Barnes into the game. Piscotty flied out to left and Davis grounded into a force to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-4.
Hero of the Night is Michael Chavis. He drove in 3 runs including the go-ahead runs to put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 3 for 4 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with a walk, stolen base and 2 runs scored.
Christian Vazquez walked twice in four plate appearances and scored a run.
Heath Hembree retired the only man he faced.
Colten Brewer pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
Brandon Workman tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Ryan Brasier got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Matt Barnes got the save by getting the final 2 outs in the ninth.
The Bad:
Eduardo Rodriguez failed to go 5 innings and allowed 4 runs in just 4 2/3 innings. he was lit up for 7 hits and 2 walks.
Hector Velazquez loaded the bases on 2 walks and a hit while retiring just 1 batter.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5 but scored 2 runs.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs and scored one.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but stole a base and drove in a run.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 0 for 3 but walked, stole a base and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
That was a good bounceback win even though once again they had to come back from a multiple run deficit in the early innings. The shaky bullpen held together long enough although it was discouraging to see Rodriguez return to his nibbling ways. They need him to go 6 with the way the bullpen has been shaky and today wasn't good enough. Luckily the offense picked up the slack to put 9 runs on the board. Chavis looks like the real deal and its nice to see the Red Sox bring up a rookie who can hit like the New York Yankees have done the past 4 years. All in all the Sox need any wins they can get if they hope to get back in the division race. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it two in a row against the A's when Rick Porcello (1-3) takes on Aaron Brooks at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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