Sox Defeat Tigers, Salvage Series (4/25/19)

Don't look now but the Boston Red Sox have won 5 of their last 7. On a night when the legendary John Havlicek passed away and the Boston Bruins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 1 in overtime in their second round series, the Boston joined the victory party with a pasting of the Detroit Tigers. Rick Porcello (1-3, 7.43 ERA) collected his first win of the season while Michael Chavis went yard again. When it was all settled the Sox had won their second game in a row over the Tigers 7-3 at Fenway Park.

                                                The late John Havlicek approves of the win


Porcello got the ball in the top of the first and Jeimer Candelario flied out to center to start. Nicholas Castellanos hit a routine grounder to Rafael Devers who turned around and threw it into the stands for an error that allowed Nicholas to reach second. Miguel Cabrera flied out to right but Niko Goodrum walked. Brandon Dixon flied out to right to end the inning. Zimmermann began the bottom of the first by walking Andrew Benintendi but Mr. Mookie Betts erased Benintendi with a force. Mitch Moreland banged into a double play to end the inning.

Porcello cruised in the top of the second inning as Gordon Beckham struck out swinging to start before Josh Harrison lined out to second. John Hicks looked at strike three to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as JD Martinez grounded out to third to start. Xander Bogaerts beat out an infield single to short before Devers hit one up the elevator shaft. Chavis put Boston on top by crushing the second home run of his career off the light tower before Jackie Bradley Jr walked. Sandy Leon swung at a pitch in the dirt for strike three to end the inning but the Sox led 2-0.

                                                   Chavis goes yard again

The Tigers answered back within seconds in the top of the third as JaCoby Jones doubled off the centerfield wall but JBJ dropped the ball allowing Jones to take third on the error before he scored seconds later on the effortless single by Candelario. Castellanos hit the first pitch he saw off the Pesky Pole to give the Tigers the lead. Cabrera whiffed, Goodrum grounded out to second and Dixon whiffed to end the inning but it was 3-2 Tigers.

                                                   Dammit

The Sox came right back in the bottom of the third although Benintendi grounded out to first to begin. Mr. Mookie doubled to left and moved to third on a wild pitch before Moreland walked. Martinez singled to left to score Betts to tie the game. Bogaerts beat out a double play ball but Devers stepped up with a big two run double to give the Sox the lead. Chavis whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.

                                                      Sox take the lead

Porcello had a better fourth inning as Beckham grounded out to third to begin. Harrison flied out to left but Hicks singled to left. Jones hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. Buck Farmer came on to pitch the bottom of the fourth and JBJ lined out to short to begin. Leon grounded out to third but Benintendi doubled. Mr. Mookie stepped up with a double to score Benintendi before Moreland grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-3.

                                                        Go Betts, Go!

Porcello cruised in the top of the fifth as Candelario grounded back to the mound to begin. Castellanos flied out to center and Cabrera flied out to right to end the inning. Victor Alcantara came in for the bottom of the fifth and Martinez popped up to second to begin. Bogaerts flied out to right but Devers singled. Chavis grounded out to second to end the inning.

Porcello got in trouble in the top of the sixth inning when Goodrum singled to start. Dixon flied out to right but Beckham walked. Porcello stepped up to strike out Harrison and get Hicks to ground into a force to end the inning. That was it for Porcello and if it was't for that Pesky Pole home run, he pitched very well. He left after allowing 3 runs in 6 innings.

                                                  Porcello goes six

The Sox struck again in the bottom of the sixth although JBJ grounded out to second to start. Leon doubled to right and Benintendi scored Leon with another double to increase the lead. Mr. Mookie lined out to left and Moreland grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-3.

                                                 RBI double for

Heath Hembree came in to pitch the top of the seventh inning and got Jones to fly out to right to begin. Candelario walked but Castellanos flied out to center. Cabrera whiffed to end the inning. Joe Jimenez came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Martinez flied out to right to begin. Bogaerts looked at strike three and Devers whiffed to end the inning.

Colten Brewer came in for the top of the eighth and cruised. Goodrum grounded out to second, Dixon grounded out to third and Beckham lined out to center to end the inning. Daniel Stumpf came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Chavis whiffed to start. JBJ whiffed and Leon popped up to second to end the inning.

Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the top of the ninth with Tzu-Wei Lin coming in for Chavis to play second. Harrison singled to start but was erased on the Hicks force. Jones flied out to left and Candelario flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-3!

                                                    Another win


Hero of the Night is Rafael Devers. His two run double put the Sox on top in the bottom of the third and they never looked back.

                                                      Devers is the Hero



The Good:

Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.

Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Rick Porcello got the win by tossing 6 innings of 3 run ball. He allowed 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.

Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless 7th inning.

Colten Brewer pitched a scoreless 8th inning.

Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 9th inning.



The Bad:

None



The Ugly:

Mitch Moreland was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.

JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored twice.

Michael Chavis was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a two run home run.

Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with an error but walked.

Sandy Leon was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.



Honorable Mention:

Tzu-Wei Lin played second in the top of the ninth




Final Thoughts:

Now THIS was the team Sox fans have been hoping to see all season. Porcello pitched well, the offense produced and the bullpen slammed the door. These kinds of wins have been few and far between but they all count. Dropping that doubleheader was tough to swallow because the Sox have won 5 of their last 7. Chavis once again hit one out and any production out of him is a bonus. Betts looks like he's getting hot and if he can come back to where he was last year, the Sox will be better off going forward. As bad as the Sox started, its still only April and there's plenty of time to get back to first place. Tomorrow night the Sox continue their homestand with a series against the first place Tampa Bay Rays. Charlie Morton goes for the Rays and the Sox have absolutely no idea who is starting for them. We'll just have to see at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.