It was almost a perfect night for Boston sports. The Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of their first round NBA playoff series but the Boston Bruins lost Game 5 of their first round NHL playoff series to the Toronto Maple Leafs. As for the baseball game, the Boston Red Sox rose from the dead to defeat the 1st place Tampa Bay Rays. After Eduardo Rodriguez left the game, Mookie Betts hit the go-ahead home run in the eighth and the duo of Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier slammed the door. Even though they trailed in yet another game this season, they came back to win this one 6-4 at Tropicana Field.
Rays "opener" Ryan Stanek got the ball in the top of the first and Andrew Benintendi drew a walk to start, but Mr. Mookie banged into a double play. Mitch Moreland flied out to center to end the inning. Rodriguez did his usual nibble act by walking Yandy Diaz to start the bottom of the first. Tommy Pham singled on a 2-2 count before Rodriguez froze Austin Meadows on a full count. Avisail Garcia flied out to right before Daniel Robertson whiffed on a 2-2 count to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second inning as JD Martinez grounded out to short, Xander Bogaerts flied out to right and Rafael Devers grounded out to second to end the inning. The Rays took the lead in the bottom of the second although Guillermo Heredia whiffed to start. Brandon Lowe smashed a 500,000 foot home run to give the Rays the lead and the Sox were now trailing in their 17th game out of the 20 they played. Willy Adames grounded out to short and Michael Perez flied out to center to end the inning with the Rays ahead 1-0.
Ryan Yarbrough was next in the top of the third and Christian Vazquez whiffed to start. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to short and Tzu-Wei Lin whiffed to end the inning. The Rays struck again in the bottom of the second as Diaz singled to start. Pham looked at strike three before Meadows whiffed. Garcia tripled into the gap to score Diaz with another run. Robertson flied out to right to end the inning but it was 2-0 Rays.
Benintendi whiffed to start the top of the fourth before Mr. Mookie grounded out to short. Moreland whiffed to end the inning. Rodriguez matched Yarbrough in the bottom of the fourth as Heredia flied out to left, Lowe looked at strike three and Adames grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the fifth as Martinez walked to start. Bogaerts lined out to center but Devers doubled home Martinez. Vazquez then crushed his fourth home run of the year to give the Sox the lead. JBJ whiffed but Lin beat out an infield single to second. Benintendi whiffed to end the inning but it was 3-2 Sox.
Rodriguez put himself in line for the win with a strong bottom of the fifth. Perez grounded out to short but Diaz singled to third. Pham grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox pissed away a chance to break the game wide open in the top of the sixth against Wilmer Font. Betts doubled and Moreland singled him to third before Martinez singled home Mookie. The rally ended stone cold as Bogaerts, Devers and Vazquez all whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.
Rodriguez inexplicably crapped his pants in the bottom of the sixth as Meadows singled to start. Garcia hit a double play ball to Devers who decided to throw himself on the ball and wrestle with it for an error. Robertson made Devers pay with a double to score both runners to tie the game. Heredia was plunked although somehow Rodriguez got Lowe to line out to first. That was it for Eduardo who returned to normal, tossing 5 1/3 innings and allowing 4 runs. Brandon Workman came in and got Adames to hit into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
Adam Kolarek was next and the Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh inning. JBJ grounded out to second, Lin grounded out to first and Benintendi lined out to center to end the inning. Workman walked Perez to start the bottom of the seventh but got Diaz to ground into a double play. Pham walked but was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning.
The Sox took the lead in the top of the eighth against Diego Castillo. Mr. Mookie broke out of his funk by smashing the go ahead home run to give the Sox the lead. Moreland then swatted his 6th homer of the season to go back to back. Rays manager Kevin Cash had seen enough and brought in Casey Sadler. Martinez flied out to right but Bogaerts singled to center. Devers banged into a double play to end the inning but it was 6-4 Sox.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Meadows grounded out to first to start. Garcia and Robertson both whiffed to end the inning.
Vazquez singled to start the top of the ninth but JBJ hit into another double play. Lin grounded out to first to end the inning. Ryan Brasier came on to close out the bottom of the ninth and Kevin Kiermaier pinch hit for Heredia. Kiermaier flied out to right and Lowe popped up to third before Ji-Man Choi pinch hit for Adames. Choi was hit with a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch before Perez whiffed to end the game. The Sox had finally won a game 6-4.
Hero of the Night is Mookie Betts. His go-ahead home run in the eighth was the difference in the game
The Good:
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 4 with a home run
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a 2 run home run.
Brandon Workman tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Ryan Brasier earned his 4th save with a scoreless ninth.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but scored a run and drove in a run.
Tzu-Wei Lin was just 1 for 4.
Eduardo Rodriguez was back to normal, allowing 4 runs in 5 1/3 inning. He only walked one batter though.
Final Thoughts:
Hey, they won? ITS A MIRACLE! Its about time the Sox won a game after looking like garbage against Baltimore and New York. Beating the first place Rays should give them some confidence going forward even if Rodriguez went backwards. Eduardo NEEDS to be able to go 6 or 7 because the team usually wins when he goes 6-7 innings. Now would be a good time for Betts to get hot after the reigning American League MVP started ice cold this season. If he can get it cooking the way Benintendi, Bogaerts and Martinez are hitting, they might finally be able to score multiple runs for once. Tomorrow evening the Sox look to make it two in a row against the Rays. Charlie Morton goes for the Rays with Rick Porcello going for the Red Sox at 6:10 PM at Tropicana Field.
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