So that's what its like to win huh? After four agonizing losses in a row the Boston Red Sox finally put themselves back in the win column with a victory over the Oakland A's. Trailing 3-0 going into the fifth inning and Nathan Eovaldi just about finished, the Sox scored 6 unanswered runs getting some breaks along the way. The bullpen tossed 4 scoreless innings and the Sox prevailed over the A's at the Oakland Coliseum.
The Sox continued their ineptitude in the top of the first inning against A's starter Marco Estrada. Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to third to begin. Andrew Benintendi grounded back to the mound and Rafael Devers whiffed to end the inning. Eovaldi got the ball in the bottom of the first and froze Robbie Grossman for strike three to start. Things got hairy when Mark Chapman got plunked and the rattled Eovaldi walked Stephen Piscotty. Nathan recovered to get Khris Davis to bang into a double play to end the inning.
JD Martinez looked to start a rally with a base hit to left to begin the top of the second but Mitch Moreland popped up to third. Eduardo Nunez lined out to center before Brock "The Hitman" Holt was plunked. Blake Swihart flied out to center to end the inning. The A's struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Kendrys Morales and Jurickson Profar both singled to start. Marcus Semien walked to load the bases but Eovaldi caught a break when Ramon Laureano was rung up for strike three on a pitch that was clearly ball four. Nick Hundley hit a ball so hard it knocked Devers' glove off and Morales scored on the infield hit. Grossman flied out to center and Chapman grounded into a force to end the inning but it was 1-0 A's.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr popped up to third to begin. Mr. Mookie grounded out to third and Benintendi popped up to second to end the inning. Eovaldi got Piscotty to line out to center to begin the bottom of the third. Davis whiffed before Morales walked. Profar grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox ran it to 22 straight scoreless innings as Devers popped up to third to start. Martinez flied out to left and Moreland popped up to third to end the inning. The A's struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Semien walked and Laureano crushed a 5,000 foot home run to increase the lead. Hundley grounded out to second, Grossman grounded out to first and Chapman grounded out to third to end the inning with the A's up 3-0.
The Sox FINALLY broke through in the top of the fifth inning. Nunez popped up to third and Holt grounded out to short but Swihart smashed his first home run of the year to dead center to break up the shut-out. JBJ whiffed to end the inning but it was 3-1 A's.
Eovaldi came back for one final inning in the bottom of the fifth inning as Piscotty grounded out to short to begin. Davis lined out to third before Morales grounded out to first to end the inning. Eovaldi didn't have his best stuff but he wasn't as bad as his last start. He tossed 5 innings and allowed 3 runs, not the best but not the worst either.
Somehow the Sox rallied in the top of the sixth inning as Mr. Mookie walkesd to start the inning. Benintendi whiffed before Devers hit a perfect double play ball to Profar. Profar then THREW IT AWAY to put runners at the corners. Martinez walked to load the bases and chase Estrada from the game. Ryan Butcher came in and Moreland made the A's pay with a double to right to tie the game, scoring Betts and Devers. JB Wendelken came in and got Nunez to ground out to third and Holt to ground out to first to end the inning but the Sox had tied it 3-3.
Colten Brewer came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and struck out Profar swinging to start. Semien grounded out to second and Laureano struck out....but advanced to first as the ball got away from Swihart. Brewer recovered to get Hundley to ground into a force to end the inning.
Swihart looked to start a rally in the top of the seventh with a base hit to right but JBJ whiffed. Laureano robbed Betts of a hit with a great diving catch before Chapman almost topped him by diving to snare a Benintendi pop up to end the inning. Brewer returned for the bottom of the seventh and Grossman flied out to center to start. Chapman grounded out to short but Piscotty walked to case Brewer. Matt Barnes hadn't pitched in a while so he came in to punch out Davis to end the inning.
Joakim Soria came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Devers flied out to center to start. Martinez looked at strike three and Moreland whiffed to end the inning. The Sox caught a break in the bottom of the eighth inning although Morales whiffed to start. Profar flied out to left but Semien singled. Semien broke for second and Swihart threw to first base instead then danced in a circle for an error to send Marcus to third. Laureano hit a ball deep to short and Holt's throw came in.....SAFE! Not so fast! Alert Red Sox manager Alex Cora challenged the call and the replays overturned the call, Laureano was out and we were tied headed to the ninth.
The Sox capitalized on another break to take command in the top of the ninth inning. Fernando Rodney took the mound and Nune greeted him with a single. Nunez took off for second and was thrown out by a mile before Holt whiffed. Swihart and JBJ stroked back to back singles before a wild pitch moved them into scoring position. Mr. Mookie then hit a line drive off the third base bag for a double to score both runners and give the Sox the lead. Benintendi then smacked a triple off the right field wall to score Betts with a big insurance run. Devers flied out to left to end the inning but it was 6-3 Sox.
Ryan Brasier had the closer's role in the bottom of the ninth but plunked pinch hitter Chad Pinder (for Hundley) to start. Pinder was erased on the Grossman force but Chapman flied out to center. Piscotty grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had broken their four game losing streak with a 6-3 win.
Hero of the Night is Mookie Betts. His 2 run double put the Sox on top for good.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Blake Swihart was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a solo home run.
Colten Brewer tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Matt Barnes got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Ryan Brasier got the save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Brock Holt was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 5 but scored a run.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Nathan Eovaldi lasted just 5 innings and allowed 3 runs off 4 hits, 4 walks and a home run.
Final Thoughts:
ITS A MIRACLE!!! The Sox finally won a game and it was desperately needed considering their struggles to start the season. As bad as they looked to start the season, there's still a long way to go and after tomorrow the Sox never have to play in Oakland or Seattle again this season. Meanwhile the New York Yankees just lost 2 of 3 at home to the Detroit Tigers after losing 2 of 3 to Baltimore at home as well. If the Yankees aren't 5 games up by the end of April, they're going to be sorry come September. As for Eovaldi, his command still isn't there but it'll come back once all the rust is gone. The bullpen locked it down and it was nice to see some runs scored for once. The Sox wrap up their four game set at a reasonable hour for once. Tomorrow afternoon Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 10.38 ERA) goes for the Sox opposite Brett Anderson at 3:30 PM at the Oakland Coliseum.
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