As for the game, not even mother nature could damper Eduardo Rodriguez (17-5, 3.81 ERA) on his march to 20 wins this season. Tonight Rodriguez shut down one of the best offenses in the league in the Minnesota Twins for 7 innings. Mookie Betts was a one man wrecking crew by going 4 for 5 with a solo home run, a three run home run and another rbi to pace the offense. When it was over the Sox kept their season on life support with a 6-2 win at Fenway Park.
After an hour rain delay, Rodriguez started strong in the top of the first inning when he struck out Max Kepler swinging to start. Jorge Polanco whiffed and Nelzon Cruz looked at strike three to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first when Mr. Mookie Betts hit the first pitch Berrios threw out of the yard for his 24th home run of the season. Rafael Devers took strike three but Xander Bogaerts singled to center. JD Martinez whiffed but Andrew Benintendi walked. Brock "The Hitman" Holt whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
The Twins nearly answered in the top of the second although Eddie Rosario popped up to third to start. Miguel Sano walked but Jake Cave watched strike three go by. CJ Cron singled Sano third but Jonathan Schoop whiffed to end the inning. Kepler and Cave swapped positions in the bottom of the second and Mitch Moreland was retired on a squibber in front of the mound to begin. Christian Vazquez singled to right and Jackie Bradley Jr drew a walk and Mr. Mookie cleared the bases with another home run to put the Sox up big. Devers flied out to center and Bogaerts whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were up 4-0.
Willians Astudillo singled to right to open the top of the third but Kepler whiffed. Polanco flied out to right and Cruz grounded out to third to end the inning. Martinez grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Benintendi whiffed. Holt beat out an infield single to short but Moreland whiffed to end the inning.
Rodriguez got in trouble in the top of the fourth when Rosario singled to start. Sano singled but Cave banged into a double play. Cron and Schoop both walked to load the bases but Astudillo flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Vazquez popped up to second to start. JBJ grounded back to the mound but Mr. Mookie got a base hit to left. Devers lined out to center to end the inning.
Kepler was plunked to open the top of the fifth but Polanco hit into a double play. Cruz flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fifth as Bogaerts grounded out to second to start. Martinez grounded out to third and Benintendi grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Rodriguez got Rosario to fly out to center to start the top of the 6th but Sano singled to center. ave whiffed and Cron popped up to short to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the sixth as Holt singled to center to begin. Moreland walked and Vazquez doubled home Holt to increase the lead. Ryne Harper came in to pitch and JBJ grounded out to second before Cody Stashak came in to face Mr. Mookie. Betts got yet another base hit to left to score Moreland and advance Vazquez to third. Devers flied out to left but Betts tagged up and went to second. Bogaerts whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-0.
Rodriguez trudged to the mound for one more inning in the top of the seventh. Schoop lined out to Benintendi to start before Astudillo popped up to center. Kepler walked but Polanco whiffed on a full count to end the inning. Rodriguez shutout the Twins for 7 innings and allowed just 5 hits, outstanding.
Ian Miller took over for Kepler for the bottom of the seventh as Martinez flied out to left to begin. Benintend grounded out to second and Holt flied out to center to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier came in to crap his pants in the top of the eighth as Cruz effortlessly singled to start before Rosario easily belted a 20,000 foot home run to erase the shutout. Sano flied out to right and that was it for Brasier. Josh Taylor came in and Cave grounded out to second, but Cron singled to left. Schoop whiffed to end the inning with the Indians down 6-2.
Luis Arraez came in to play short with Brusdar Graterol now on the mound for the bottom of the eighth. Moreland walked but Vazquez lined out to third. JBJ flied out to left and Mr. Mookie lined back to the mound to end the inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in to finish off the top of the ninth and Astudillo whiffed to start. Mitch Garver pinch hit for Miller and walked. Arraez walked and Sox manager Alex Cora decided the game was too important to leave Hernandez in. Closer Brandon Workman came in and got Cruz to bang into a double play to end the game. The Sox had taken the middle game of this set with a 6-2 win.
Hero of the Night is Mookie Betts. He was 4 for 5 with 2 home runs and 5 rbis.
The Good:
Brock Holt was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Mitch Moreland walked twice and scored a run in 4 plate appearances.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Eduardo Rodriguez earned his 17th win with 7 shutout innings against one of the league's best offenses giving up 5 hits and 4 walks while striking out 8.
Josh Taylor got the final 2 outs of the eighth inning.
Brandon Workman earned his 11th save by getting the game ending double play.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Ryan Brasier allowed 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Darwinzon Hernandez retired only one of the 3 men he faced.
Final Thoughts:
Good win but it was all for naught. The Cleveland Indians and Oakland A's both won so the Sox still remain nearly 6 games back with only 23 to play. All those games the first few months that the bullpen blew and the last month or so that the rotation fell apart put them in a hole they can't climb out of. The only thing left to cheer at this point is if Mookie Betts can join the 30-100 club with JD Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers. He's 5 homers and 25 rbis short but you never know. Rodriguez can became the first Sox lefty to win 20 games since Mel Parnell did it in 1953. That's where the good news ends because the Sox offense, especially Devers, Martinez and Benintendi are in a complete slump give or take a few hits here and there. They can't possibly beat the New York Yankees this weekend unless those guys show up. That's a whole different series though, as for now...whoopie...a win. Yay....The pointless win improved the Sox to 75-64, 5.5 games behind the Cleveland Indians for the second wild card. Tomorrow night the Sox look to take the rubber game of this set when they send Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 6.23 ERA) up against Martin Perez at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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