The Sox wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first inning against Texas starter Edison Volquez. Mr. Mookie grounded out to short but Rafael Devers singled to left. A wild pitch moved Devers to second and he scored on the Xander Bogaerts rbi single to right. A wild pitch moved Bogaerts to second and he scored on the JD Martinez base hit to center. Martinez moved to second on the Mitch Moreland grounder and scored on the Andrew Benintendi infield single to second. Christian Vazquez drew a walk to load the bases and Jackie Bradley Jr doubled home both Martinez and Benintendi. That was it for Volquez as Ariel Jurado came in to get Marco Hernandez to fly out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
The Rangers got those runs right back in the bottom of the first as Delino DeShields struck out swinging to start. Elvis Andrus doubled to left and moved to third on the Willie Calhoun infield single to first. Nick Solack struck out swinging but Danny Santana walked to load the bases. Rougned Odor walked home Andrus and Scott Heineman singled home both Calhoun and Santana. Jose Trevino singled home Odor to tie the game just like that. Isiah Kiner-Falefa lined out to right to end the inning but the Rangers tied it 4-4.
The Sox took the lead instantly in the top of the second as Mr. Mookie pounded his 29th home run of the season to dead center. Devers flied out to left but Bogaerts singled to center. Martinez grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-4.
The Rangers answered in the bottom of the second as DeShields tripled to begin the frame and scored on the Andrus sac fly. Calhoun took strike three and Solak grounded out to third to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.
The Sox once again took the lead in the top of the third as Moreland doubled to right to begin. Moreland moved to third on the Benintendi grounder before Vazquez grounded out to third. JBJ hit a routine grounder to second but Odor booted it to score Moreland with the go-ahead run. JBJ was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning but it was 6-5 Sox.
All of a sudden Mr. Mookie keeled over in the dugout grabbing his foot and was carried out on a stretcher headed to the local ICU. Gorkys Hernandez took over for him in right as Rodriguez somehow got out of the bottom of the third. Santana grounded out to third, Odor went down hacking and Heineman also whiffed to end the inning.
Marco Hernandez led off the top of the fourth with a swinging bunt single in front of the plate and Gorkys Hernandez followed with a conventional single to right. Devers doubled home Marco and Bogaerts scored Gorkys with a sac fly to give the Sox some cushion. Martinez took strike three and the Rangers started the dreaded pitching changes by bringing in Brett Martin to pitch to Moreland. Moreland grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-5.
Rodriguez almost didn't make it out of the fourth although Trevino flied out to left to begin. Kiner singled to right but DeShields went down swinging. Andrus singled to left and Calhoun walked to load the bases, but Solak grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox seemed to have out the game away in the top of the fifth as Benintendi singled to right to begin before Vazquez walked. JBJ hit a double play ball to first but Santana booted it to load the bases with nobody out. Marco Hernandez took strike three and Shawn Kelley was brought in to pitch to Gorkys Hernandez. Gorkys brought a run home with a sac fly to center and Devers was intentionally walked to load the bases. Kelley threw a pitch to the backstop and Vazquez made a mad dash home.....SAFE! The Rangers challenged the call but it was upheld, the run scored. Bogaerts walked to reload the bases and Martinez hit the killshot with a 2 run single to left. Moreland flied out to right to end the inning but it was 12-5 Sox.
Rodriguez had nothing left for the bottom of the fifth but Sox manager Alex Cora desperately wanted Rodriguez to get win number 19. Santana singled and Odor effortlessly crushed a 50,000 foot home run to inch the Rangers closer. Somehow Rodriguez got Heineman to fly out to right and Trevino to ground out to third, but Kiner and DeShields Jr stroked back to back singles. DeShields was gunned down by the alert Vazquez to end the inning and that was it for Rodriguez. He had nothing today but was put in line for the win by allowing 7 runs in 5 innings.
Jeffrey Springs got the ball for the top of the sixth and Benintendi lined out to center to begin. Vazquez grounded out to third and JBJ whiffed to end the inning. Marcus Walden came in to crap his pants in the bottom of the sixth inning. Andrus and Calhoun stroked back to back singles to start but Solak popped up to second. Andrus scored on the sac fly by Santana before Odor walked. Heineman singled home Calhoun as Eduardo Rodriguez kicked a nearby trash can. Trevino flied out to left to end the inning but it was now 12-9 Sox.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Marco Hernandez grounded out to third to start. Gorkys Hernandez flied out to center and Devers whiffed to end the inning. Andrew Cashner came in to vomit up his intestines in the bottom of the seventh as Kiner doubled to start. DeShields Jr was rung up for strike three but Kiner took third on a wild pitch. Andrus scored Kiner with a sac fly but Calhoun whiffed to end the inning with the Sox still ahead 12-10.
Emmanuel Chase pitched the top of the eighth and Bogaerts lined out to center to begin. Martinez whiffed and Moreland grounded out to short to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in for the bottom of the eighth and things looked bleak when Solak & Santana drew back to back walks to start. Luckily Barnes punched out both Odor and Heineman before Trevino lined out to center to end the inning.
Rafael Montero had mop up duty in the top of the ninth and Benintendi flied out to left to start. Vazquez singled to center but was erased on the JBJ force. Marco Hernandez whiffed to end the inning. Sox closer Brandon Workman came in to preserve the lead in the bottom of the ninth and Kiner lined out to right to start. DeShields grounded out to third but Andrus walked to bring the tying run to the plate. Calhoun grounded out to first to end the game. Rodriguez got his 19th win and the Sox took the slugfest 12-10.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He was 2 for 5 with 3 total rbis including what turned out to be the decisive runs driven in, he also scored a run.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 2 with a solo home run before leaving with injury.
Gorkys Hernandez was 1 for 2 with an rbi and a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and 2 runs scored,
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Brandon Workman earned his 16th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Marcus Walden allowed 2 runs in 1 inning of work.
Andrew Cashner allowed a run in an inning of work.
The Ugly:
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 5 but drove in 2 runs and scored one.
Marco Hernandez was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Eduardo Rodriguez won his 19th game of the season but was pounded for 7 runs in just 5 innings. He allowed 11 hits and 3 walks and just barely made it out of the 5th inning.
Final Thoughts:
That game was UGLLLLLYYYYYY! Rodriguez had nothing and the incompetent Boston bullpen allowed another couple of runs. The good news was the offense stepped up to pick up their teamates. The Sox pounded out 12 runs on 14 hits to sneak by with this one. With the season flushed down the toilet, the only bright spot has been Rodriguez and even he stunk the joint out. Still, he got his 19th win and the next 4 games will be filler to see of Eduardo can become the first 20 game winner the Sox have had since Josh Beckett in 2007. Mookie Betts may be done for the year since there's no point to play the final 5 games. Would be a shame if this was his last game in Boston but at least he hit one out as a parting shot. The meaningless win improved the Sox to an unimpressive 82-75 rexord. Tomorrow the Sox most likely lose to the same Rangers when they send "Slick" Rick Porcello (13-12) up against Kolby Allard at 10:05 PM Eastern time at Arlington Park,
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