As for the game, an hour and 40 minute rain delay couldn't stop the Red Sox from beating the Baltimore Orioles tonight. Bobby Dalbec broke out of his slump with a 3 run home run and Eduardo Rodriguez (5-0, 3.82 ERA) pitched 5 strong innings to earn the win. The Sox would only get 7 hits in the game but made them count. The Sox scored late runs in the eighth and ninth innings while the bullpen held the Orioles to just 1 run in 4 innings. Phillips Valdez slammed the door in the ninth inning and the Sox had beaten the Orioles 6-2 at Fenway Park.
Matt Harvey got the ball in the top of the first inning and Marwin Gonzalez led off with a pop up to third to begin. Alex Verdugo flied out to center and JD Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning. Rodriguez got the ball in the bottom of the first and Cedric Mullins walked to start. Austin Hays singled to center but Mullins was doubled off second on a liner by Trey Mancini to Renfroe. Pedro Severino flied out to center to end the inning.
Xander Bogaerts grounded out to short to start the top of the second inning but Rafael Devers doubled to left. Christian Vazquez flied out to right and Hunter Renfroe grounded out to short to end the inning. Maikel Franco led off the bottom of the second with a grounder to short but Ryan Mountcastle singled to center. Freddy Galvis popped up to short and Pat Valaika struck out swinging to end the inning.
Franchy Cordero struck out swinging to start the top of the third inning but Bobby Dalbec got a base hit to left. Gonzalez was hit with a pitch but was forced at second by Verdugo to put runners at the corners. Verdugo stole second but Martinez took strike three to end the inning. Ramon Urias singled to right to start the bottom of the third but Mullins lined out to short. Urias was thrown out at second trying to steal which was important because Hays doubled to right. Mancini walked but Severino lined out to second to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the fourth although Bogaerts grounded out to second to start. Devers hit a routine pop up to Harvey WHO DROPPED IT! The Sox took advantage as Devers swiped second but Vazquez grounded out to second. Renfroe delivered a base hit to left to score Devers to put Boston on top. Cordero walked and Dalbec broke his slump with a 3 run bomb to increase the lead. Gonzalez popped up to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
Rodriguez got Franco to ground out to third to start the bottom of the fourth and Mountcastle grounded out to second. Galvis doubled to left and Valaika flied out to center to end the inning.
Tyler Wells came in to pitch the top of the fifth and Verdugo grounded out to second to start. Martinez flied out to left and Bogaerts took strike three to end the inning. Rodriguez got in trouble in the bottom of the fifth as Urias grounded out to short to start. Mullins hit a ground rule double to right, Hays walked and Mancini singled home Cedric put the O's on the board. Severino struck out swinging and Franco grounded into a force to end the inning. Once again Dr. Quick Hook would strike as that was it for E-Rod. Rodriguez threw just 91 pitches but would be removed after 5 innings of 1 run ball and a 4-1 lead.
Devers walked to start the top of the sixth but Vazquez flied out to right to chase Wells. Cole Sulser came in and struck out both Renfroe and Cordero swinging to end the inning. Hiro Sawamura got tagged in the bottom of the sixth as Mountcastle instantly hit a home run to Jupiter to cut the lead. Galvis struck out swinging, Valaika lined out to right and Urias flied out to center to end the inning with the O's down 4-2.
Dalbec flied out to right to open the top of the seventh but Gonzalez flied out to center. Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Mullins grounded out to third to start. Hays singled to right but Mancini banged into a double play to end the inning.
Dillon Tate came in to pitch the top of the eighth and the Sox tagged him. Martinez singled to center to start but was erased on the Bogaerts force. Devers forced Bogaerts at second but Vazquez doubled him home to increase the lead. Vazquez swiped third but Renfroe grounded out to short to end the inning with Boston ahead 5-2.
Whitlock returned for the bottom of the eighth and and Severino grounded out to short to start. Franco grounded out to third but Mountcastle singled to left. Galvis singled to center and fans said it was gut-check time for Whitlock. DJ Stewart pinch hit for Valaika but Whitlock got him to pop up to short to end the inning. Good work Lock!
The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the top of the ninth as Cordero lined out to left to start. Isaac Mattson came in to pitch and Dalbec walked. Gonzalez stepped up with a double to right to score Dalbec with another run. Verdugo flied out to left and Martinez flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-2.
Phillips Valdez came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Rio Ruiz pinch hit for Urias. Ruiz took strike three and Mullins grounded out to second, but Gonzalez booted a grounder by Hays for an error. Mancini struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-2.
Hero of the Night is Bobby Dalbec. His back breaking 3 run home run was the difference in the game.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk, stolen base and 2 runs scored.
Eduardo Rodriguez got the win with 5 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 7 hits and 3 walks.
Garrett Whitlock tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Phillips Valdez pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Hiro Sawamura allowed a run in the sixth inning.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 5 but stole a base.
Marwin Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with an error but was hit with a pitch and drove in a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 4 but drove in a run and stole a base.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run.
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox are going through some changes as guys are getting hurt or are ineffective. One day Cordero steps up and the next its Dalbec. If they want to ride the "new hero every night" concept that works but the bottom of the order as a whole isn't getting it done. One of the few drawbacks to tonight's game were Xander Bogaerts & Alex Verdugo did almost nothing and once again Alex Cora refused to let a starter go more than 5 innings. Its beyond pathetic at this point to make your bullpen throw 4 innings a game when the starters aren't even allowed to go over 100 pitches. If E-Rod threw 20 more pitches to get out of the sixth inning, would his arm have fallen clean off after 110 pitches? This is going to cost Cora big time down the road not only bullpen wise but eventually the pitchers will be so conditioned to be pulled after 5 they won't even be able to go 7 even if they had to. Sawamura got tagged and Whitlock wasn't as sharp as he was last month. Both of them are reaching the point where batters are starting to figure them out and its up to them to adjust and adapt to them. Still, with all the negativity it was good to see Dalbec break out of his slump and the Sox win another game. The win improved the Sox to 20-13, 2.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it three consecutive wins tomorrow night when Garrett Richards (1-2, 4.40 ERA) goes up against rookie Zac Lowther who's only tossed 1 ML inning this season. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Camden Yards.
No comments:
Post a Comment