Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Nick Pivetta was activated from the Covid List and Eduard Bazardo was sent back to Worcester. As mentioned previously, Bazardo may replace Austin Brice or someone else sooner rather than later.
As for the game, so much for the three game funk the Red Sox bats were in. After getting 13 hits and just 4 runs in the last three games, the Sox smacked around Shawn Manaea and the Oakland A's in tonight's game. The Sox pounded out 13 hits and 8 runs including home runs from Bobby Dalbec and Xander Bogaerts. Garrett Richards (3-2, 3.89 ERA) tossed 6 shutout innings to keep the Sox in front. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock tossed the final 3 innings as the Sox knocked around the Oakland A's 8-1 at Fenway Park.
Richards got the ball in the top of the first and Mark Canha popped up to first in foul territory to start. Mitch Moreland struck out swinging and "Razor" Ramon Laureano popped up to first in foul territory to end the inning. The Sox jumped all over Manaea in the bottom of the first as Michael Chavis led off with a double to center. Alex Verdugo lined out to short but JD Martinez drove in Chavis with a base hit to center to give the Sox the lead. Xander Bogaerts said goodbye to his slump with his 8th home run of the season just inside the left field foul pole to increase the lead. Rafael Devers struck out swinging and Christian Vazquez flied out to center to end the inning but the Sox led 3-0.
Matt Olson flied out to right to begin the top of the second and "Glassbones" Jed Lowrie doubled to center. Matt Chapman popped up to third and Seth Brown took strike three to end the inning. The Sox pounced in the bottom of the second when Hunter Renfroe singled to center and Bobby Dalbec broke his jinx with a 432 foot bomb to dead center to increase the lead. Jonathan Arauz walked but Chavis struck out swinging. Verdugo flied out to right but Martinez singled in the hole at short and Bogaerts crushed a double off the Monster to score Arauz. Devers popped up to third to end the inning but it was 6-0 Red Sox.
Sean Murphy flied out to right to start the top of the third but Elvis Andrus singled. Canha banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox chased Manaea in the bottom of the third as Vazquez singled to left to start. Renfroe singled to left and Dalbec beat out an infield single to first to load the bases. That was it for Manaea and Deolis Guera came in to pitch to Arauz. Arauz did bang into a double play but Vazquez scored to increase the lead. Chavis flied out to right to end the inning but it was 7-0 Sox.
Richards got Moreland to ground out to short to start the top of the fourth. Laureano struck out swinging but Olson walked. Lowrie grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Verdugo struck out swinging to start. Martinez also went down hacking but Bogaerts got a base hit to left to become a triple short of the cycle. Devers grounded out to second to end the inning.
Chapman struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth and Brown lined out to center. Murphy singled to center and Andrus walked, but Canha tried to lean into an HBP and Richards didn't like it. Richards buzzed Canha up and in and Mark popped up to short to end the inning. Richards wasn't happy with that one.
Vazquez popped up to short to start the bottom of the fifth before Renfroe struck out swinging. Dalbec flied out to center to end the inning.
The A's threatened in the top of the sixth as Moreland doubled to center to start. Laureano singled Mitch to third but Olsen popped up to right. Lowrie walked to load the bases but Chapman banged into a double play to end the inning. With a 7 run lead, that was it for Richards who tossed 6 shutout innings while allowing just 5 hits.
The Sox got another run in the bottom of the sixth against Adam Kolarek. Arauz lined out to center to start but Chavis doubled to right. Chavis moved to third on a grounder by Verdugo and Martinez beat out an infield single to score Michael. Bogaerts was denied a cycle by walking and Devers grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-0.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Brown grounded out to second to start. Murphy was plunked but Andrus took strike three. Canha doubled to right and Murphy tried to come around to score. Renfroe threw to Arauz who fired home....OUT! Arauz gunned down Murphy at home to end the inning.
Tony Kemp came in for Lowrie, Aramis Garcia came in to catch and Reymin Guduan came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh. Vazquez flied out to right, Renfroe flied out to right and Dalbec took strike three to end the inning.
Whitlock returned for the top of the eighth and Moreland greeted him with a base hit to left. Moreland took second on a grounder by Laureano and to third on defensive indifference. Olson grounded out to score Moreland and break up the shutout. Kemp walked and Vimael Machin pinch hit for Chapman. Machin lined out to center to end the inning with the A's down 8-1.
Arauz walked to start the bottom of the eighth inning but Chavis banged into a double play. Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning.
Whitlock returned for the top of the ninth and Brown struck out swinging to start. Garcia pounded a ground rule double to right and moved to third on an Andrus grounder to second. Renfroe jumped up the bullpen wall to nab a Canha line drive to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-1.
Hero of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. He got the party started with a 2 run homer and went 3 for 3.
The Good:
Michael Chavis was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 3 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Hunter Renfroe was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 4 with a 2 run home run.
Jonathan Arauz walked twice in four plate appearances and scored a run.
Garrett Richards tossed 6 shutout innings to earn the win. He allowed 7 hits and walked 3.
The Bad:
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 4 with a run scored.
Garrett Whitlock allowed 1 run in 3 innings of work to earn the save.
Final Thoughts:
That's more like it from the Sox offense. On nights like this where Bogaerts and Martinez are locked in, they're tough to beat. The real key was the others contributing like Dalbec, Renfroe and Chavis. The sox desperately need some offense in the bottom of the order and if Renfroe can be more consistent and Chavis can give them a bit of improvement on his 2019 season, they can only get better. Its just a matter of time before Danny Santana and or Jarred Duran (who homered again tonight) get their shot so guys like Renfroe and Franchy Cordero pick it up or they'll be on the first bus to Worcester. Garrett Richards looked good again tonight and he's finally starting to come around, maybe he really can't pitch in cold weather since he hasn't lost since he made the comment of not owning a jacket. Whitlock ate up so much needed innings and he's still going through growing pains, but as a rookie he's giving them what they need. All in all it was a good win against a good team and hopefully they broke out of their offensive slump. The win improved the Sox to 24-16, 2 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Los Angeles Angels come to town and Griffin Canning starts against "The Undefeated" Nick Pivetta (5-0, 3.19 ERA) for the Red Sox. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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