The 2021 Boston Red Sox aren't dead yet! With the season hanging in the balance, the Sox managed to rally against the Washington Nationals and hold on to win the game. Eduardo Rodriguez (12-8, 4.77 ERA) capped off a trying year by tossing 5 shutout innings to keep the Sox in front. The Sox tagged Josh Rogers in the top of the sixth for four runs courtesy of back to back jacks by Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Dalbec. Things got closer with an Alcides Escobar home run off Matt Barnes and a Jordy Mercer home run against Adam Ottavino, but Hansel Robles saved the day in the ninth. With the tying run at first, Robles got Keibert Ruiz to fly out to end the game. Combined with a New York Yankees loss to Tampa Bay and a Seattle Mariners loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the Sox took a step toward the playoffs with a 4-2 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park.
Kike Hernandez led off the top of the first against Rogers by striking out swinging. Kyle Schwarber popped up to first in foul territory but Xander Bogaerts drew a walk. Rafael Devers flied out to left to end the inning. Rodriguez got the ball in the bottom of the first and Lane Thomas doubled to left to start. Alcides Escobar struck out swinging but Juan Soto walked. Josh Bell flied out to right to move the runners over and Keibert Ruiz grounded out to second to end the inning.
JD Martinez got a base hit to left to begin the top of the second but Hunter Renfroe popped up to first in foul territory. Bobby Dalbec flied out to center and Christian Vazquez flied out to left to end the inning. Jordy Mercer struck out swinging to open the bottom of the second before Carter Kieboom grounded out to third. Andrew Stevenson took strike three to end the inning.
Rodriguez himself took strike three to start the top of the third before Hernandez popped up to first in foul territory. Schwarber walked but Bogaerts flied out to center to end the inning. Rogers himself grounded back to Rodriguez to start the bottom of the third before Thomas grounded out to third. Escobar was retired on a nubber in front of the plate to end the inning.
Devers got a base hit to right to start the top of the fourth but Martinez lined out to center. Renfroe popped up to second and Dalbec flied out to center to end the inning. The Nationals threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Soto walked to start. Bell and Ruiz stroked back to back base hits to load the bases with nobody out. With the season on the line, Rodriguez struck out Mercer swinging before getting Kieboom to pop up to first. Stevenson grounded out to second to end the inning and possibly save the season.
Vazquez got a base hit to center to start the top of the fifth but Rodriguez bunted into a double play. Hernandez walked but Schwarber struck out swinging to end the inning. Rogers' bunt attempt was snuffed out to start the bottom of the fifth by Rodriguez and Thomas struck out swinging. Escobar got a base hit to left and Schwarber struck out swinging to end the inning.
Suddenly the Sox exploded in the top of the sixth as Bogaerts singled to left to start. Devers flied out to right but Martinez singled to left. Renfroe blasted his 31st home run of the season to put the Sox on top and Dalbec followed with his 25th for back to back jacks. Vazquez flied out to right and Rodriguez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.
Bell walked to start the bottom of the sixth and Ruiz singled to left.....and you know what that means. Once again Sox manager Alex Cora pulled the starter early causing the bullpen to throw four innings. Rodriguez allowed 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. Ryan Brasier came in and got mercer to force Bell at third. Kieboom and Stevenson both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Andres Machado came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Hernandez lined out to left to start. Schwarber and Bogaerts drew back to back walks to chase Machado. Alberto Baldonado got Devers to fly out to left and Martinez to fly out to right to end the inning. The Nationals struck back in the bottom of the seventh with Matt Barnes now on the mound. Yadiel Hernandez pinch hit for Baldonado and grounded out to second to start. Thomas popped up to second but Escobar hit a home run all the way to Japan to cut the lead. That was it for Barnes and Darwinzon Hernandez came in to walk Soto. Bell got a base hit to right but Soto was thrown out at third to end the inning.
Home run Escobar
Patrick Murphy came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Renfroe reached on an error by Bell to start. Dalbec forced Renfroe at second and Vazquez struck out swinging. Travis Shaw pinch hit for Hernandez and lined out to left to end the inning. Adam Ottavino came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Ruiz flied out to left to start. Mercer then hit a home run all the way to Soviet Russia to cut the lead in half. Kieboom grounded out to third but Stevenson pounded a ground rule double into the bullpen. Ryan Zimmerman pinch hit for Murphy and struck out swinging to end the inning with the Nationals down 4-2.
Sean Nolin came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Hernandez walked to start. Schwarber popped up to short and Hernandez just walked to second base, getting tagged out easily. Bogaerts walked and Devers flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox pulled a double switch to put Jose Iglesias in Schwarber's spot with Hansel Robles in to close out the bottom of the ninth. Thomas lined out to first to start and Escobar lined out to right. Soto and Bell drew back to back walks to put the tying runs on, but Ruiz flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2.
Hero of the Night is Hunter Renfroe. His 3 run homer was all the offense the Sox would need to win the game.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 2 with 3 walks and a run scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Eduardo Rodriguez earned the win by tossing 5 shutout innings. He was also 0 for 3 at the plate.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez got the final out of the seventh inning.
Hansel Robles earned his 13th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Travis Shaw was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Matt Barnes allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning.
Adam Ottavino allowed a run in the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked twice.
Kyle Schwarber was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked twice.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a home run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Honorable Mention:
Jose Iglesias played second base in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Don't look now but that was a huge win for the Red Sox considering the New York Yankees gagged against the Tampa Bay Rays. Seattle also lost so the Sox need to win the next two games to take the second wild card. They don't have to play the waiting game, win and you're in. Rodriguez getting yanked was business as usual for Cora and its just a matter of time before the quick hooks seal his fate. Still, the offense once again didn't do much apart from Renfroe and Dalbec in the sixth inning. Ottavino and Barnes are totally cooked and have nothing left it looks like. Thanks a lot Alex Cora for that. Still, can't do anything in the playoffs until you make it and the Sox are two wins away from making it. Hopefully the Sox can score some runs in the next two games to leave no doubt. The win improved the Sox to 90-70, 1 game behind the New York Yankees for the first Wild Card and 1 game in front of the Seattle Mariners for the second. The Sox look to win the second game of this series against Washington tomorrow afternoon. Tanner Houck goes for the Sox against Josiah Gray of the Nationals. The game begins at 4:05 PM at Nationals Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment