As for the game, guess the $130 million dollar investment is working out after all. Trevor Story delivered for the second game in a row in a game the Sox needed to win. In the bottom of the third inning, Story smashed a grand slam into the Monster Seats directly at former Sox hero Jonny Gomes to put the Sox up for good. Michael Wacha returned from the Injured List and tossed 4 solid innings before falling apart in the fifth inning. The Boston bullpen was tasked with holding the Seattle Mariners down and surrendered just one unearned run. Austin Davis earned his first win of the season but the Sox weren't done scoring. Jackie Bradley Jr smashed his first home run since returning to the team to put the game out of reach. Matt Strahm slammed the door in the ninth and the Sox had won three games in a row for the first time all season with a 7-3 victory over the Mariners at Fenway Park.
Wacha got the ball in the top of the first inning and Adam Frazier grounded out to short to start. Ty France doubled to center and JP Crawford walked, but Julio Rodriguez forced Crawford at second. Jesse Winker popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally against Robbie Ray in the bottom of the first as Kike Hernandez doubled to center to start. Rafael Devers struck out swinging but JD Martinez got a base hit to left to move Hernandez to third. Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging and Trevor Story popped up to second to end the inning.
Wacha cruised in the top of the second as Eugenio Suarez struck out swinging to start. Abraham Toro popped up to second and Dylan Moore took strike three to end the inning. Christian Arroyo took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Alex Verdugo grounded back to the mound. Bobby Dalbec grounded out to short to end the inning.
Cal Raleigh popped up to third to start the top of the third but Frazier walked. France banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the third as Christian Vazauez singled to right to start. Hernandez walked but Devers lined out to left and Martinez struck out swinging. Bogaerts walked to load the bases and Story smashed a grand slam to none other than Jonny Gomes in the Monster Seats to put the Sox on top. Arroyo struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
Wacha cruised in the top of the fourth as Crawford grounded back to the mound to start. Rodriguez grounded out to third and Winker took strike three to end the inning. Verdugo grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fourth before Dalbec struck out swinging. Vazquez hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
The Mariners fought back in the top of the fifth as Suarez doubled to right to start. Toro then hit a home run to South America to cut the lead. Moore lined out to center but Raleigh walked. Frazier flied out to right but France singled to right to move Raleigh to third. Sox manager Alex Cora pulled the plug on Wacha before it got any worse. Michael got Dice K Disease in the 5th and left after allowing 2 runs in 4 2/3 innings. Austin Davis came in and Crawford struck out swinging to end the inning with the Mariners down 4-2.
The Sox blew it again in the bottom of the fifth as Hernandez got a base hit to center to start. Devers forced Hernandez at second but stole second himself. Martinez took strike three and Bogaerts flied out to center to end the inning.
Davis cruised in the top of the sixth as Rodriguez popped up to short to start. Winker flied out to center and Suarez took strike three to end the inning. Story struck out swinging to start the bottom of the sixth before Arroyo popped up to second. Verdugo lined out to left to end the inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr took over for Arroyo in right with Jake Diekman on the mound for the top of the seventh inning. Toro took a questionable full count strike three to start before Moore struck out swinging. Raleigh drew a full count walk but Frazier lined out to third to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the seventh with Penn Murfee on the mound as Dalbec grounded out to third to start. Vazquez lined out to right and Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox had gone 1-2-3 in four of the seven innings played.
John Schreiber came in to pitch the top of the eighth and France grounded out to second to start. Crawford hit a fly ball to shallow center and Verdugo undercut Bogaerts causing the ball to drop for a "double". The Sox challenged that Bogaerts held onto the ball for the out but the umps call held up, no out. Schreiber punched out Rodriguez swinging but Winker dropped a base hit in front of Verdugo to score Crawford. Suarez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Mariners down 4-3.
Diego Castillo came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Devers flied out to left to start. Martinez got a base hit to left and Franchy Cordero pinch hit for Bogaerts to give him the rest of the night off. Franchy singled up the middle but Story flied out to right. Anthony Misiewicz came in to pitch to Bradley and JBJ pounded an opposite field 3 run bomb to ice the game. Verdugo lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-3.
Matt Strahm came in to close out the top of the ninth and Toro lined out to left to start. Moore popped up to second and Luis Torrens pinch hit for Raleigh. Torrens grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 7-3.
Hero of the Night is Trevor Story. His grand slam proved to be the difference in the game/
The Good:
Kike Hernandez was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Franchy Cordero singled and scored as a pinch hitter.
Jackie Bradley Jr hit a 3 run home run in his only at-bat.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Austin Davis tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.
Jake Diekman tossed a scoreless inning.
Matt Strahm pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 4 with an error that almost killed Bogaerts.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but stole a base.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Michael Wacha allowed 2 runs in 4 2/3 innings, falling apart in the fifth inning.
John Schreiber allowed an unearned run in the eighth inning.
Final Thoughts:
How about those Red Sox? For a team dead and water and almost the laughingstock of the league (the Cincinnati Reds owns that dishonor), the Sox are slowly climbing out of the hole. A lot of the warts showed up tonight as Bogaerts, Devers, Arroyo,Verdugo and Dalbec all went 0-fer and Story's only hit was the grand slam. Wacha had Dice K Disease in the top of the fifth and forced Cora to go to the bullpen early again for the second straight day. The positives outweigh the negatives as the bullpen held the Mariners to just 1 run in 4 1/3 innings, Jackie Bradley Jr came off the bench and smashed a home run and Trevor Story continued his resurgence with another home run. Things are starting to fall into place with Wacha back and Ryan Brasier sent down. Its just a matter of time before some off the WooSox get their shot at proving themselves. Hopefully the Sox can keep this momentum and get back to .500 sooner rather than later. The win improved the Sox to 17-22, good for fourth place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it three in a row against the Mariners and four wins overall tomorrow afternoon against the Mariners. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock (1-1, 2.43 ERA) gets the start for the Sox against Chris Flexen of Seattle. The game begins at 4:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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