Its starting to feel like the Boston Red Sox have figured things out. They have now won six games in a row and 4 out of 5 against Central Division leading teams. Tonight Josh Winckowski (3-1, 3.60 ERA) continued his hot streak by holding the Cleveland Guardians to just two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Alex Verdugo launched a 447 foot three run home run off Guardians starter Shane Bieber in the top of the sixth to put Boston on top. The bullpen had a little bit of traffic on the bases but the quartet of Jake Diekman, Matt Strahm, John Schreiber and Tanner Houck slammed the door. With the New York Yankees getting no-hit by the Houston Astros and the Milwaukee Brewers defeating the Toronto Blue Jays, the Sox are now all alone in second place after their 4-2 victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field.
Bieber got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran got a base hit to left to start. Rafael Devers lined out to short but Duran swiped second base. JD Martinez flied out to right to move Duran to third but Xander Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning. Winckowski got the ball in the bottom of the first and Steven Kwan got a base hit to center to start. Amed Rosario grounded into a double play and Jose Ramirez grounded out to third to end the inning.
Alex Verdugo walked to start the top of the second but Trevor Story banged into a double play. Bobby Dalbec took strike three to end the inning. Franmil Reyes lined out to center to start the bottom of the second and Andre Gimenez struck out swinging. Owen Miller beat out a roller to third and Richie Palacios got a base hit to left, but Austin Hedges struck out swinging.
Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to left to start the top of the third but Kevin Plawecki got a base hit to center. Duran flied out to left and Devers took strike three to end the inning. The Guardians struck first in the bottom of the third as Myles Straw grounded out to third to start. Kwan walked and Rosario tripled into the gap in center to put Cleveland on top. Jose Ramirez hit a sac fly to right to score Rosario but Reyes took strike three to end the inning with the Guardians ahead 2-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as Martinez lined out to center to start. Bogaerts flied out to center and Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning. Gimenez got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the fourth and Miller hit a chopper to Story. Trevor stepped on second but blew the throw to first for an error to put Miller at second. Palacios grounded out to second to move Miller to third and Hedges struck out swinging to end the inning.
Story grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth but Dalbec grounded out to second. JBJ drew a walk but Plawecki struck out swinging to end the inning. Straw grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fifth before Kwan grounded out to second. Rosario lined out to left to end the inning.
Duran made a rookie mistake after he doubled off the left field wall to start the top of the sixth. Duran was foolishly thrown out by a mile trying to take third on a dropped strike by Hedges and Devers popped up to center. All of a sudden Martinez got a base bit to center, Bogaerts sliced a base hit to right and Verdugo hit a 3 run 447 foot bomb to put the Sox on top.
Ramirez grounded out to first to start the bottom of the sixth but Reyes ripped a base hit to right to chase Winckowski. Despite throwing just 77 pitches, that was it as Josh allowed 2 runs in 5 1/3 inning while striking out four. Jake Diekman came in and got a double play ball hit to Bogaerts but Dalbec whiffed on the throw back to first to allow Giminez to reach. Miller popped up to center to end the inning.
Dalbec watched strike two and three go by to start the top of the seventh before JBJ grounded out to second. Plawecki grounded out to third to end the inning. Oscar Gonzalez pinch hit for Palacios and naturally sliced a base hit to right to begin. Hedges walked on four pitches not even close but Straw popped up to center. Diekman somehow struck out Kwan swinging on a big sweeping curve and that was it for Jake. John Schreiber came in and struck out Rosario on three straight sliders to end the inning.
Trevor Stephan came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Duran slapped a base hit through the hole at short to start. Duran swiped second but Cleveland manager Terry Francona challenged that Duran's hand came off second. The call stood and Devers hit a bullet into right to put runners at the corners. Martinez was given a gift ball four call to load the bases with nobody out for Bogaerts. Unfortunately Bogaerts forced Duran at home and Verdugo forced Devers at home as well. Naturally Story struck out swinging to squander the inning and the game after leaving the bases loaded with nobody out. Naturally the Guardians took advantage in the bottom of the eighth against Matt Strahm although Ramirez popped up to Bradley to start. Reyes walked but Gimenez flied out to right to bring up Miller. Sox pitching coach Dave Bush made a mad dash to the mound to let Strahm know that The Book of Boba Fett was on in the clubhouse. Strahm was so excited he got Miller to pop up to a running Duran to end the inning.
Enyel De Los Santos came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Dalbec walked to start. JBJ flied out to the centerfield warning track but Plawecki doubled off the left field wall. Christian Arroyo pinch ran for Plawecki and Duran ripped a base hit to center to score Dalbec but Christian was thrown out at home by a mile. Duran did take second on the throw home but Martinez grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.
Tanner Houck came in to close out the bottom of the ninth with Christian Vazquez now behind the plate. Gonzalez hit a liner to Bradley to start and Josh Naylor pinch hit for Hedges. Naylor grounded out to first and Straw flied out to center to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2.
Hero of the Night is Alex Verdugo. His 3 run home run put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Jarren Durran was 4 for 5 with an rbi and two stolen bases.
Kevin Plawecki was 2 for 4.
Josh Winckowski got the win with 5 1/3 innings of 2 run ball. He allowed 6 hits and a walk while striking out 4.
Jake Diekman tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
John Schreiber got the final out of the seventh inning.
Matt Strahm pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Tanner Houck earned his sixth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.
Christian Arroyo was thrown out at home as a pinch runner.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Christian Vazquez caught the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
That's six wins in a row for the Sox who seem to have things figured out. Duran is hitting too well to take him out of the leadoff spot and the trio of Schreiber, Straham and Houck have become their late inning three punch. Rob Refsnyder has been a spark plug who can play anywhere and could be their Brock Holt with Kike Hernandez still out. The final piece of the puzzle will be the rotation if and when the walking wounded get healthier. Chris Sale is due to pitch in Portland next week while Nathan Eovaldi is still suffering from a bad back. Garrett Whitlock still has a bad hip and James Paxton still hasn't started his rehab from Tommy John yet. Nick Pivetta, Winckowski and Michael Wacha has pitched very well with the others out and Rich Hill at least eats innings. After the Cleveland series the Sox will be without Duran and Houck for the Toronto series which means we may see Connor Seabold at some point. That's a crisis for another day, as of right now the Sox have battled their way back to second place and gained three games on the Yankees. The win improved the Sox to 41-31, 11 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to sweep the Guardians and win their seventh game in a row tomorrow afternoon with Rich Hill (2-4, 4.42 ERA) taking the mound against Aaron Civale of Cleveland. The game begins at 1:40 PM Eastern time at Progressive Field.
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