Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a bevy of roster moves. Christian Arroyo and Connor Seabold were placed on the Injured List after yesterday's disaster while Michael Feliz was designated for assignment. Hansel Robles was given his official release thus ending a year of disappointment after the Sox came within an inch of the World Series last year. To take their places, the Sox called up Phillips Valdez, Kaleb Ort and Jeter Downs from Worcester. For those that don't remember, the Sox got Ort from the New York Yankees in the same Rule 5 draft last year that also got them Garrett Whitlock. Hope Arroyo can come back soon.
As for the game, talk about the game of the year. For the first time all season the Sox essentially stuck it up the collective asses of the Yankees in tonight's surprising walkoff victory. The Sox and Yankees battled to a 1-1 tie after 5 innings with Kutter Crawford shutting down the New York offense. Sox manager Alex Cora brought in Ryan Brasier in the sixth who promptly served up two runs. The Sox got a Rob Refsnyder home run in the sixth and an Alex Verdugo rbi single with 2 outs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game. Jake Diekman allowed two runs in the top of the tenth and Yankee fans gladhanded each other saying the game was over. Unfortunately for them, Wandy Peralta allowed an rbi single to rookie Jeter Downs and Alex Verdugo ripped a base hit to right to score Refsnyder & Downs to win the game. The Sox had stunned the Yankees 6-5 in 10 innings at Fenway Park.
Crawford got the ball in the top of the first inning and Aaron Judge struck out swinging to start. Gleyber Torres lined back to the mound and Anthony Rizzo struck out swinging to end the inning. Jordan Montgomery got the start for the Yankees in the bottom of the first and Rob Refsnyder took strike three to start. Christian Vazquez grounded out to second and JD Martinez flied out to center to end the inning.
Giancarlo Stanton struck out swinging to start the top of the second before Josh Donaldson struck out swinging. Matt Carpenter walked, took second on a wild pitch and moved to second on the Aaron Hicks walk. Isiah Kiner-Falefa popped up to second to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Xander Bogaerts got a base hit to left to start. Bogaerts moved to second on the Alex Verdugo grounder to third but Trevor Story lined out to right. Bobby Dalbec ripped a base hit to center to score Bogaerts to put Boston on top. Kevin Plawecki forced Dalbec at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Kyle Higashioka grounded out to third to start the top of the third but Judge singled to left. Torres flied out to right and Rizzo flied out to center to end the inning. Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third before Refsnyder lined out to first to start. Vazquez flied out to center to end the inning.
Stanton popped up to second to start the top of the fourth before Donaldson popped up to short. Carpenter blooped a base hit over the head of Dalbec but was thrown out at second to end trying to stretch a double to end the inning. Martinez flied out to short to start the bottom of the fourth before Bogaerts looked to have beat out a grounder to short. Yankees manager Aaron Boone challenged the call and sure enough, it was overturned and Bogaerts was out. Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Yankees tied the game in the top of the fifth as Hicks hit a home run all the way to South America to start. Kiner took strike three but Higashioka singled to left. Higashioka was thrown out trying to steal and Judge struck out swinging to end the inning. Despite throwing just 88 pitches, Sox manager Alex Cora foolishly pulled Crawford to once again ask the bullpen to toss four innings at least. Crawford allowed just 4 hits and walked 2 while striking out 6. The Yankees had tied the game 1-1
Story struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth but Dalbec drew a walk. Plawecki lined out to center and Duran struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier came in to crap his pants in the top of the sixth as Torres singled to right to start. Rizzo doubled to right to score Torres but Stanton took strike three. Donaldson singled to right to score Rizzo and chase Brasier from the game. Matt Strahm came in and Carpenter singled to right to keep the rally going. Joey Gallo ran for Carpenter and Hicks struck out swinging. Kiner grounded out to second to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 3-1.
The Sox refused to go quietly in the bottom of the sixth as Refsnyder belted his third home run of the season on the first pitch to cut the lead. Vazquez flied out to center and Martinez lined out to left, but Bogaerts singled to left. Verdugo got a base hit to right and Michael King came in to pitch to Story. Trevor flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
John Schreiber came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Higashioka flied out to center to start. Judge grounded out to short and Torres struck out swinging to end the inning. Dalbec grounded out to short to start the bottom of the seventh before Franchy Cordero pinch hit for Plawecki. Cordero literally looked at three straight strikes down the middle as Fenway booed. Duran grounded out to short to end the inning.
Tanner Houck came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Rizzo lined out to center to start. Stanton and Donaldson both struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox tied the game in the bottom of the eighth although Refsnyder took strike three to start. Vazquez lined out to center but Martinez doubled to center. Jeter Downs pinch ran for Martinez as Clay Holmes came in for the 4 out save. Bogaerts walked and suddenly Verdugo ripped a base hit to left to score Downs with the tying run. Story forced Verdugo at second to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Here comes Downs to score
Gallo walked to start the top of the ninth but Hicks forced him at second. Kiner forced Hicks and DJ LeMahieu pinch hit for Higashioka. LeMahieu forced Kiner at second to end the inning. Jose Trevino came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Dalbec took strike three to start. Cordero grounded out to short and Duran grounded out to third to end the inning.
Jake Diekman came in to pitch the top of the tenth but the Yankees struck with Trevino beginning at second base. Judge instantly doubled to center to score Trevino and moved to third on the Torres grounder to second. Rizzo clubbed a double to right to score Judge as the boos rained down. Rizzo was thrown out trying to steal third and Stanton struck out swinging to end the inning with the Yankees up 5-3.
Yankee fans gladhanded each other saying the game was in the bag as Wandy Peralta took the mound in the bottom of the tenth with Duran starting at second. Somehow Refsnyder got a base hit to left to put runners at the corners but Vazquez flied out to right. The rookie Downs then ripped a base hit to right to score Duran before both runners moved over on the Bogaerts grounder to third. Down to their last out, Verdugo ripped a base hit to right to score Refsnyder and Downs to win the game. The Sox had stunned the Yankees 6-5 in 10 innings.
Hero of the Night is Jeter Downs. He scored the tying run in the eighth, drove in a key run in the tenth then scored the winning run.
The Good:
Rob Refsnyder was 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Alex Verdugo was 3 for 5 with 3 rbis.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Kutter Crawford tossed 5 innings of 1 run ball allowing 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6.
Matt Strahm pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
John Schreiber tossed a scoreless inning.
Tanner Houck tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 5.
Trevor Story was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Kevin Plawecki was 0 for 2.
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Ryan Brasier allowed 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4.
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Jake Diekman vultured the win by giving up 2 runs in the top of the tenth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Well, well, well, the Yankees are human after all. After their record setting pace, it was nice to see the Red Sox stick it to them for once. Clay Holmes had been pretty much automatic since April and the Sox got to him. Its only one game but it sure feels good to finally win one. Jeter Downs was an integral part of the victory and its about time the Sox justified the Mookie Betts trade with Connor Wong still in Worcester and Verdugo having an off year. Then again everyone but Martinez is having an off-year it seems. Still, as pathetic as it sounds, the Sox still have the third best record in the American League despite the horrendous start to the season. This march through the AL East is going to make or break them so they need to make a statement big time. The win improved the Sox to 46-39, 15 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row tomorrow night when Nick Pivetta takes the ball for the Sox against Jameson Taillon of the Yankees. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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