As for the game, the Red Sox got lucky this time. Connor Seabold lasted just 4 innings while allowing a run thanks to Sox manager Alex Cora overthinking things again, forcing the bullpen to go the rest of the way. Naturally the 2-1 lead disappeared when Patrick Wisdom took Matt Strahm deep to tie the game. After the Sox did nothing after the fourth inning, New York Yankee fans gladhanded each other saying the game was in the bag for Chicago. Too bad they didn't count on the Cubs being just as bad. Trevor Story hit a routine grounder to Rowan Wick in the top of the eleventh who threw the ball away allowing the go-ahead runs to score. Somehow Jake Diekman slammed the door in the bottom of the frame to give the Sox the 4-2 victory over the Cubs in 11 innings at Wrigley Field.
Keegan Thompson got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran flied out to left to start. Rafael Devers caught the Cubs asleep with a bunt single to short and Xander Bogaerts drew a walk. Alex Verdugo lined out to right and Christian Vazquez struck out swinging to end the inning. The Cubs wasted no time getting to Seabold in the bottom of the first as Rafael Ortega doubled to left and Wilson Contreras singled to center to score Rafael just like that. Ian Happ popped up to first, Patrick Wisdom popped up to second and Nico Hoerner flied out to left to end the inning with the Cubs up 1-0.
Rob Refsnyder lined out to center to start the top of the second but Franchy Cordero beat out a roller to third. Bobby Dalbec grounded into a double play to end the inning. PJ Higgins struck out swinging to start the bottom of the second but Alfonso Rivas walked. Nelson Velazquez singled in the hole at second to move Rivas to third but Christopher Morel struck out swinging. Ortega flied out to center to end the inning.
Christian Arroyo walked to start the top of the third but Duran flied out to center. Devers beat out a roller to third but Bogaerts banged into a double play to end the inning. Contreras struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third before Happ singled to center. Wisdom struck out swinging and Hoerner lined out to center to end the inning.
Somehow the Sox did something in the top of the fourth as Verdugo singled in the hole at third to start. Vazquez beat out a roller to third and both runners moved over on the wild pitch by Thompson. Refsnyder struck out swinging and Cordero hit a routine grounder to Rivas...UNDER HIS GLOVE! Verdugo scored on the play and shockingly Dalbec got a base hit to left to load the bases but Arroyo lined out to right. Somehow Duran walked home Vazquez to put Boston on top but Devers struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Seabold returned for one final inning in the bottom of the fourth and Higgins ripped a base hit to center to start. Rivas singled to left but Velazquez banged into a double play. Morel walked but Ortega popped up to second to end the inning. Seabold threw 74 pitches but Sox manager Alex Cora felt that was enough as he allowed 1 run on 6 hits and 2 walks in just 4 innings.
Matt Swarmer came in to pitch the top of the fifth and Bogaerts lined out to first to start. Verdugo walked and Vazquez singled to right...but Refsnyder struck out swinging and Cordero grounded out to second to end the inning. Hiro Sawamura came in to pitch the bottom of the first and Contreras struck out swinging to start. Happ went down hacking and Wisdom popped up to second to end the inning.
Dalbec struck out swinging to start the top of the sixth but Arroyo got a base hit to right to chase Swarmer. Brandon Hughes came in to pitch and Duran singled in the hole at short. Once again with two men on Devers struck out swinging and Bogaerts popped up to second to end the inning. Hoerner got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the sixth but Higgins hit into a double play. Rivas got a singled to right but Velazquez popped up to Arroyo to end the inning.
Verdugo lined out to first to start the top of the seventh and Scott Effross came in to face Vazquez. Christian flied out to left and Refsnyder struck out swinging to end the inning. Jackie Bradley Jr took over in right with John Schreiber now on the mound for the bottom of the seventh. Morel took a questionable full count strike three but Ortega was hit with a pitch. Contreras walked but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Old pal Cubs manager David Ross challenged the call but it was a clear out call. Only problem was Bogaerts was cleaned out on the play and had to leave the game with an injury. Trevor Story replaced him and Happ struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox can't afford to lose Bogaerts before their death march through the AL East.
Cordero took strike three to start the top of the eighth before Dalbec took a straight fastball right down the middle for strike three. Arroyo got a base hit to left but Duran grounded out to second to end the inning. The lead evaporated in the bottom of the eighth with Matt Strahm on the mound as Wisdom hit a home run all the way to Phoenix, Arizona to tie the game. Higgins struck out swinging and Yan Gomes pinch hit for Rivas. Gomes grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Daveid Bote came in for Gomes with Chris Martin now on the mound for the top of the ninth. Devers lined out to first, Story flied out to right and Verdugo struck out swinging to end the inning. Tanner Houck came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Velazquez struck out swinging to start. Morel flied out to right but Ortega drew a walk. Contreras grounded out to short to end the inning.
Rowan Wick came in to pitch the top of the tenth with Verdugo starting at second. Vazquez moved Alex to third with a grounder to second and JBJ drew a walk....but Cordero got Verdugo thrown out at home on a grounder to third. Dalbec took a straight fastball right down the middle for strike three to end the inning. Jake Diekman came in to pitch the bottom of the tenth with Contreras now on the mound and he started by plunking Happ. Wisdom and Hoerner both flied out to left and Higgins struck out swinging to end the inning,
The Sox broke through on pure stupidity in the top of the eleventh with Dalbec starting at second base. Arroyo walked to start but Duran struck out swinging. Devers flied out to center and Story hit a tapper in front of the plate...THROWN AWAY BY WICK! Arroyo and Dalbec both scored to put Boston ahead and Verdugo grounded out to first to end the inning with Boston up 4-2.
Diekman returned to close out the bottom of the eleventh with Higgins starting at second base. Bote took strike three but Velazquez walked. Morel took a questionable full count strike three and Narciso Crook pinch hit for Ortega. Crook struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2 in 11 innings.
Hero of the Night is Jake Diekman. He earned the win by not allowing a single run in two straight innings with phantom runners on second.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 6.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Christian Arroyo was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Connor Seabold tossed 4 innings and allowed just 1 run while striking out 4.
Hiro Sawamura tossed 2 scoreless innings.
John Schreiber pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Tanner Houck pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 2.
Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Matt Strahm allowed a run in the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but walked and drove in a run.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 but walked before leaving with injury.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Franchy Cordero was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Jackie Bradley Jr played right field in the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
If this series was just a tune-up for their upcoming death march through the AL-East from now until July 24th, they failed big time. Dropping two out of three to the Cubs and needing to get lucky just to win the one game is not a good sign moving forward. Getting Chris Sale back healthy would help but losing Rich Hill for a month certainly doesn't. The Sox are going to have to rely on Seabold, Josh Winckowski or Kutter Crawford in Hill's absence. Even when they win it feels like a loss because they didn't deserve it. Strahm giving up the run in the eighth was also disconcerting considering Garrett Whitlock is out and who knows when he's coming back. Still, a win is a win and they all count no matter what happens. The win improved the Sox to 44-35, 1/2 game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for the first wild card spot. The Sox begin their AL East gauntlet tomorrow afternoon at home against the Tampa Bay Rays. Michael Wacha goes for the Sox against old friend Jalen "Twin Beeks". The special July 4th matinee begins at 1:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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