The Angels pounded Pivetta in the top of the first inning as Taylor Ward flied out to center to start. Mike Trout doubled to left but Shohei Ohtani grounded out to third. Anthony Rendon and Hunter Renfroe drew back to back walks to load the bases....for Gio Urshela to hit a grand slam all the way to China to put the Angels on top. Brandon Drury struck out swinging to end the inning with the Angels up 4-0.
The Sox wasted no time getting back in the game against Los Angeles starter Tyler Anderson. Alex Verdugo walked to start but Justin Turner banged into a double play. Rob Refsnyder bashed a doubled to center and Rafael Devers mauled his 7th home run of the season to cut the lead in half. Kike Hernandez walked and stole second, but Christian Arroyo popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox down 4-2.
The Angels threatened in the top of the second although Zach Neto grounded out to third to start. Matt Thaiss was plunked but Ward flied out to right. Trout walked and Ohtani reached on catcher's interference to load the bases. Rendon grounded out to second to end the inning. Triston Casas flied out to left to start the bottom of the second but Connor Wong made up for the interference with a base hit to left. Yu Chang popped up to short and Verdugo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Renfroe grounded out to third to start the top of the third before Urshela lined out to right. Drury took strike three to end the inning. The Sox got a run back in the bottom of the third as Turner doubled to left to start. Refsnyder walked but the ball four pitch got away to move Turner to third. Devers banged into a double play but Turner scored to cut the lead. Hernandez grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Zeto grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth before Thaiss took strike three. Ward struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox took command in the bottom of the fourth as Arroyo popped up to first to start. Casas struck out swinging but Wong doubled to center. Chang got his first hit of the season by belting his first home run of the year to put Boston on top. Verdugo singled to left and took second on a wild pitch. Turner walked and Refsnyder lined a base hit to left. Verdugo scored but Turner got thrown out at third to end the inning with the Sox up 6-4.
Pivetta fell apart in the top of the fifth as Trout doubled to center to start. Ohtani singled to left to move Trout to third and Rendon singled to left to score Trout. That was it for Pivetta who got knocked around for 6 runs in just 4 plus innings of work, not good. Kaleb Ort came in to pitch and Renfroe struck out swinging, but Urshela got a base hit to center to score Ohtani with the tying run. Drury flied out to right but a wild pitch moved the runners over. Neto took strike three to end the inning with the game tied 6-6.
Matt Moore came in to pitch in the bottom of the fifth and Devers grounded out to short to begin. Hernandez flied out to right and Arroyo struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Angels took the lead in the top of the sixth against Richard Bleier as Thaiss was hit with a pitch to begin. Ward forced Thaiss at second and Trout took strike three, but a wild pitch moved Ward to second. Ohtani got a base hit to center to score Ward with the go-ahead run. Another wild pitch moved Ohtani to third but Rendon lined out to center to end the inning with the Angels up 7-6.
Ohtani drives in a run
John Schreiber came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Renfroe singled to left to start. Urshela popped up to second, Drury struck out swinging and Neto went down hacking to end the inning. Carlos Estevez came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Turner flied out to center to start. Refsnyder flied out to right and Devers popped up to short to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Thaiss took strike three to start. Ward lined out to short but Trout blooped a single to right. Ohtani grounded out to first to end the inning. Ryan Tepera came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and the Sox pulled off a rally. Hernandez started with a base hit to left and Raimel Tapia pinch hit for Arroyo....taking first on catcher's interference. Casas struck out swinging and Reese McGuire pinch hit for Wong. McGuire also reached on catcher's interference to load the bases. Chang did the honors with a base hit to left to score both Hernandez and Tapia to give the Sox the lead. Verdugo flied out to right but Turner was plunked to load the bases. Refsnyder drew a walk to score McGuire with the insurance run, chasing Tepera. Tucker Davidson got Devers to ground out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-7.
Kenley Jansen came in to close out the top of the ninth and Rendon lined out to first to begin. Renfroe flied out to right and Urshela popped up to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-7.
Sox win
Hero of the Night is Yu Chang, his two big hits put the Sox ahead while driving in four runs.
The Good:
Justin Turner was 1 for 3 with a walk, hit by pitch and a run scored.
Rob Refsnyder was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 rbis and a run scored.
Kike Hernandez was 1 for 3 with a walk, run scored and a stolen base.
Raimel Tapia scored a run in the eighth inning.
Connor Wong was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Reese McGuire scored a run in the eighth inning.
John Schreiber tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Ryan Brasier got the win with a scoreless eighth inning.
Kenley Jansen earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Nick Pivetta got lit up for 6 runs in just 4 plus innings of work. He allowed 5 hits and 3 walks.
Richard Bleier allowed a run in the sixth inning.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a 2 run home run.
Triston Casas was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Kaleb Ort allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in an inning of work.
Final Thoughts:
Better late than never for Yu Chang. Essentially Sox GM Chaim Bloom signed him because of his hot streak in the World Baseball Classic and it took until today for him to get his first hit. Him being the hero overshadowed the Angels incompetence in the field as they keep giving away outs, but the Sox will take it. Pivetta looked like garbage today but the bullpen sans Bleier did a good job in relief. Hernandez looks like he's starting to pick it up but Arroyo and Casas are really struggling. Arroyo is only starting due to injuries but Casas looks completely lost, that's disconcerting. The Sox are also the only team in baseball not to have their starter reach the sixth inning, way to go Alex Cora and Chaim Bloom. That's not a recipe for success but this team already knows that. Its just a question of when the bottom falls out, especially with injuries mounting. Still, a win is a win and today was a good one despite the circumstances. The Sox look to make it three in a row tomorrow afternoon against the Angels when Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock takes on Reid Detmers of Los Angeles. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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