It was a fantastic day for Boston sports. The Boston Bruins defeated the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of their first round NHL playoff series, the Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of their first round NBA playoff series and the Boston Red Sox shocked the Milwaukee Brewers with a victory following a 9 run rally. The Sox broke out to a 3-0 lead on Milwaukee starter Corbin Burnes but the Brewers came back to tie the game in the fifth against Sox starter Brayan Bello. Two innings later it looked bad when Kaleb Ort allowed the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Then the Sox exploded in the eighth inning as Justin Turner tied the game with a home run and Masataka Yoshida put the Sox ahead with a home run of his own. The Sox batted around against Matt Bush and old friend Javy Guerra before Yoshida then hit a grand slam to cap the rally. It was a great day all around as the Sox bashed the Brewers 12-5 at American Family Field.
Burnes got the ball in the top of the first inning and Alex Verdugo beat out a roller to the mound to begin. Rafael Devers took strike three but Justin Turner got a base hit to right, booted by Blake Perkins for an error to move Verdugo to third. Masa Yoshida scored Verdugo with a sac fly to right and Kike Hernandez lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Bello got the ball in the bottom of the first and Christian Yelich grounded out to second to start. Jesse Winker grounded out to short but Willy Adames walked. A wild pitch moved Adames to second and Rowdy "Roddy" Tellez worked a walk. Brian Anderson struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the second as Triston Casas walked to start. Jarren Duran ripped a base hit to center and Connor Wong caught the Brewers asleep with a bunt single down the third base line to load the bases. Yu Chang lined out to second but Verdugo worked a walk to score Casas. The big inning ended as Devers hit a fly ball to right to score Duran but Wong was thrown out at third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Victor Caratini grounded out to short to start the bottom of the second before Brice Turang lined out to third. Joey Wiemer got a base hit down the third base line but Blake Perkins was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the inning.
Turner flied out to right to start the top of the third before Yoshida struck out swinging. Hernandez doubled down the left field line but Casas struck out swinging to end the inning. Yelich grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Winker popped up to short. Adames grounded out to short to end the inning.
Duran struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth before Wong grounded out to third. Chang lined out to first to end the inning. The Brewers got one back in the bottom of the fourth as Tellez took strike three to start. Anderson hit a home run all the way to Butte, Montana to cut the lead. Caratini struck out swinging and Turang grounded out to short to end the inning but the Brewers cut the lead 3-1.
Verdugo took strike three to start the top of the fifth before Devers grounded out to first. Turner walked but Yoshida grounded out to first to end the inning. Bello fell apart in the bottom of the fifth as Wiemer doubled to left to start. Perkins dropped down a sacrifice bunt and the gamble worked as Yelich singled to right to score Wiemer. Winker singled to right to move Yelich to third and Christian scored on a sac fly by Adames to tie the game. That was it for Bello as Sox manager Alex Cora wouldn't let him face Tellez. He lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed 3 runs, still an improvement over Patriots Day. Richard Bleier came in and struck out Tellez swinging to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Elvis Peguero came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Hernandez struck out looking to start. Casas flied out to right and Duran struck out swinging to end the inning. Anderson walked to start the bottom of the sixth but Caratini banged into a double play. Turang took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the seventh as Wong grounded out to third to start. Chang blooped a base hit to right to chase Perguero and get Holby Milner into the game. Verdugo was plunked but Devers grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Brewers took command in the bottom of the seventh against a wild Kaleb Ort as Wiemer walked to start. Wiemer stole second and Perkins dropped down another sacrifice bunt. Yelich walked and a wild pitch scored Wiemer to put Milwaukee ahead. Winker walked but Adames popped up to third. Tellez grounded out to first to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 4-3.
Suddenly the Sox came out swinging in the top of the eighth against Matt Bush. Turner launched his second home run of the season to tie the game and Yoshida also hit his second home run of the season to put Boston on top. Hernandez doubled to right and moved to third on the line out to right by Casas. Duran walked and that was it for Bush. Former Sox minor league infielder Javy Guerra came in to pitch and Duran promptly swiped second. Wong ripped a base hit up the middle to score both runners and Chang blooped a base hit to center to move Connor to third. Verdugo flied out to center but Devers was intentionally walked to get to Turner. Turner ended up drawing a walk and Yoshida pounded a no doubt grand slam to cap off the rally. Hernandez hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning but the Sox broke it open up 12-4.
John Schreiber got tagged in the bottom of the eighth as Anderson hit another home run all the way to Arizona to cut the lead. Caratini grounded out to first, Turang went down hacking and Wiemer struck out swinging to end the inning with the Brewers down 12-5.
Another homer for Anderson
Owen Miller took over for Adames to start the top of the ninth as Casas walked to start. Duran singled off the glove of Tellez but Wong struck out swinging. Casas moved to third on the Chang fly out to right before Duran moved to second on a wild pitch. Verdugo took strike three to end the inning. Ryan Brasier came in to mop up the bottom of the ninth and Perkins took strike three to begin. Mike Brosseau pinch hit for Yelich and popped up to second. Winker grounded out to second to end the game. The Sox had won it 12-5.
Red Sox win
Put your hands in the air for our Hero
Richard Bleier tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Hero of the Night is Masataka Yoshida. He hit the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and the grand slam later in the inning.
The Good:
Justin Turner was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, a home run, 2 total rbis and 2 total runs scored.
Kike Hernandez was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Jarren Duran was 2 for 4 with a walk, stolen base and 2 runs scored.
Connor Wong was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Yu Chang was 2 for 5 with a run scored and a stolen base.
Richard Bleier tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Kaleb Ort allowed a run in the seventh inning.
John Schreiber allowed a run in the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked, was hit with a pitch, drove in a run and scored a run.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Triston Casas was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked twice and scored a run.
Bryan Bello lasted just 4 2/3 innings while allowing 3 runs. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3.
Final Thoughts:
That was a fun win on a fun day. Boston is buzzing over the Bruins and the Celtics but the Sox made a statement of their own with a big outburst against Milwaukee. There were some negatives like Bello once again struggling and Schreiber giving up a bomb but for the most part this was a good day. Hernandez continues to bust out of his slump and the Sox got multiple hits from Duran, Wong and Chang as well. Nice to have an offense that's not an automatic black hole in the bottom of the order. Casas continues to have no success hitting the ball but is drawing a lot of walks to at least get on base. One of the important aspects is the team speed and they used it today with Duran & Chang stealing bases. Duran is the fastest player on the team and if he can get on base, he can be a terror on the bases. The Sox have David Hamilton in Worcester who's another speed demon so this offense could be very dangerous when its at full strength if both Duran and eventually Hamilton can get on base. Not only that but Tapia and Chang are pretty fast as well. The only thing really stopping this team is the starting pitching but they have seven starters right now and two of them have to go. Its just a question of who and when since their first off-day in almost a month is Thursday. All in all it was another series win and the Sox just need to keep plugging along. The Sox now travel to Baltimore for their next big test against the red hot Orioles beginning tomorrow evening. Chris Sale (1-1, 8.00 ERA) looks to make it two good starts in a row against Dean Kremer of the Orioles. The game begins at 6:35 PM at Camden Yards.
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