The bad news was the Boston Celtics lost Game 5 of their first round NBA playoff series to the Atlanta Hawks but the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles. Corey Kluber (1-4, 6.75 ERA) pitched his best game of the season, holding the O's to just 5 hits and a run in six solid innings. Offensively the Sox pounded O's starter Kyle Brandish for three runs in the top of the second and Jarren Duran hit a grand slam in the top of the third. The Sox got another run in the top of the eighth and ended up needing it as Kaleb Ort gave up two home runs and a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. Kenley Jansen had to come in for the save but slammed the door on the 8-6 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.
Bradish got the ball in the top of the first inning and Alex Verdugo struck out swinging to start. Rafael Devers and Justin Turner drew back to back walks but Masa Yoshida grounded into a double play to end the inning. Kluber got the ball in the bottom of the first and Cedric Mullins flied out to right to start. Adley Rutschman grounded out to first and Anthony Santander flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox struck first with a rally in the top of the second as Kike Hernandez grounded out to short to start. Triston Casas walked and Jarren Duran doubled him to third. Christian Arroyo got a base hit to right to score Casas and Reese McGuire got a single to left to score Duran. Verdugo dumped a base hit to right to load the bases and Devers scored Arroyo with a sac fly to center. Turner grounded back to the mound to end the inning but it was 3-0 Sox.
Ryan Mountcastle singled past Kluber to start the bottom of the second but Gunnar Henderson flied out to center. Ramon Urias flied out to left and Adam Frazier also flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the third as Yoshida got a base hit to left to begin. Hernandez got a base hit to left and Casas singled to right to load the bases. Duran then pounded his first career grand slam to put the Sox up big. Arroyo grounded out to third but McGuire walked to chase Bradish from the game. Mike Baumann struck out Verdugo swinging and Devers grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 7-0.
Kluber cruised in the bottom of the third as Austin Hays flied out to right to start. Jorge Mateo struck out swinging and Mullins took strike three to end the inning.
Terrin Vavra came in for Hays to start the top of the fourth and Turner flied out to right to begin. Yoshida dumped a base hit to right but Hernandez banged into a double play to end the inning. Rutschman singled to right to begin the bottom of the fourth but Santander popped up to third. Mountcastle flied out to right but Henderson singled to right. Urias flied out to center to end the inning.
Casas flied out to center to start the top of the fifth before Duran flied out to center. Arroyo struck out swinging to end the inning. Enmanuel Valdez came in for Arroyo for the bottom of the fifth and Frazier flied out to center to start. Vavra grounded out to first but Mateo hit a home run all the way into the Baltic Sea to cut the lead. Mullins flied out to center to end the inning but the O's were down 7-1.
Austin Voth came in to pitch the top of the sixth and McGuire grounded out to second to start. Verdugo grounded back to the mound and Devers flied out to right to end the inning. Kluber came back for the bottom of the sixth and Rutschman flied out to left to start. Santander struck out swinging but Mountcastle singled to center. Henderson grounded out to second to end the inning with Kluber at 80 pitches. For whatever reason Sox manager Alex Cora felt Kluber had done enough and he was out after pitching 6 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 5 hits, walked nobody and struck out 3.
Turner flied out to right to start the top of the seventh before Yoshida grounded out to second. Hernandez took strike three to end the inning. Josh Winckowski came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Urias flied out to right to start. Frazier flied out to center but Vavra singled to left. Mateo flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the eighth as Casas flied out to center to start. Duran got a base hit to center, Valdez singled to right and McGuire grounded out to first to score Duran. Verdugo took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 8-1.
Mullins took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth and Rutschman flied out to left. Santander singled to left but Mountcastle forced him at second to end the inning.
Cionel Perez came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Devers grounded out to second to start. Turner flied out to right but Yoshida walked. Hernandez flied out to left to end the inning. Kaleb Ort came in to crap his pants in the bottom of the ninth and Henderson hit a home run all the way to Jupiter to start. Urias singled to left but Frazier flied out to left. Vavra got a base hit to right but Mateo hit a double play ball to Ort. Ort threw to second but Valdez dropped it for an error to load the bases. Mullins then hit a grand slam to Madison Square Garden in New York to cut the lead. Instead of a quiet inning, Kenley Jansen had to come in a close the game out. Rutschman grounded out to short and Santander lined out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 8-6.
Hero of the Night is Corey Kluber. He pitched his best game of the season allowing just 1 run in 6 strong innings. He allowed just 5 hits and struck out 3.
The Good:
Masa Yoshida was 2 for 4 with a walk and an rbi.
Triston Casas was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Jarren Duran was 3 for 4 with a grand slam and 3 runs scored.
Christian Arroyo was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.
Reese McGuire was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 rbis.
Josh Winckowski tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Kenley Jansen earned his sixth save with 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Kaleb Ort allowed 5 runs in the ninth in 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run.
Justin Turner was 0 for 4 but walked.
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Enmanuel Valdez was 1 for 1 but committed an another error.
Final Thoughts:
Its a crime against humanity Jansen had to pitch this game but it just goes to show that Kaleb Ort has no business being on this team. He throws 97 but it has no movement and ANY major league hitter can time a fastball. Even Niko Goodrum can hit a home run if you throw it straight down the middle. Otherwise this was a great game, Kluber looked like he had his command for the first time all season and Duran broke out with 3 big hits. Yoshida continues to drive the ball all over the field and Winckowski has become a lock-down late inning pitcher. Valdez can certainly hit the ball, he just can't field it. All in all things are looking up, they just need to stay healthy. They're going to get Trevor Story back eventually and some of their bullpen arms to replace guys like Ort and Ryan Brasier. The rotation is going to work itself out and its good to see Kluber pitching in. All in all it was a good win and hopefully the Sox can build on the momentum going into the rubber game against Baltimore tomorrow. afternoon. Tanner Houck (3-0) gets the start for the Sox against Tyler Wells of the Orioles. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Camden Yards.
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