Guess the Boston Red Sox offense is back after all. After scoring a combined two runs in the last two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Boston Red Sox scored six on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers and pounded them today. Rafael Devers was the star today, belting a second inning grand slam and a two run homer to give the Sox all the offense they'd need. Adam Duvall hit yet another bomb and the Sox bats pitched in to make this a laugher. Tanner Houck (2-0, 4.50 ERA) tossed 5 serviceable innings allowing just two runs before getting the quick hook. The only hiccup was Kike Hernandez making two errors and Ryan Brasier allowing runs in the ninth. Raimel Tapia also homered as the Sox pounded out 12 hits and 14 runs to win this one going way 14-5 at Comerica Park.
Wentz got the ball in the top of the first inning and Rob Refsnyder popped up to first to start. Rafael Devers flied out to right and Justin Turner grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Houck got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Akil Baddoo hit a liner off the glove of Turner for a base hit to start. Riley Greene banged into a double play and Javier Baez grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second as Masa Yoshida walked to start. Adam Duvall flied out to left but Alex Verdugo doubled to right. Christian Arroyo lined out to center but Kike Hernandez walked to load the bases. Connor Wong walked home Yoshida to put the Sox on top and Refsnyder walked to score Verdugo. That was it for Wentz as Garrett Hill came in to pitch to Devers with the bases loaded. The gamble failed as Devers pounded a grand slam to put the Sox up big early. Turner lined out to third to end the inning but the Sox were up 6-0.
Could Houck pitch with a lead? YES! Kerry Carpenter struck out swinging to start the bottom of the second but Nick Maton walked. Spencer Torkelson struck out swinging and Matt Vierling grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox poured it on in the top of the third as Yoshida walked to start. Duvall belted his fourth home run of the year to increase the lead but Verdugo flied out to left. Arroyo popped up to short and Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 8-0 Red Sox.
Zach McKinstry grounded out to first to start the bottom of the third before Jake Rogers took strike three. Baddoo grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Wong flied out to center to begin. Refsnyder struck out swinging and Devers flied out to center to end the inning. The Tigers roared back in the bottom of the fourth as Greene walked to start. Baez struck out swinging but Carpenter singled to right followed by Maton doubling to right to score Greene. Torkelson hit a sac fly to right to score Carpenter and cut the lead. Vierling grounded out to second to end the inning with the Tigers down 8-2.
Turner grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth but Yoshida drew a walk. Duvall forced Yoshida at second and Verdugo grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Tigers beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fifth as McKinstry grounded out to second to start. Rogers grounded out to short and Baddoo grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Just like with Kluber, Sox manager Alex Cora pulled Houck after just 5 innings and 74 pitches. If he's trying to baby the starters in April, he better not pulling these guys in May or else its 2021 again.
Tyler Alexander came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Arroyo popped up to short to start. Hernandez struck out swinging and Wong grounded out to second to end the inning. Zack Kelly came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Greene grounded out to first to start. Baez also grounded out to first....no wait! Apparently Wong interfered with Baez and Javier was awarded first. Carpenter walked and Baez moved to third on the fly out to right by Maton. Torkelson grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox got another one in the top of the seventh although Refsnyder lined out to right to start. Devers then blasted his second home run of the day to add to the lead. Turner grounded out to short and Yoshida flied out to center to end the inning but it was now 9-2 Boston.
Kelly returned for the bottom of the seventh and Vierling grounded out to short to start. McKinstry grounded out to second and Rogers took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the eighth as Duvall doubled to left to start and Verdugo drove him in with a base hit to right. Arroyo got a base hit to left and Verdugo went to third on the liner to center by Hernandez. Wong got a base hit to right to score Verdugo and Refsnyder singled to center to score Arroyo. Sox manager Alex Cora denied Devers a chance for a third home run as he sent Yu Chang to pinch hit for him. Chang lined out to right and Turner lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 12-2.
Triston Casas came in to play first for Turner with Kaleb Ort now on the mound for the bottom of the eighth. Baddoo and Greene both struck out swinging but Hernandez dropped an elbow on a grounder by Baez for another error. The loss of Trevor Story is going to hurt big time if Hernandez continues to struggle like this. Carpenter got a base hit to right but Maton struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ryan Kriedler took over for Carpenter and McKinstry was tasked to pitch the top of the ninth. Yoshida grounded out to first but Duvall doubled to left. Raimel Tapia pinch hit for Verdugo and crushed his first home run of the season to conclude the scoring for Boston. Arroyo got a base ht to right but Hernandez popped up to first. Wong forced Arroyo at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 14-2.
The Tigers wouldn't let the Sox maintain the score as they rallied against Ryan Brasier in the bottom of the ninth. Torkelson flied out to right and Vierling struck out swinging, but McKinstry walked. Rogers was plunked and Baddoo singled to left to load the bases. Greene then ripped a base hit to right to score McKinstry and Rogers before Hernandez made ANOTHER error on a grounder by Baez to score Baddoo. Kriedler struck out swinging to end the game though. The Sox had won it 14-5.
Hero of the Night is Rafael Devers. He hit two home runs including a grand slam, driving in five runs to put the game away early.
The Good:
Masa Yoshida walked 3 times and scored twice in 5 plate appearances.
Adam Duvall was 3 for 5 with a two run home run and 3 total runs scored.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Raimel Tapia hit a 2 run home run in his only plate appearance.
Christian Arroyo was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Tanner Houck got the win by tossing 5 innings of 2 run ball. He struck out 4 and walked just two.
Zack Kelly pitched 2 scoreless innings.
Kaleb Ort tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Yu Chang was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Justin Turner was 0 for 5.
Ryan Brasier got tagged for 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Ugly:
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked, drove in two runs and scored a run.
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and 2 errors but walked and scored a run.
Connor Wong was just 1 for 4 with an error but walked, drove in two runs and scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Triston Casas played first in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Looks like the offense was back on track thanks to the power of Devers & Duvall and the ability for Yoshida and Verdugo to get on base. The bottom of the order is still a problem with Wong and Hernandez, especially defensively but they got by this time. Houck looked like he could go another inning and Sox manager Alex Cora is going to hear plenty of boos if he keeps this up past April. The 2021 Sox crashed in July because of the A-Team being overused and if Cora makes the same mistake, it would be a mistake to let him manage past the season. This was Turner's worst game of the season so far but its better to have a bad game in a blowout win instead of one where he's desperately needed. Still the Sox are back to .500 and the starting pitching is starting to improve even with Cora's quick hooks. The Sox look for the series sweep tomorrow evening on Easter Sunday when Kutter Crawford (0-1, 15.75 ERA) takes on Matthew Boyd of the Tigers. The game begins at 6:40 PM Eastern time at Comerica Park.
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