Before the game it was announced Chris Martin was placed on the Injured List with right shoulder inflammation. In his place the Boston Red Sox called up Jake Faria from Worcester. After Zack Kelly was placed on the long term IL, losing Martin hurts with Joely Rodriguez already out.
As for the game, this might have been the best game all year in more ways than one. In a beautiful hour and 57 minutes, Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock (1-1, 4.50 ERA) tossed the best game by any starter all season by going 7 innings while allowing just 1 run on 3 hits. On a day the Red Sox honored the 2013 World Series Champion Red Sox, the Sox didn't do much against Reid Detmers but one Justin Turner two run jack was all the offense Boston needed. Kaleb Ort pulled off a huge pickoff and the unlikely closer Ryan Brasier mowed down the Angels in the ninth. The Sox had won their third game in a row with a 2-1 victory over the Angels at Fenway Park.
The Lock got the ball in the top of the first and Zach Neto grounded out to third to start. Mike Trout struck out swinging and Shohei Ohtani grounded out to short to end the inning. Detmers got the ball in the bottom of the first and Alex Verdugo grounded out to short to start. Justin Turner flied out to right but Rob Refsnyder walked. Rafael Devers popped up to center to end the inning.
The Angels struck first in the top of the second as Anthony Rendon tucked a double down the right field line before moving to third on the grounder to second by Hunter Renfroe. Gio Urshela hit a bullet....right to Devers but Luis Rengifo walked. Brandon Drury got a base hit to right to score Rendon to put the Angels up early. Drury was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning with the Angels up 1-0.
Kike Hernandez tried to start a rally with a base hit to left to start. Masa Yoshida was hit by a pitch but Christian Arroyo banged into a double play. Logan O'Hoppe dropped a pop up behind the plate by Connor Wong only for Connor to strike out swinging anyway to end the inning.
O'Hoppe got a base hit to center to start the top of the third inning but Neto grounded into a double play. Trout popped up to second to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Yu Chang flied out to left to start. Verdugo ripped a base hit up the middle, stole second and scored on the first home run of the season by Turner. Refsnyder took strike three and Devers flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Ohtani lined out to a running Verdugo to start the top of the fourth before Rendon grounded out to third. Renfroe struck out swinging to end the inning. Hernandez struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fourth before Yoshida also went down hacking. Arroyo completed the trifecta by striking out swinging to end the inning.
The Lock turned up the intensity in the top of the fifth as Rengifo struck out swinging to start. Urshela also went down hacking and Drury popped up to Wong at the fence to end the inning.
Wong popped up to right to start the bottom of the fifth before Chang went down swinging. Verdugo complained about a strike two call so naturally home plate umpire Carlos Torres rung him up on strike three in the other batter's box to end the inning. Ironically the king of calls like that, Ron Kulpa, was at second base today.
Whitlock became the first pitcher all season to sniff the sixth inning and naturally he walked O'Hoppe to start. Neto hit into another double play and Trout lined out to right to end the inning. Turner ripped a base hit to left to start the bottom of the sixth before Refsnyder lined a base hit to center. Unfortunately Devers banged into a double play and Hernandez flied out to right to end the inning.
Whitlock came back for the top of the seventh and Ohtani grounded out to second to start. Rendon flied out to right and Renfroe struck out swinging on a slider away to end the inning. The Lock was outstanding, tossing 7 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed just 3 hits, 2 walks and struck out 5.
Detmers also returned for the bottom of the seventh and Yoshida grounded out to second to start. Arroyo hit a seeing eye single in the hole at short to chase Detmers from the game. Andrew Wantz came in to pitch and Wong banged into a double play to end the inning.
Kaleb Ort came in to cough up the lead in the top of the eighth as Urshela effortlessly singled to left to start. Taylor Ward pinch hit for Rengifo but popped up to center. Drury walked on four pitches not even close and Brett Phillips ran for him. O'Hoppe flied out to center and Ort suddenly turned around to pick off Phillips to end the inning. Way to go Ort!
Jake Lamb came in to play first for the bottom of the eighth and Chang grounded back to the mound to start. Verdugo got a base hit to right but Turner flied out to right. Refsnyder flied out to the centerfield warning track to end the inning.
With Kenley Jansen unavailable, none other than Ryan Brasier came in to close out the top of the ninth. Neto lined out to center to start before getting Mike Trout swinging on a nasty slider. Ohtani popped up to left to end the game. The Sox had won it 2-1 in just an hour and 57 minutes.
Hero of the Night is Garrett Whitlock. In his best start of his career he tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball while allowing 2 walks and 3 hits.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with a run scored and a stolen base.
Justin Turner was 2 for 4 with a 2 run home run.
Rob Refsnyder was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Kike Hernandez was 1 for 3.
Christian Arroyo was 1 for 3.
Kaleb Ort pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Ryan Brasier earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3.
Connor Wong was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Yu Chang was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Masa Yoshida was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Final Thoughts:
Unlike the first two games against the Angels, this one wasn't marred by bad defense or miscues by the opposing team. This was Whitlock's best start and that's what Sox GM Chaim Bloom is counting on moving forward. The Sox may have some answers in the rotation if Chris Sale, Corey Kluber and James Paxton can't get it done anymore. Tanner Houck has been solid and Whitlock took a big step today. The third member of the new trio makes his season debut tomorrow. The Sox offense was absolute crap today but one swing of the bat by Turner is all they needed today. A bottom five of Hernandez, Chang, Wong/McGuire, Casas and Arroyo along with Refsnyder and Yoshida aren't going to cut it moving forward. The Sox are going to have to pitch their way to victories until Trevor Story and Adam Duvall come back or someone from Worcester like Enmanuel Valdez or Jarren Duran can contribute. Still, Whitlock took a big step and the Sox survived the makeshift team of Ort and Brasier to save the big guns for tomorrow's showdown. The Sox go for the series sweep tomorrow morning on Patriots Day when Brayan Bello makes his season debut against Shohei Ohtani of the Angels. The game starts at 11:00 AM at Fenway Park.
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