Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Robert Stock accepted his demotion to Worcester and the Sox signed former all-star catcher Yasmani Grandal to a minor league deal. With Connor Wong out of action the Sox need some catching depth and the 36 year old Grandal was the best on the street. He was a 2 time all-star in Los Angeles and Milwaukee and belted 23 home runs for the 2021 Chicago White Sox. He's past his prime and hasn't played since he hit .228 for Pittsburgh last year, but its a better option than than Blake Sabol.
As for the game, now that's more like it. One night after the Boston Red Sox looked like a little league team with men on base against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Sox turned the tables in extra innings. Walker Buehler pitched his best game so far holding the Jays to two runs in 6 1/3 innings. With the Sox trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth, a wild pitch scored Rob Refsnyder to tie the game. After the Sox blew a game winning rally in the bottom of the ninth, the Jays scored off Brennan Bernardino to take a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the tenth, Jarren Duran drove in the tying run and Story beat out a double play grounder with the bases loaded to win the game. The Sox had walked the Jays off 4-3 in 10 innings at Fenway Park.
Sox win
Bregman drives in a run
Buehler with a good start
Buehler got the ball in the top of the first inning and Bo Bichette got a base hit to center to start. Andres Gimenez struck out swinging but Anthony Santander got a base hit to right. George Springer grounded into a double play to end the inning. Bassitt got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Rafael Devers got a base hit to left but Alex Bregman popped up to second. Triston Casas took strike three to end the inning.
Will Wagner flied out to left to start the top of the second inning before Ernie Clement lined out to third. Alan Roden got a base hit to right and Taylor Heineman got a base hit to right....booted by Abreu for an error to move Roden to third. Nathan Lukes lined out to first to end the inning. Trevor Story got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the second before swiping second base. With a runner in scoring position, Kristian Campbell popped up to third, Wilyer Abreu struck out swinging and Ceddanne Rafaela popped up to short to end the inning.
Bichette popped up to short to start the top of the third before Gimenez grounded out to second. Santander struck out swinging to end the inning. Carlos Narvaez struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third before Duran got a base hit to right. Devers grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Springer grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth before Wagner struck out swinging. Clement lined out to center to end the inning. Bregman lined out to short to start the bottom of the fourth before Casas lined out to center. Story struck out swinging to end the inning.
Roden struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth and Heineman popped up to short. Lukes was hit with a pitch and Bichette took strike three to end the inning. Campbell popped up to short to start the bottom of the fifth before Abreu lined out to center. Rafaela grounded out to first to end the inning.
Gimenez struck out swinging to start the top of the sixth before Santander took strike three. Springer grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth as Narvaez flied out to right to start. Duran walked, swiped second and moved to third on a Devers fly out to right. Bregman somehow got a base hit to left to score Devers to put the Sox on top. Casas got a base hit to left to chase Bassitt. Chad Green struck out Story swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
The Jays were personally offended the Sox scored on them so they rallied in the top of the seventh. Wagner walked on four pitches not even close but Clement flied out to center. Defying all logic, Sox manager Alex Cora yanked Buehler at the first sign of trouble at just 89 pitches. Buehler tossed 6 1/3 innings and would be charged with one run on 4 hits and a walk. Justin Wilson came in to face Roden but Myles Straw pinch hit for him. Naturally Straw got a base hit to left and Heineman got a base hit to left to score Wagner, moving Straw to third. Vladimir Guerrero Jr pinch hit for Lukas and hit a double play ball to Campbell. He flipped it to Story who....threw the ball away for an error to score Straw to put the Jays up for good. Bichette was intentionally walked and Gimenez grounded out to first to end the inning with the Jays up 2-1.
Davis Schneider took over for Clement to start the bottom of the seventh and Campbell walked to start. Abreu flied out to center and Campbell got thrown out at second trying to steal. Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Santander took strike three to start. Springer doubled to right but Wagner struck out swinging. Schneider walked but Straw forced him at second to end the inning. Brendon Little came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for Narvaez. Wagner booted a grounder by Refsnyder for an error and Duran drew a walk. Naturally with two men on, Devers struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt. Yimi Garcia came in to pitch to Bregman and Alex forced Duran at second to put runners at the corners. A wild pitch scored Refsnyder to tie the game, but Casas flied out to left to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Heineman singled to left to start. Guerrero Jr flied out to center and Heineman stole second on the swinging strikeout by Bichette. Gimenez struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox looked to win the game in the bottom of the ninth when Story got a base hit to left to start. Story stole second and naturally Campbell lined out to left. Abreu was intentionally walked but Rafaela struck out swinging. Sabol struck out swinging to end the inning.
Brennan Bernardino came in to pitch the top of the tenth with Gimenez starting at second base. Gimenez moved to third on the nubber in front of the plate by Santander and scored on the Springer sac fly to right. Wagner flied out to center to end the inning with the Jays up 3-2.
Sabol started at second base with Nick Sandlin now on the mound. Somehow Duran got a base hit to center to score Sabol with the tying run. Duran was thrown out at second trying to steal but Devers got a base hit to center. Bregman got hit with a pitch and David Hamilton ran for Devers. Casas was hit with a pitch to load the bases to bring up Story. Story hit a grounder to Gimenez who bobbled it, instinctively throwing to first to get Story...but Hamilton scored to win the game. The Sox had walked it off 3-2.
Hero of the Night is Trevor Story. He stole multiple bags to put himself in scoring position then said screw it and drove the winning run in himself.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi, a stolen base, and a run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5.
David Hamilton scored the winning run as a pinch runner.
Walker Buehler tossed 6 1/3 innings of 1 run ball allowing 4 hits and a walk while striking out 7.
Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Carlos Narvaez was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Justin Wilson allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Alex Bregman was just 1 for 4 but the one hit drove in a run.
Triston Casas was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Kristian Campbell was 0 for 3 but walked.
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 3 with a strikeout and an error but drew a walk.
Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 1 at the plate but scored a run.
Blake Sabol was 0 for 1 at the plate but scored a run.
Brennan Bernardino allowed an unearned run and got the win in the 10th.
Final Thoughts:
For 9 innings it looked like the Sox were headed to a series sweep and another painful defeat where they left men on base with runners in scoring position all night. Campbell and Abreu have clearly cooled off and now the offense can't get anything done. Still, the pitching has been spectacular so far when the Sox aren't throwing the ball all over the field. You'd think they'd have improved their defense the last couple of years, but, no. Walker Buehler stepped it up big time today and so far the bullpen is holding up. Going 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position isn't going to cut it moving forward but they managed to survive this one. Hopefully they can break out of this funk, otherwise its going to be a long season. The Sox now travel to Chicago for a three game set with the White Sox and old friend Chase Meidroth. Sean Newcomb (0-1, 5.19 ERA) takes on Davis Martin of the White Sox. The game begins tomorrow night at 7:40 PM Eastern time at Comiskey Park.
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