Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Walker Buehler was placed on the Injured List with a bad shoulder while Blake Sabol was optioned down to Worcester. In their places the Sox activated Connor Wong from the Injured List and called up Hunter Dobbins from Worcester. Getting Wong back at least gives the Sox another bat that they're going to need.
As for the game, talk about worst case scenario. The Red Sox just got Connor Wong back from injury and Triston Casas suffered a serious knee injury in tonight's game against the Minnesota Twins. Casas was running out a routine grounder in the second inning when he tore a patella tendon in his knee. Not only is he out for this season, next year is in jeopardy as well. It overshadowed a good win where the Sox turned a 1-1 game in a hurry in the seventh inning after Brayan Bello held the Twins to 1 run. Rafael Devers drove in two big runs in the seventh, while Romy Gonzalez, Jarren Duran and David Hamilton drove in runs in the eighth to put the game away. Its a shame the Sox lost Casas because the Sox won the game 6-1.
Bello got the ball in the top of the first inning and Trevor Larnach struck out swinging to start. Byron Buxton singled in the hole at short and Brooks Lee grounded into a double play to end the inning. Joe Ryan got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jarren Duran flied out to left to start. Rafael Devers struck out swinging but Alex Bregman launched his eighth home run of the season to put the Sox on top. Wilyer Abreu walked but Trevor Story flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Home run Bregman
Carlos Correa grounded out to short to start the top of the second before Jarren Duran made a great catch at the wall to rob Ty France of extra bases. Edouard Julien was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the inning. Things went dark in a hurry in the bottom of the second when Triston Casas went down in a heap after Joe Ryan threw wide of first for an error. Casas had to be stretchered off the field unable to put weight on his knee. Not good. Romy Gonzalez pinch ran for Casas and took second on a Connor Wong grounder to second. David Hamilton and Ceddanne Rafaela both struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Twins struck back in the top of the third as Ryan Jeffers hit a home run all the way to St. Louis to tie the game. Mickey Gasper lined out to left but Harrison Bader singled to left. Larnach lined out to left and Buxton grounded out to third to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Twins tie it up
Duran flied out to left to start the bottom of the third before Devers flied out to left. Bregman lined out to center to end the inning.
Lee flied out to right to start the top of the fourth before Correa struck out swinging. France lined out to third to end the inning. Abreu struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fourth and Story flied out to right. Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Julien grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth and Jeffers also grounded out to short. Hamilton threw a ball by Gasper away for an error but Bader struck out swinging to end the inning. Wong grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fifth but Hamilton beat out a bunt back to Ryan. Hamilton stole second and third base but Rafaela struck out swinging. Duran lined out to center to end the inning.
Larnach took strike three to start the top of the sixth but Buxton singled to left. Lee grounded out to second to move Buxton to second but Correa also grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the sixth as Devers doubled to left to start. Bregman grounded out to short and Abreu struck out swinging, but Story singled in the hole at second. Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning.
France flied out to center to start the top of the seventh before Julien walked. Jeffers took strike three and that was it for Bello. He tossed 6 2/3 innings of 1 run ball allowing just 4 hits and a walk. Justin Wilson came in to pitch to Gasper, but Jonah Bride pinch hit. Julien was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the bottom of the seventh with Louis Varland now on the mound. Wong got a base hit to center and Hamilton singled to left, both runners moving over on the Rafaela sacrifice bunt. Danny Coulumbe came in to pitch to Duran and Jarren struck out swinging. Devers got a base hit in the hole at second to score both Wong and Hamilton. Bregman doubled into the left field corner but Abreu popped up to short to end the inning with the Sox up 3-1.
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Bride struck out swinging to start. Bader took strike three but Larnach singled to center. Buxton took strike three to end the inning. Jorge Alcala came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Story got a base hit to center to begin. Story stole second and Gonzalez doubled to right to score him. Gonzalez stole third but Wong struck out swinging. Hamilton doubled to center to score Gonzalez but Rafaela flied out to center. Duran got a base hit to right to score Hamilton and Devers ripped a base hit to right. It looked like Duran scored all the way from first but Twins manager Rocco Baldelli challenged Duran was out. The call was overturned and Duran was out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1.
Liam Hendriks came in to close out the top of the ninth and Lee singled to left to start. Correa struck out swinging and France grounded into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-1.
Hero of the Night is Rafael Devers. His 2 run single put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Alex Bregman was 2 for 4 with a home run.
Trevor Story was 2 for 4 with a run scored and a stolen base.
Romy Gonzalez was 1 for 3 with an rbi, a stolen base and a run scored.
David Hamilton was 3 for 4 with 2 stolen bases, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Brayan Bello got the win by tossing 6 2/3 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 4 hits and a walk while striking out 5.
Justin Wilson got the final out of the seventh inning.
Greg Weissert tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Liam Hendriks pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Triston Casas was 0 for 1 before leaving the game.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Connor Wong was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox are in deep trouble if Casas is out for the season. They don't have any depth at first base since they traded Niko Kavadas last July. They have plenty of outfield depth but first base is a black hole without Triston. Not only that, that's a 20 homer season that just got flushed down the toilet. How are they going to replicate that? Trouble scoring aside, that was a good win and another good showing by Bello & the bullpen. The Sox are going to need good pitching to win this season since they just lost a huge chunk of their offense. Devers, Story, Bregman and Abreu have to step up with him out. The Sox had a slow start to the season but so did everyone else. They have time to make a trade for a first baseman and climb into first place....if John Henry wants to spend the money. The win improved the Sox to 18-16, 2 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row against the Twins tomorrow afternoon when Hunter Dobbins (2-0) looks to keep the momentum going against Bailey Ober of Minnesota. The game begins at 3:00 PM at Fenway Park.
