Now that's more like it. After the Boston Red Sox got throttled by the Los Angeles Dodgers last night, the Sox turned the tables in tonight's highly anticipated pitching matchup of aces. Clayton Kershaw was beaten by Garrett Crochet (12-4, 2.23 ERA) as Garrett held the Dodgers to just 2 runs in 6 strong innings. Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez hit two first inning home runs but a Jarren Duran triple and an Abraham Toro sac fly put the Sox on top in the second inning. The game remained tight although the Sox got an insurance run when Roman Anthony doubled in a run in the fifth. After Crochet left, Justin Wilson, Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman slammed the door on LA. The Sox had taken the monster match 4-2 at Fenway Park.
The Dodgers wasted no time in the top of the first as Shohei Ohtani hit the first pitch of the game into the Charles River to put the Dodgers up just like that. Will Smith struck out swinging but Teoscar Hernandez then launched a home run over the Mass Pike to seemingly ice the game already. Freddie Freeman got a base hit to left but was thrown out at third on a base hit to left by Andy Pages. Tommy Edman lined out to center to end the inning with the Dodgers up 2-0.
That didn't take long
Kershaw got the ball in the bottom of the first and Rob Refsnyder grounded out to short to start. Alex Bregman popped up to first but Roman Anthony walked. Romy Gonzalez forced Anthony at second to end the inning.
Miguel Rojas lined out to left to start the top of the second before Esteury Ruiz struck out swinging. Hyeseong Kim singled off the glove of Abraham Toro but Ohtani struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second as Trevor Story walked to start. Carlos Narvaez doubled to center and Jarren Duran tripled into the centerfield triangle to tie the game. Ceddanne Rafaela popped up to short but Toro hit a sac fly to center to score Duran. Refsynder grounded back to the mound to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 3-2.
Smith walked to start the top of the third before moving to second on the grounder to Crochet by Hernandez. Freeman grounded out to second to move Smith to third but Pages struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Bregman singled down the third base line to start. Anthony got a base hit to right but Gonzalez grounded into a double play. Story struck out swinging to end the inning.
Edman got a base hit to center to start the top of the fourth before Rojas struck out swinging. Ruiz forced Edman at second but Kim singled off the globe of Gonzalez to move Ruiz to third. Ohtani struck out swinging to end the inning. Kershaw cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Narvaez took strike three to begin. Duran popped up to short and Rafaela grounded out to third to end the inning.
Smith struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Hernandez walked. Freeman struck out swinging and Hernandez was thrown out at second trying to steal second to end the inning. The Sox got a big run in the bottom of the fifth as Toro grounded out to third to start. Refsnyder grounded out to third but Bregman singled to center. Anthony doubled to left to score Bregman with another run. That was it for Kershaw as Edgardo Henriguez came in to face Gonzalez. Romy grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 4-2.
Crochet came back for one more inning in the top of the sixth and Pages took strike three to start. Edman struck out swinging but Rojas singled to left. Ruiz popped up to second to end the inning. That was it for Crochet who tossed six solid innings allowing just the two home runs to start the game. He allowed 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 10 batters.
Crochet gets it done
Alexis Diaz came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Story watched strike three go by to start. Narvaez flied out to right but Duran hit a triple to right. Rafaela grounded out to third to end the inning.
Justin Wilson came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Kim went down hacking to start. Ohtani struck out swinging and Smith got a base hit to center....only to get thrown out at second trying to stretch a double by Rafaela to end the inning. Will Klein came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Toro took strike three to start. Refsnyder got a base hit inside the bag at third base and David Hamilton pinch ran for him. Bregman got a base hit to right and Anthony walked to load the bases, then Wilyer Abreu pinch hit for Gonzalez. The gamble backfired as Abreu grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Hernandez struck out swinging to start. Freeman struck out swinging and Pages grounded out to short to end the inning. Kirby Yates came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Story flied out to right to start. Narvaez flied out to center and Duran doubled to center. Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning.
Aroldis Chapman came in to close out the top of the ninth and Edman flied out to center to start. Rojas flied out to right but Ruiz walked. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pinch hit Mookie Betts for Kim. In a surreal moment at Fenway, Chapman struck Betts out looking to end the game. The Sox had won it 4-2.
Hero of The Night is Garrett Crochet. He held the world champs to just 2 runs in 6 innings of work, moving closer to the Cy Young Award by allowing just 2 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 10.
The Good:
Alex Bregman was 3 for 4 with a run scored.
Roman Anthony was 2 for 2 with 2 walks and an rbi.
Jarren Duran was 3 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Justin Wilson pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Aroldis Chapman earned his 18th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Romy Gonzalez was 0 for 3.
Wilyer Abreu grounded into a double play as a pinch hitter.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4.
Trevor Story was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Carlos Narvaez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Abraham Toro was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Honorable Mention:
David Hamilton ran for Refsnyder in the eighth inning.
Final Thoughts:
Big win by the Sox to not only drop the world champs but have Crochet outpitch Kershaw. This season has a very 1998-99 feel to it with Crochet in the role of Pedro Martinez stopping a losing streak or preventing one. The offense still isn't lighting it up and it might be time to consider some trade options for another bat considering most of the offense are backups. Yandy Diaz is rumored to be on the trade block and the Sox have to do SOMETHING considering Triston Casas and Rafael Devers were replaced with Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro. Still, the offense did just enough to get the job done and the bullpen was lights out. Once the game gets to the eighth inning, its pretty much over the way Whitlock and Chapman have been this season. If Jordan Hicks can harness that 100 mph fastball, he might be the 7th inning guy they need with Justin Slaten down and Greg Weissert being inconsistent. Crochet needs just 8 more wins to become the Sox first 20 game winner since Rick Porcello back in 2016 and he's got two months to get it done. All in all the Sox needed this win to keep pace in race and they did. The win improved the Sox to 56-50, 7.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to take the series tomorrow afternoon when ex-Dodger Walker Buehler (6-6, 5.72 ERA) takes on Dustin May of LA. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment