Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Johan Oviedo was placed on the Injured List with a right elbow strain and Garrett Whitlock was placed on Paternity Leave. Congrats to Whitlock, get well soon Oviedo. Zack Kelly and Tyler Uberstine were called up to replace the two, the ML debut for 2021 draft pick Uberstine.
As for the game, for one day anyway Fenway Park gave the Red Sox good luck as they snapped their four game losing streak. Sonny Gray (1-0, 4.50 ERA) avenged his first start of the season by tossing 6 solid innings and allowing just 2 runs to the San Diego Padres. The Sox broke out to a 2-0 lead over the Padres on rbis by Ceddanne Rafaela and Caleb Durbin but the Padres rallied to tie it in the top of the fifth. Home runs by Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer put the Sox up for good and put the game in the hands of the bullpen. Greg Weissert, Justin Slaten and Aroldis Chapman slammed the door on the 5-2 victory by the Sox at Fenway Park.
Gray got the ball in the top of the first inning and Fernando Tatis Jr grounded out to short to start. Old friend Xander Bogaerts popped up to third and Jackson Merrill grounded out to first to end the inning. King got the ball in the bottom of the first and Roman Anthony grounded out to third to start. Trevor Story popped up to third and Jarren Duran grounded out to first to end the inning.
Manny Machado grounded out to third to start the top of the second before Ramon Laureano flied out to left. Miguel Andujar grounded out to short to end the inning. Willson Contreras walked to start the bottom of the second but Wilyer Abreu forced him at second. Caleb Durbin grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Gavin Sheets singled off the glove of Story to start the top of the third and stole second on the Jake Cronenworth strikeout. Luis Campusano grounded out to third and Tatis Jr flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the third as Marcelo Mayer doubled off the glove of Laureano to start. Carlos Narvaez popped up to second but Ceddanne Rafaela ripped a base hit to center to score Mayer. Anthony flied out to center and Story struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Bogaerts flied out to left to begin the top of the fourth and Merrill grounded out to first. Machado struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Duran led off with a swinging bunt double past second base. Contreras and Abreu both struck out swinging but Durbin singled to center to score Jarren. Mayer reached on catcher's interference but Narvaez took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
The Padres fought back in the top of the fifth as Laureano struck out swinging to start. Andujar tripled into the centerfield triangle and Sheets got a base hit to right to score him. Cronenworth lined out to center but Campusano doubled to center to score Sheets. Tatis Jr grounded out to short to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Rafaela flied out to right to begin the bottom of the fifth but Anthony got a base hit to right. Story banged into a double play to end the inning.
Gray returned for one final inning in the top of the sixth and Bogaerts grounded out to third to start. Merrill grounded out to short and Machado flied out to left to end the inning. Gray pitched a lot better this time, holding the Padres to 2 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings.
The Sox rallied in the bottom of the sixth as Duran flied out to right to start. Contreras blasted his first home run of the season to give the Sox the lead back. Abreu got a base hit to right but Durbin struck out swinging. Padres manager Craig Stammen brought in Wandy Peralta to face Mayer. Mayer responded with his first home run of the season to increase the lead. Narvaez got a base hit to center but Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 5-2.
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Laureano grounded out to third to start. Andujar struck out swinging and sheets grounded out to third to end the inning. Anthony struck out swinging to begin the bottom of the seventh and Story lined out to left. Duran grounded out to second to end the inning.
Justin Slaten came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Cronenworth flied out to left to start. Bryce Johnson pinch hit for Campusano and struck out swinging. Tatis Jr grounded out to third to end the inning. Ron Marinaccio came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Contreras grounded out to third to start. Abreu struck out swinging and Durbin popped up to first to end the inning.
Aroldis Chapman came in to close out the top of the ninth and Bogaerts flied out to right to begin. Merrill took strike three but Machado walked. Machado moved to second on defensive indifference and Laureano flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-2.
Hero of The Night is Willson Contreras. His home run in the sixth put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Marcelo Mayer was 2 for 2 with a 2 run home run and 2 total runs scored.
Carlos Narvaez was 1 for 3.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Sonny Gray got the win with 6 innings of 2 run ball allowing 4 hits while striking out 3.
Greg Weissert tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Justin Slaten pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Aroldis Chapman earned his second save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Roman Anthony was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Chad Durbin was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
This season is headed toward hell in a handbasket but today was fun at least. With the offense as anemic as it is, they're going to need to get pitching performances like this every day and that's simply not sustainable. Even the 2017 Red Sox that led the league in ERA needed SOME offensive help every now and then. Gray was damn good today and so was the bullpen but who's going to step up tomorrow if they need to win 2-1? The front office goofed big time by trading Rafael Devers and letting Alex Bregman walk. Durbin and Contreras are hardly suitable replacements although today Contreras delivered. Can he do it again tomorrow? That's the question. The Sox look to make it two wins in a row against San Diego tomorrow afternoon when Connelly Early takes on Randy Vasquez of San Diego. The game begins at 4:15 PM at Fenway Park.
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