Looks like Jarren Duran has risen from the dead. After blasting a 3 run home run last night, Jarren was the difference maker in tonight's game against the Kansas City Royals. Connelly Early (4-2, 3.33 ERA) allowed a first inning home run to Salvador Perez but the Sox scratched out two runs against old pal Michael Wacha in the top of the second. Elias Diaz hit a two run shot off Early in the bottom of the fifth but Duran hit a two run shot off Steven Cruz in the top of the seventh. After Early left, the unlikely duo of Greg Weissert and Jovani Moran bridged the gap to Aroldis Chapman. Chapman locked it down and the Sox had swept the Royals out of Kansas City with a 4-3 victory at Kauffman Stadium.
Wacha got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Masataka Yoshida grounded out to short and Wilyer Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. Early got the ball in the bottom of the first and Maikel Garcia grounded back to the mound to start. Bobby Witt Jr grounded out to short but Salvador Perez hit a home run all the way to Norway to put the Royals up. Isaac Collins flied out to center to end the inning with the Royals up 1-0.
The Sox fought back in the top of the second as Willson Contreras tripled into the right field corner to start. Ceddanne Rafaela hit a routine grounder to Nick Loftin at second...booted for an error, but Contreras didn't come home. Nick Sogard got a base hit to right to score Contreras and move Rafaela to third, then Marcelo Mayer walked to load the bases. Carlos Narvaez grounded into a 5-3 double play but Rafaela scored to put the Sox on top. Isiah Kiner-Falefa lined out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.
Loftin struck out swinging to open the bottom of the second but Jac Caglianone got a base hit to left but Sterling Marte also struck out swinging. Elias Diaz also swung at air to end the inning.
Duran popped up to third to begin the top of the third but Yoshida got a base hit off the glove of Wacha. Abreu flied out to center but Conteras singled off the glove of Loftin. Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning. Kyle Isbel lined out to center to start the bottom of the third and Duran leapt over the wall to snare a line drive by Garcia. Witt Jr doubled to left but Perez flied out to right to end the inning.
Sogard walked to start the top of the fourth but was hit with a grounder by Mayer to be ruled out. Narvaez struck out swinging and Kiner went down hacking to end the inning. Collins flied out to center to open the bottom of the fourth and Loftin flied out to right. Caglianone took strike three down the middle to end the inning.
Duran struck out swinging to open the top of the fifth and Yoshida flied out to center. Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. The Royals took command in the bottom of the fifth as Marte walked to start. Diaz then hit a home run all the way to Nashville to put the Royals on top. Isbel flied out to center, Garcia flied out to left and Witt Jr grounded out to third to end the inning with the Royals up 3-2.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the sixth as Contreras grounded out to short to start. Rafaela doubled to right but Sogard struck out swinging. Mayer popped up to third to end the inning. Perez singled past Mayer to start the bottom of the sixth but Collins lined out to left. Loftin struck out swinging but Caglianone singled inside the third base bag. Marte forced Caglianone at second to end the inning.
Steven Cruz came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Narvaez greeted him with a base hit to left. Mickey Gasper pinch hit for Kiner and struck out swinging. A passed ball moved Narvaez to second and Duran pulverized his 6th home run of the season to put the Sox back on top. Yoshida grounded out to first and Daniel Lynch came in to face Abreu. Wilyer got a base hit to left and Contreras got a seeing eye single into right. Rafaela forced Contreras at second to end the inning with the Sox up 4-3.
Early came back briefly for the bottom of the seventh with Caleb Durbin now at third base and naturally Abreu dropped a routine pop up by Diaz for an error to start. Carter Jensen ran for Diaz and was forced at second by a poor bunt by Isbel. That was it for Early who lasted 6 1/3 innings allowing 3 runs off 6 hits and a walk. Greg Weissert came in to face Garcia and Maikel lined out to right. Witt Jr struck out swinging to end the inning.
Sogard grounded out to short to start the top of the eighth and Mayer flied out to left. Narvaez walked and Alex Lange came in to face Durbin. Caleb forced Carlos at second to end the inning. Perez got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the eighth and Michael Massey ran for him. Collins flied out to center and Loftin popped up to second to chase Weissert. Jovani Moran struck Caglianone out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox blew the top of the ninth completely when Duran tripled into the centerfield gap to start. Naturally Yoshida grounded out to second. Abreu struck out swinging and Duran was thrown out at home trying to score on a wild pitch to end the inning. Aroldis Chapman came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Marte blooped a base hit to right to start. Jansen struck out swinging but Marte took second on a passed ball. Lane Thomas pinch hit for Isbel and flied out to right bringing up Garcia. Maikel grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had swept the Royals out of Kansas City 4-3.
Hero of The Night is Jarren Duran. His 2 run homer put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Willson Contrera was 3 for 4 with a run scored.
Nick Sogard was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Marcelo Mayer was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Carlos Narvaez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Connelly Early got the win by tossing 6 1/3 innings allowing 3 runs off 6 hits and a walk.
Greg Weissert tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Jovani Moran struck out the only man he faced.
Aroldis Chapman earned his 12th save with a scoreless ninth.
The Bad:
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Mickey Gasper struck out as a pinch hitter.
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Masataka Yoshida was just 1 for 5.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 5 with an error.
Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
If Jarren Duran has woken up, things are looking good for the Red Sox moving forward. Getting Trevor Story out of there and a hot Duran instantly improves the offense....sort of. Once again they only scored 4 runs with two big misfires being a bases loaded double play and Duran's leadoff triple that went nowhere. Essentially without Duran the Sox score four runs total the last two games and MAYBE win one of them. Sox fans have been saying even if the Sox had a mediocre offense they'd be in first place, well the addition by subtraction of Story might just bring them up to mediocre status. The other side of the ball was damn near flawless. Early is fast becoming the next Jon Lester and the Sox need that big time moving forward. Without Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock, Sox manager Chad Tracy pushed the right buttons this time with Weissert and Moran getting it done. For the only the third time this season the Sox have won 3 games in a row, it would be nice if they could keep the momentum in their next series. The win improved the Sox to 22-27, 11.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox come home to play the next team in front of them in the Wild Card standings, the Minnesota Twins. Peyton Tolle (2-2, 2.05 ERA) goes for the Sox against Connor Prielipp of the Twins this Friday night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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