Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Trevor Story was placed on the Injured List and admitted hes been playingwith a sports hernia all season. Normal surgery puts him out for 2 months so we wont see him until the All-Star break. Nick Sogard has been called up from Worcester to take his place. Story had been absolute garbage all year so this is addition by subtraction.
As for the game, this season is eerily similar to the 1992 Red Sox who had a terrible offense but led the league in ERA. The Sox scratched out just 3 runs against Bryce Elder and the Atlanta Braves but thanks to Payton Tolle (2-2, 2.05 ERA), that was enough. Tolle gave up a leadoff home run to Drake Baldwin and later another run but held the fort for 8 strong innings. Willson Contreras his a 2 run home run in the eighth inning to put the Sox ahead. Aroldis Chapman loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth but got the final out to end the game. The Sox had beaten the Braves 3-2 at Truist Park.
Elder got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran doubled to right. Mickey Gasper grounded out to short and Wilyer Abreu struck out swinging. Willson Contreras also struck out swinging to end the inning. The Braves wasted no time getting to Tolle in the bottom of the first as Drake Baldwin hit the second pitch he saw for a home run. Ozzie Albies flied out to left, Matt Olson also flied out to left and Austin Riley took strike three to end the inning with the Braves up 1-0.
Masataka Yoshida popped up to short to start the top of the second and Ceddanne Rafaela flied out to right. Marcelo Mayer grounded out to second to end the inning. Mauricio Dubon flied out to right to start the bottom of the second and Michael Harris grounded out to second. Ha-Seong Kim struck out swinging to end the inning.
Andruw Monasterio grounded out to first to start the top of the third and Caleb Durbin grounded out to short. Jarren Duran grounded out to second to end the inning. Sandy Leon grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third but Jose Azocar doubled to center. Baldwin walked but Albies flied out to left. Olson popped up to third to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth as Gasper singled to right to start. Abreu got a base hit to left and Contreras reached on an error by Riley to load the bases. Yoshida hit a sac fly to left to score Gasper but Rafaela popped up to second. Mayer flied out to left to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Rafaela made a sliding catch to rob Riley of a hit to start the bottom of the fourth and Dubon grounded out to short. Harris flied out to left to end the inning.
Monasterio grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth and Durbin grounded out to short. Duran struck out swinging to end the inning. The Braves got a run in the bottom of the fifth as Kim took strike three to start. Leon popped up to short but Azocar doubled to left. Baldwin got a base hit to left to score Azocar bit was thrown at second to end the inning with the Braves up 2-1.
Drove in both runs
Gasper grounded out to second to start the top of the sixth and Abreu flied out to left. Contreras got a base hit to left but Yoshida flied out to left to end the inning. Albies flied out to right to start the bottom of the sixth and Olson flied out to center. Riley grounded out to short to end the inning.
Rafaela doubled to left to start the top of the seventh but Mayer grounded back to the mound. Monasterio and Durbin both grounded out to short to end the inning. Dubon flied out to center to start the bottom of the seventh and Harris did the same. Kim flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the eighth as Duran popped up to short to start. Gasper grounded out to first but Abreu doubled to left. Contreras then belted his 8th home run of the season to put Boston ahead. Yoshida grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.
Tolle returned for one final inning in the bottom of the eighth as Leon lined out to left to start. Azocar flied out to right and Baldwin flied out to left to end the inning. Tolle was outstanding, holding the Braves to 2 runs in 8 innings off 4 hits and a walk.
Old pal Martin Perez came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Rafaela struck out swinging to start. Mayer went down hacking and Monasterio flied out to right to end the inning. Aroldis Chapman came in to close out the bottom of the ninth with Carlos Narvaez taking over behind the plate. Albies popped up to first to start and Olson lined out to short. Monasterio booted a routine grounder by Riley for an error to keep the game going. Jorge Mateo pinch ran for Riley and promptly stole second. Dubon and Harris drew back to back walks to load the bases but but Kim grounded back to the mound to end the game. The Sox had won it 3-2.
Sox win
Our Hero
Hero of The Night is Payton Tolle. He held the Braves to two runs in eight strong innings allowing four hits and a walk.
The Good:
Wilyer Abreu was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Willson Contreras was 2 for 4 with a 2 run home run.
Aroldis Chapman earned his tenth save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Marcelo Mayer was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Andruw Monasterio was 0 for 4 with an error.
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Mickey Gasper was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Carlos Narvaez caught the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Welcome back to 1992 everyone, anyone up for some Sega Genesis? Actually between the terrible offense, really good pitching and Payton Tolle's Dennis Lamp style mustache, it may as well be 92 again. The offense is offensive but things worked out this time. That was a tremendous effort by Tolle and kudos to Contreras for getting the game winning hit. Abreu, Contreras and Rafaela have been the only consistent hitters this point into the season and nobody can survive that for 162 games. Story going down was addition by subtraction but guys like Durbin and Mayer might need to see Worcester to fix themselves. So little gas gone right this season you have to look for little victories and the emergence of Tolle is one of them. Hopefully he can pitch well the rest of the year. The win improved the Sox to 19-26, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to take the rubber game of the series tomorrow afternoon when Brayan Bello (2-4) takes on Grant Holmes of Atlanta. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Truist Park.
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