Before the game the Boston Red Sox organization bid goodbye to a couple of prospects. Right handed pitcher Jacob Webb, right handed pitcher CJ Liu, right handed pitcher Jorge Juan and left handed pitcher TJ Sikkema were all released yesterday. Jorge Juan was signed as a minor league free agent in May of last year after being released by the Columbus Clingstones of Atlanta's minor league system. He allowed 5 runs in 1 2/3 innings this year and the Sox said enough is enough. CJ Liu was signed out of Taiwan back in 2019 and has been out the last two years with injuries. The Sox felt it was time to cut their losses. Sikkema was a career minor league relief pitcher and allowed 5 runs in 4 innings. The big one was Jacob Webb, a 2021 draft pick who seemed to be the closest to the majors in the middle of 2022. Instead he regressed and allowed 32 runs in 40 innings the last two years.
As for the game, where has this been all year? The Boston Red Sox bats have been silent pretty much all year but not today young fella! Today the bats took out their frustrations on the Texas Rangers pounding out 12 hits and 10 runs. The Rangers got a first inning run against Sonny Gray (8-1, 3.03 ERA) but a Wilyer Abreu sac fly and Willson Contreras home run put the Sox up for good. The Sox got four runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the game away before Abreu went yard in the seventh inning. Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two run jack in the eighth inning and Contreras collected another RBI. Gray lasted six innings and the bullpen didn't allow a run the rest of the way as the Sox crushed the Rangers 10-1 at Fenway Park.
The Rangers wasted no time getting to Gray in the top of the first as Joc Pederson singled to left to start. Josh Jung singled to left to move Joc to third but Brandon Nimmo took strike three. Wyatt Langford got a base hit to left to score Pederson Ezequiel Duran struck out swinging. Evan Carter went down hacking to end the inning with the Rangers up 1-0.
The Sox answered against Jack Leiter in the bottom of the first as Mickey Gasper walked to start. Ceddanne Rafaela forced Gasper and second and Kyle Higashioka threw the ball away as Rafaela stole second, taking third on the error. Wilyer Abreu hit a sac fly to left to score Rafaela and Willson Contreras belted his 14th home run of the year to put Boston on top. Jarren Duran got a base hit inside the bag at first but Caleb Durbin lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Contreras gets the Wally Head
Jake Burger grounded out to third to start the top of the second and Higashioka popped up to second. Nicky Lopez flied out to center to end the inning. Isiah Kiner-Falefa beat out a roller to first to start the bottom of the second and moved to second on a grounder to Leiter by Marcelo Mayer. Connor Wong lined out to first and Gasper flied out to center to end the inning.
Pederson popped up to third to start the top of the third and Jung lined out to left. Nimmo struck out swinging to end the inning. Rafaela hit a ground rule double into the right field stands to start the bottom of the third but Abreu popped up to third. Contreras struck out swinging to move Rafaela to third but Duran went down hacking to end the inning.
Langford flied out to right to start the top of the fourth and Duran grounded out to short. Carter struck out swinging to end the inning. Durbin popped up to second to start the bottom of the fourth and Carter made a great diving catch to rob Kiner of a hit. Mayer walked but Wong struck out swinging to end the inning.
Burger struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth and Higashioka grounded out to third. Lopez grounded out to first to end the inning. Justin Foscue took over for Carter to start the bottom of the fifth and Gasper doubled to center to start. Rafaela doubled to left to score Gasper and Abreu doubled to left to score Rafaela. Contreras hit a grounder to third but Jung threw the ball away for an error and Duran moved Willson over with a grounder to second. Durbin hit a sac fly to center to score Contreras but Kiner lined out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 6-1.
Gray returned for one final inning in the top of the sixth as Pederson singled to left to start. Jung lined out to center and Nimmo struck out swinging. Langford doubled to left but Duran grounded out to short to end the inning. With the Sox comfortably ahead, Sox manager Chad Tracy wanted to save Gray's bullets for another day. He tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball allowing 5 hits while striking out 7.
Cal Quantrill came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Mayer flied out to right to start. Wong was hit with a pitch but Gasper popped up to Quantrill. Rafaela flied out to right to end the inning.
Tyron Guerrero came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Foscue flied out to right to start. Burger grounded back to the mound and Higashioka grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the seventh when Abreu launched his 8th home run of the year to start. Contreras was hit with a pitch but Duran struck out swinging. Durbin lined out to center and Kiner forced Willson at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-1.
Danny Coulombe came in to pitch the top pf the eighth and Lopez singled to left to start. Elias Diaz pinch hit for Pederson and grounded back to the mound to move Lopez to second. Jung lined out to center and Nimmo grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Michael Helman took over for Nimmo and Luis Curvelo came in to pitch. Mayer popped up to third but Wong walked. Gasper grounded back to the mound to move Wong to second and Rafaela pounded his 7th home run of the season to increase the lead. Abreu doubled to center and Contreras did the same to score Wilyer, but Duran flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-1.
Tommy Kahnle came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Langford flied out to center to start. Duran struck out swinging and Foscue popped up to first to end the game. The Sox won this one easy 10-1.
Sox win
Hero of the Night is Wilyer Abreu. He tied the game in the bottom of the first, hit a home run and drove in 3 total runs.
The Good:
Ceddanne Rafaela was 3 for 5 with a 2 run home run, a stolen base, 3 total rbis and 3 total runs scored.
Willson Contreras was 2 for 4 with a hit by pitch, a home run, 2 total rbis and 2 runs scored.
Sonny Gray got the win by tossing 6 innings of 1 run ball allowing just 5 hits.
Tyron Guerrero pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Danny Coulombe pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Tommy Kahnle pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Mickey Gasper was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was just 1 for 4
Marcelo Mayer was 0 for 3 but walked.
Connor Wong was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked, was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
That's more like it. After putting up with a historically bad offense the first two months of the season, this is the kind of game the Sox needed. Beating the crap out of the Rangers with guys like Abreu, Contreras and Rafaela leading the charge is a welcome sight for sure. They still have problems with Duran and Durbin but there's still time for them to turn it around. Sonny Gray has been arguably their best pitcher this year and that was another solid outing from him. Better yet, the bullpen didn't vomit up their intestines either. Red Sox fans are still very angry and want to blow the team up so you have to have fun when you can. They'll probably score two runs at most tomorrow but it was fun to see them pour it on in this one. If the Sox can get some of their guys back healthy and playing better, this season isn't over yet by a long shot. The win improved the Sox to 28-39, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row against the Rangers tomorrow afternoon when Ranger Suarez goes for Boston against Jake deGrom of Texas. The game begins at 4:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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