I'm nothing if not a man of my word and while I pledged on Opening Day to never talk about the Red Sox (2-3 overall, 2-3 home) again until they deserved even a sliver of your attention, tonight was the first time this season that they made me feel any type of joy. After getting swept in the three-game opening weekend series by Baltimore (3-2), they have bounced back to win their first two games at Fenway Park vs. Tampa Bay (2-3 overall, 2-3 away). Last night's 11-2 domination was nice and all but what can you say about that which will make it remotely interesting? Tonight was much more of what the blogger ordered as Boston rallied in the ninth inning to tie it at three, scored one run in the 11th to keep it going then won it 6-5 in the 12th inning on DH J.D. Martinez's two-run double to right.
The Rays did make the World Series last season (granted it was after a goofy 60-game regular season), the point being that they are expected to be way better than the Red Sox in 2021. Also, Boston was able to find a way to survive despite facing their ace Tyler Glasnow (6 IP, 1 ER, 4 hits, 9 Ks, 2 BBs) who mostly shut them down. Boston's starter Martin Perez (5 IP, 3 ER, 5 hits, 6 Ks, 2 BBs) didn't do much but at least he lasted long enough to give his bullpen a chance to go to work. You can't ask for much more than that from your fifth starter, especially when he goes against someone way better than him.
Before they won it in extra innings, the only lead the Red Sox had came in the first inning when third baseman Christian Arroyo scored on a wild pitch. Former Red Sox prospect center fielder Manuel Margot dropped in a two-run single in the third inning which scored first baseman Yandy Diaz and catcher Mike Zunino. In the sixth inning, pinch hitter Joey Wendle made it 3-1 in favor of Tampa as he singled in second baseman Brandon Lowe. Martinez has been on fire to start the season-a welcome sight after his horrific 2020-and he cut it to 3-2 in the eighth inning with an RBI double which scored center fielder Alex Verdugo.
Catcher Christian Vazquez was the hero for the Red Sox in the ninth inning as he blasted a solo home run over the Monster off Tampa Bay's closer Diego Castillo who already had two saves this season. MLB instituted a new extra innings rule last year that you might not know about: every inning starts with a runner on second base and no outs, with the hope that the games don't last very long once they reach that point. After Boston's closer (we think) Matt Barnes pitched two sparkling innings (0 hits, 4 strikeouts), Rays shortstop Willy Adames drove in Lowe with an RBI double in the 11th to put Tampa Bay ahead 4-3. Boston answered in the bottom of the frame with a clutch RBI single by third baseman Rafael Devers (who had been ice cold to start 2021) that scored shortstop Xander Bogaerts with the tying run.
Rays right fielder Randy Arozarena (a breakout star last postseason) put Tampa back in front with a ground out in the 12th that plated Zunino. No matter, that set the stage for Martinez to come up against a sidearm reliever named Ryan Thompson (0-1) who hit Verdugo with a pitch then threw a wild pitch to advance right fielder Hunter Renfroe to third base and Verdugo to second base. Martinez hit an opposite field line drive that crossed up Arozarena-who made an incredible diving catch last night-and then he dove for it but the baseball landed behind him. Reliever Phillips Valdez (1-0) was credited with the win-his first-for Boston.
The Red Sox will go for the three-game sweep tomorrow afternoon (1:10, YouTube) as Nathan Eovaldi faces lefty Ryan Yarbrough. Alert your grandpa and any other olds in your life that yes, the game will not be available on NESN or any other TV station, only YouTube. Thanks John Henry! Winning three straight against Tampa Bay would be a sweet way to erase some of the bitter feelings from the debacle of a series against Baltimore. With the Bruins and Celtics on this evening as well, I can't say that I paid much attention to the Red Sox until those other games were long over but credit to them for at least keeping my attention in the late innings. I still don't believe in this team at all but hopefully they prove me wrong and we have something resembling a baseball season this summer. Wouldn't that be a welcome change after the last two lost years for the Red Sox?
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