*Photo from the Boston Globe*
Series tied 1-1
If, after your team had a 2-0 lead, just gave up a grand slam to give your opponents a 5-2 lead before the first inning is over, how would you respond? Well, the Boston Red Sox decided they would turn on the Jets. Kike Hernandez homered and collected 5 hits, JD Martinez homered and had a 4 hit night, and the Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 14-6 on Friday night to even the series 1-1.
The Red Sox offense racked up a total of 20 hits in the convincing win, and the lineup also homered 5 times, setting a team record for homers in a playoff game. 4 of Hernandez's 5 hits in the game were for extra bases, which ties the record for extra base hits in a single playoff game, and it's also just the 5th time it's happened in the playoffs, and the first time since Albert Pujols did it in 2011.
Hernandez said of the resounding win that "Obviously it was huge. We didn't have a good night Thursday night, and with our lineup, it's just kind of a matter of time. And having J.D. back, even if he didn't do what he did tonight, just having his presence there in the lineup. He is not just one of our best hitters, but he has been one of the best hitters in baseball for a few years now."
In the top of the first, Xander Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo contributed RBI singles to make it 2-0 Red Sox early. In the bottom of the first, an RBI single by Yandy Diaz and a grand slam by Jordan Luplow made it a 5-2 lead for the Rays, a quick momentum swing. Then, it changed again. In the 3rd inning, Bogaerts and Verdugo hit back to back solo home runs, bringing Boston to a 5-4 deficit. In the 5th inning, Hernandez hit a game tying solo home run, and Martinez hit a go ahead 3 run homer, making it an 8-5 game.
In the bottom of the 6th, Ji-Man Choi made it 8-6, getting the Rays back on the board with a solo home run of his own. It was all Boston after that. In the 7th, Christian Vazquez singled in Verdugo to make it 9-6. In the 8th, Devers hit a towering two run home run to center field, making it 11-6 and providing the knockout punch. In the 9th, a two run single from Hernandez and an RBI single from Vazquez made it 14-6 Red Sox, ending the game.
Verdugo shared similar feelings as Hernandez, saying that the win was "Huge. Obviously, being down 0-2 in a five-game series would be tough. We know the odds to that wouldn't be good. I think realistically we wanted to come in here and split it. I'm very excited. I think we're all happy, man. Riding high right now."
Tanner Houck got the win for the Red Sox, hurling 5 innings of relief while allowing one run on just two hits, striking out 5 hitters. It was needed, because Chris Sale lasted just one inning while allowing 5 runs to score. After Houck was finished, Ryan Brasier came on and handled the 7th inning, Hansel Robles worked the 8th, and Matt Barnes took care of business in the 9th to seal the win.
For the Rays, Collin McHugh got hit with the loss, allowing 3 runs on two hits and one walk, lasting 1 2/3 innings in relief. Shane Baz got the start and lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while walking one hitter in his first playoff start, and just his 4th at the major league level. Matt Wisler allowed two runs in his relief outing, while Michael Wacha was charged with 6. David Robertson and JT Chargois were the only Rays with scoreless innings.
Rays manager Kevin Cash wasn't upset with the start by Baz after the game, saying that "They ambushed him with quality at-bats, but I felt like mentally he was totally fine. It was just maybe a lack of execution on some pitches. The stuff looked really good, but again, it's the Red Sox's lineup that deserves a lot of credit."
Game 3 takes place in the confines of Fenway Park on Sunday afternoon, with Nathan Eovaldi looking to give the Red Sox a series lead in his start. The Rays want the series lead back as they send Drew Rasmussen to the mound.
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