*Photo from Over the Monster*
Boston leads series 2-1
What a wild, crazy, strange, incredible game that was. Kike Hernandez homered, Christian Vazquez delivered, and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 on Sunday night, walking off to win it 13 innings later.
The win gives the Red Sox a 2-1 series lead, with the ability to punch their ticket to the ALCS as soon as Monday. The game itself took a little while, specifically 5 hours and 14 minutes. It's going to have been a longer game then some of the runners times in the Boston Marathon today. Think about that for a second.
Because the game went 13 innings and 5 hours, both teams had to use the wear and tear on their bullpen. The Red Sox had to go to 7 pitchers, including their likely game 4 starter in Nick Pivetta. The Rays had to use 9 pitchers, including their probable game 4 starter in Luis Patino. Both teams are thin on pitching now entering game 4.
The Rays jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, with a two run home run from Austin Meadows. In the bottom of the first inning, Kyle Schwarber got the Red Sox on the board with a solo home run, making it a 2-1 Rays lead. In the 3rd inning, the Red Sox took a 3-2 lead on RBI singles from Hernandez and Rafael Devers. In the 5th, Hernandez crushed a solo home run to make it 4-2.
In the 8th, the Rays tied the game 4-4. Wander Franco made it 4-3 with a leadoff solo home run. Randy Arozarena then drove in a run with a two out double to tie things up. 5 innings later, in the 13th inning, Vazquez played hero with a two run home run deep into the Boston night, securing a wild win.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Vazquez that "Christian, he works so hard on his craft. He cares so much about this organization that for him to be in that spot and put a good swing and hit the ball out of the ballpark, I know it means a lot to him. It means a lot to us. It was a big swing, but we're up 2-1. We've still got work to do.'
This wild win did have some controversy. In the top of the 13th, Kevin Kiermaier stung a ball to right field, in which it bounced off the wall, off the dirt in the warning track, off Hunter Renfroe, and over the wall. There was question as to whether Yandy Diaz would be allowed to score from first, or if it was a ground rule double. The umpires called it a ground rule double, keeping Diaz at 3rd base instead of scoring.
There was a question as to whether or not this was called correctly, and if the Rays should have been awarded a run. But, according to the MLB rule book, section 5.05(8), this exact situation constitutes it as a ground rule double, so it appears the umpires called it correctly. Umpire Sam Holbrook said the same thing postgame.
Hernandez said of the whole play that "I was speechless. I don’t know if you guys have seen that before. I’ve never seen that before in my life. I wasn’t sure what was going to get called. I wasn’t sure if the runners had to return. Like, I had no idea. Luckily, it went our way. And you call it home-field advantage if you want, call it whatever you want, but we won."
Pivetta got the win in a spectacular effort for the Red Sox, delivering 4 shutout innings once the game went to extra innings, allowing 3 hits and one walk, striking out 7 hitters in a gutsy outing for the guy who was supposed to start game 4. Starter Nathan Eovaldi lasted 5 innings, allowing two runs on 3 hits and one walk, fanning 8 hitters. Josh Taylor, Ryan Brasier, Austin Davis, Hansel Robles, and Garrett Whitlock came out of the bullpen.
Pivetta said "I just gave it my all, to be honest with you. I just competed with the strike zone, competed with those guys, and my energy just shows what this means to me and means to our team. It's really exciting. It's fun to be here. It's a moment in time for me and for our team."
On the Rays side, Patino got the loss in 1 1/3 innings, allowing the walk off home run to Vazquez. Drew Rasmussen lasted two innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits, walking no one, getting pulled in the 3rd without allowing an out. The Rays used Josh Fleming, Andrew Kittredge, Pete Fairbanks, JP Feyereisen, Matt Wisler, JT Chargois, and David Robertson also pitched.
Kiermaier said of the loss that leads the Rays to the brink of elimination that "We've got to put our big-boy pants on and just come out and do everything in our power to try to win a ballgame. I told the guys after the game when we got back to the clubhouse: If there's any team who can do it, it's us. You have to believe that and come out ready to win a ballgame tomorrow and do whatever it takes."
Game 4 is on Monday night, where the Red Sox look to nail down the series with Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound. The Rays are sending Collin McHugh to the mound with their lives in jeopardy.
Comments
Post a Comment