*Photo from the Boston Globe*
It was a game they needed to have, and they seized the chance. Kike Hernandez homered, Triston Casas drove in a run, and the Boston Red Sox rolled past the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 7-2 victory on Friday night in Phoenix.
Entering the game on a 4 game losing streak, the Red Sox righted the ship and dropped 7 runs on the D-Backs, improving to 27-24 with the win. Hernandez was the only Red Sox hitter that drove in more than one run, with 5 other hitters driving in a run.
Casas put the Red Sox ahead early, hitting an RBI double in the second inning to make it a 1-0 game. Connor Wong then doubled in Casas, doubling the Red Sox lead to 2-0. Raimel Tapia then made it 3-0 with an RBI single. Hernandez hit a two run home run in the top of the 4th to make the lead 5-0. Lourdes Gurriel Jr got a run back for the D-Backs in the bottom of the inning, making the score 5-1.
Justin Turner got that run back in the 6th, hitting an RBI single that scored Alex Verdugo. In the top of the 8th inning, Verdugo added an RBI single of his own to make it a 7-1 lead for the Red Sox. Emmanuel Rivera then got a run for the D-Backs in the bottom of the 8th, hitting an RBI single that made the score 5-2, which held from there.
Casas said of his 3 hit game that "If I walk, it’s still gonna take three hits to score me. I’m in scoring position right when I step in the batter’s box. I understand that my power is the best part of my game. I’m trying to utilize that to the best of my abilities while still maintaining what I do really well at the plate, which is match a good eye with power."
Getting the start for the Red Sox was Chris Sale, who got credit for the win. Sale worked the first 5 innings, allowing one run on 4 hits and a walk. Josh Winckowski came out of the bullpen and pitched the next 3 innings, allowing a run before Brennan Bernardino pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
It was Brandon Pfaadt who started for the D-Backs, allowing 5 runs on 8 hits while lasting just 3 2/3 innings. Luis Frias pitched the next 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run. Kevin Ginkel then gave up one run over two innings, with Jose Ruiz pitching a scoreless 9th inning.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said of Pfaadt's start that "They made Pfaadt pay for every mistake that he made. That’s a dugout full of very experienced hitters and I think they're hunting spots, hunting mistakes and they didn't back off of it. I think there were too many misses and too many big misses out of the zone, which kind of backed him into having to throw a ball in the middle of the plate. And the Red Sox capitalized, because they're very capable of doing that."
Up next, the series continues on Saturday night. Garrett Whitlock starts for the Red Sox as they go for a series win, while the D-Backs counter with veteran Zach Davies.
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