Red Sox - 400 010 105 - 11 13 1 Atlanta - 100 100 002 - 4 8 0David Price (8-6-2-2-14, 115) tied a career high with 14 strikeouts. Atlanta did load the bases against Price twice, in the first and fourth innings, but the Boston lefty finished strong, striking out the last five batters he faced. Eight of Price's last nine outs were by strikeout.
Travis Shaw drove in a career-high five runs, with a three-run home run in the first and a two-run double in the ninth. Xander Bogaerts had three hits, stole two bases and scored twice; Dustin Pedroia and Shaw also scored two runs each.
Nine of Boston's hits were for extra-bases: seven doubles (by seven different players), one triple, and one home run. Everyone in the starting lineup except Price had at least one hit, and Price drew a walk in the fourth. Boston pounded six hits, including five for extra bases, in the ninth inning as they put the game well out of reach.
Pat Light made his major league debut in the ninth, in relief of Price. He was clearly nervous and allowed two singles to his first two hitters. Then he issued a four-pitch walk, loading the bases. Facing the top of Atlanta's order, Light settled down and got three ground ball outs, though two meaningless runs did score.
After the Red Sox batted around and took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, Price recorded two outs on only four pitches before allowing three singles and a walk, and a run. In the bottom of the fourth, Atlanta loaded the bases with one out and because the score was only 4-1, that jam prompted manager John Farrell to call up the bullpen. No one got up to throw, though, and Price wriggled out of trouble, giving up one run on a sacrifice fly.
With Bogaerts's two stolen bases and one from Mookie Betts, the Red Sox have stolen 19 bases in 20 games. They did not reach 19 steals until their 51st game last season.
The Red Sox (11-9) are only 0.5 GB the Orioles in the AL East. Boston and Atlanta now play two games at Fenway Park.
Betts, RFAmong the 52 qualifying American League pitchers, Price's ERA of 7.06 is dead last. And it's 103 out of 105 MLB pitchers.
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Shaw, 3B
Ramirez, 1B
Bradley, CF
Holt, LF
Vazquez, C
Price, P
Also:
ReplyDeleteBuchholz is #48 of 52 and #95 of 105.
(For what it is worth, Wade Miley is also at the bottom of the barrel: 51 of 52 and 102 of 105.)
Steven Wright is #7 in MLB and #3 in the AL.