G104: Red Sox 2, Mariners 1

Red Sox  - 000 000 011 - 2  5  0
Mariners - 000 000 100 - 1  4  0

Aaron Hill's first home run as a member of the Red Sox tied the game in the eighth and Mookie Betts's blast in the ninth - his 22nd of the year - gave Boston its second consecutive late-inning come-from-behind win.

The Red Sox moved into a tie with the Blue Jays for second place, 1 GB the Orioles.

Eduardo Rodriguez (6.1-3-1-2-6, 101) was superb, allowing only two Seattle baserunners through six innings. The Red Sox had caught a break in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Shawn O'Malley dropped down a bunt and catcher Sandy Leon pounced on it. Leon's throw hit O'Malley in the ass. and the ball rolled towards right field. O'Malley raced to third, but was ruled out for interference.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Robinson Cano, who had Seattle's only hit to that point (a fourth-inning single), doubled to the wall in right-center. After Rodriguez walked Nelson Cruz, Dae-Ho Lee doubled to right-center, scoring Cano. Robbie Ross came in from the bullpen and his first pitch must have grazed a thread on Kyle Seager's uniform because the home plate umpire sent him to first base. With the sacks loaded, Ross struck out both Franklin Gutierrez and Chris Iannetta to put out the fire.

Facing James Paxton (8-4-1-0-6, 107), who was equally brilliant on the mound, with one out in the eighth, Hill lined a high fastball to left for a game-tying home run.

Junichi Tazawa pitched the bottom of the eighth and got into, and out of, a jam. With one out, pinch-hitter Norichika Aoki grounded a single to center. He took second on a wild pitch and went to third on a groundout (a very nice back-handed pick at first by Hanley Ramirez that saved a run). With two outs, Tazawa intentionally walked Cano to face Cruz (2-for-11 against Taz). Tazawa fell behind 2-0 but came back to strike Cruz out swinging.

Steve Cishek took over for Paxton in the top of the ninth and threw a high, inside fastball on 1-0 to Betts, and Mookie turned on it in the blink of an eye. Like Hill's shot, this one was a line drive that disappeared beyond the fence in left. (In addition to his home run, Betts also doubled.)

In the ninth, Seattle went to its bench against Craig Kimbrel. The just-activated Boston closer made an excellent play on pinch-hitter Seth Smith's dribbler, throwing a seed to Ramirez at first just in time. Kimbrel then struck out Seager, but a wild pitch put Seager on first. Pinch-hitter Adam Lind struck out on three pitches, but then Kimbrel walked pinch-hitter Mike Zunino. He recovered, though, to strike out O'Malley to end the game.

Eduardo Rodriguez / James Paxton

Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, 1B
Bradley, CF
Hill, 3B
Leon, C
Brentz, LF

The Red Sox activated Craig Kimbrel and sent Joe Kelly to Pawtucket.

Xander Bogaerts, on yesterday's come-from-behind win:

We've been through a lot these past few days, the past week or so, week-plus. Been through a lot of tough losses. This was a special one. It can definitely change the whole season around for us.

Three-way race in the AL East:

BAL ---
TOR 0.5
BOS 1.5

Boston still has nine games against the Orioles, and six against the Blue Jays (including the final three games of the season).