G102: Mariners 6, Red Sox 5 (13)

Red Sox  - 000 103 000 000 1 - 5  9  0
Mariners - 030 000 100 000 2 - 6 10  1

Doug Fister pitched well in the eleventh and twelfth innings, but he blew a one-run lead and the game in the thirteenth. After Sandy Leon had given the Red Sox a 5-4 lead in the top half, Fister issued two walks, threw a wild pitch, and allowed two hits, with Jean Segura's infield single scoring Guillermo Heredia with the winning run at 3:10 AM (Boston time).

Heredia had blasted a three-run homer back in the second inning off Drew Pomeranz (5-4-3-4-7, 105) to get the scoring started. Hanley Ramirez hit a solo shot in the fourth and Boston took a 4-3 lead in the sixth. Rafael Devers walked, as did Andrew Benintendi. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and then scored on Dustin Pedroia's double to left. Jackie Bradley's two-out single scored Pedroia and chased Felix Hernandez (5.2-4-4-2-4, 95).

Mike Zunino homered off Heath Hembree, tying the game in the seventh. The Red Sox had their chances to score as the game went on. They stranded runners at first and third in the eighth (Bradley grounded to second), first and second in the ninth (Mookie Betts flied to right), and first and third in the eleventh (Devers struck out).

Craig Kimbrel had a tough time controlling his pitches in the tenth. He gave up a leadoff single to Danny Valencia, who then stole second (after Kimbrel made six throws to first). Kimbrel managed to strike out Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz (both on full counts), but he battled Kyle Seager for eight pitches before walking him. After a mound visit from pitching coach Carl Willis, Kimbrel fanned Mitch Haniger.

Ramirez began the thirteenth with a single off Tony Zych. Bradley and Xander Bogaerts both struck out, but Zych threw a wild pitch before walking Deven Marrero. Leon sliced his hit to the opposite field, giving Boston a 5-4 lead. Marrero stole third, but Devers flied to center.

In the home half, Fister needed eight pitches to strike out Seager and he threw eight more before walking Hainger. Ben Gamel forced Haniger at second. Fister never got the third out. He got ahead of Heredia 0-2, but threw three balls. Heredia then fouled off three pitches before singling to right, with Gamel going to third. Fister's first pitch to Zunino was wild; Gamel scored and Heredia took two bases as Leon slowed up as he reached the backstop and the ball. Fister threw three more balls, walking Zunino. Segura grounded an 0-2 pitch up the middle. Bogaerts gloved it, but he had no chance at throwing the runner out, and Heredia scored the winning run. [As far as I can tell, no one was warming while Fister methodically shit the bed in his third inning of work.]

Devers was 0-for-3, with two walks and one run scored. ... Bogaerts was 0-for-5, with three strikeouts. ... For Seattle, Cruz went 0-for-6, with five strikeouts. ... Segura saw 48 pitches in seven plate appearances (9-5-9-8-7-7-3).

AL East: The Yankees beat the Reds 4-1 and the Rays beat the Orioles 5-4. New York is 1 GB and Tampa Bay is 2.5 GB.

Drew Pomeranz / Felix Hernandez

Betts, RF
Benintendi, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Ramirez, DH
Bradley, CF
Bogaerts, SS
Moreland, 1B
Vazquez, C
Devers, 3B

July has been an unforgettable month for Rafael Devers:

July 3: 2-for-5. Now 12-for-24 (.500, with a 1.696 OPS) over his last seven games.

July 7: 0-for-2 in the second game of a doubleheader. Slumping, 2-for-14 over his last five games.

July 12: AA All-Star Game. Bats fourth and plays third base for EAS Eastern Division All-Stars. 1-for-2.

July 14: Promoted to AAA (Pawtucket).

July 15: 4-for-4 in debut with Pawtucket (batting 6th), with a double and a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI.

July 23: Goes 3-for-4. Batting .400 over nine games with Pawtucket. Promoted to major leagues.

July 25: Makes major league debut, at third base, in Seattle.

Devers's arrival on the Red Sox's 25-man roster was highly anticipated, but it was not expected so soon. Over The Monster's Matt Collins wrote on July 14: "[I]t seems highly unlikely that he'd come up before the trade deadline. Because of that, it seems probable to me that they will still look for a rental at the hot corner to fill in the gap for the rest of the year."

Devers, when he arrived in Seattle yesterday:

For me the work is never done. I just want to learn how to be a superstar third baseman. Everyone tells me the only way to do that is through constant work, just like when you're hitting you have to do constant work. They told me daily work at third base is going to make a difference, make me the superstar I want to be. ... You work hard to make your dream come true, and that's what I've been doing. ... I just wanted to get here so bad. I didn't even fall asleep on the plane. I was just so excited to get here.

Devers, 20, is also excited to face Felix Hernandez (who made his debut in 2005 when he was only 19): "I admire him because he's a pitcher who has won Cy Youngs before. To be able to face him and watch him pitch is an awesome experience."

Hernandez has given up only two earned runs in his last 18 innings, but had a rough stretch before those three starts. From April 19 to July 4, he posted an ERA of 6.49 ERA in five starts (and allowed eight home runs). He was on the disabled list during that time, with right shoulder inflammation.

Pomeranz has a 2.61 ERA over his last 10 starts, though he has issued five walks in two of his last three outings.

AL East: The Yankees are 2 GB and the Rays are 3.5 GB. ... CIN/NYY; BAL/TB.