G101: Red Sox 9, Rays 4

Red Sox - 007 100 001 - 9 12  0
Rays    - 000 000 031 - 4  9  0

The Red Sox hit three home runs in the span of four batters - J.D. Martinez (#20) hit a three-run shot and, one out later, Andrew Benintendi (#8) and Sam Travis (#2) went back-to-back - as part of a seven-run explosion that paved the way to a 9-4 on Monday evening.

Eduardo Rodriguez pitched seven shutout innings (7-2-0-4-6, 113). The Twins beat the visiting Yankees 8-6, so the night was a complete success*.

After Marco Hernández singled off Jalen Beeks (3.2-7-8-2-2, 78) with one out in the third and Mookie Betts walked, Rafael Devers doubled both runners home. Xander Bogaerts (2-for-3, 2 walks) walked and Martinez hit a three-run dong (he drove in a fourth run with a ninth-inning double). Christian Vázquez grounded out, but Benintendi (3-for-5) and Travis both went deep. Hernández led off the fourth with a single and later scored on Bogaerts's double.

Eight of Boston's 12 hits were for extra bases (4 singles, 5 doubles, 3 home runs) and the team went 5-for-9 with RATS.

*: Well, almost. Nathan Eovaldi came out of the bullpen in the eighth inning - and he struggled (though working with an eight-run lead was the right time, if one must struggle). His first pitch was hit for an infield single. He then threw a wild pitch, gave up a run-scoring double, threw another wild pitch, got a strikeout, and then gave up two more runs on a double and a single. Eovaldi got a second strikeout and gave up another single before being relieved. Matt Barnes got the third out and Josh Taylor pitched the ninth.

AL East: Twins 8, MFY 6 (CC Sabathia was pounded over four innings and the MFY went 2-for-12 with runners on second and/or third. The Twins turned a triple play in the first inning.). ... MFY –, TBR 9.0, BOS 10.0.

Eduardo Rodriguez / Jalen Beeks

Betts, RF
Devers, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Martinez, DH
Vázquez, C
Benintendi, LF
Travis, 1B
Bradley, CF
Hernández, 2B

For the Red Sox, the next two weeks are the most important of the 2019 regular season. The next 14 games will be against the Rays and Yankees, the two teams above them in the standings. If Boston harbours any hope of winning the American League East for the fourth consecutive year, it must start kicking ass right now.

            W    L     GB     RS    RA   DIFF
Yankees    64   34   ----    558   420   +138
Rays       57   45    9.0    466   382   + 84
Red Sox    54   46   11.0    566   514   + 52
  
Mon 0722 - Red Sox at Rays, 7 PM            (Yankees at Twins)
Tue 0723 - Red Sox at Rays, 7 PM            (Yankees at Twins)
Wed 0724 - Red Sox at Rays, 12 PM           (Yankees at Twins)
Thu 0725 - Yankees at Red Sox, 7 PM         (Rays off)
Fri 0726 - Yankees at Red Sox, 7 PM         (Rays at Blue Jays)
Sat 0727 - Yankees at Red Sox, 4 PM         (Rays at Blue Jays)
Sun 0728 - Yankees at Red Sox, 7 PM         (Rays at Blue Jays)
Mon 0729 - Off                              (Yankees & Rays off)
Tue 0730 - Rays at Red Sox, 7 PM            (Diamondbacks at Yankees)
Wed 0731 - Rays at Red Sox, 7 PM            (Diamondbacks at Yankees)
Thu 0801 - Rays at Red Sox, 7 PM            (Yankees off)
Fri 0802 - Red Sox at Yankees, 7 PM         (Rays off)
Sat 0803 - Red Sox at Yankees, 1 PM         (Marlins at Rays)
Sat 0803 - Red Sox at Yankees, 7 PM
Sun 0804 - Red Sox at Yankees, 7 PM         (Marlins at Rays)

In 2019, the Red Sox are 1-6 against the Yankees and 4-5 against the Rays.

AL East: MFY/Twins, 8 PM. ... MFY –, TBR 9.0, BOS 11.0.