August 22, 2019

G117: Red Sox 5, Royals 4 (10) (Suspended August 7, Completed August 22)

Royals  - 002 001 100 0 - 4 13  0
Red Sox - 000 220 000 1 - 5 12  0
The completion of the Red Sox's suspended game of August 7 took only 12 minutes on Thursday afternoon. Brock Holt singled with one out in the bottom of the tenth inning, scoring Chris Owings from second base with the winning run.

When play resumed in the top of the tenth inning, Josh Taylor was back on the mound, as he was two weeks ago. Nick Dini, pinch-hitting for Meibrys Viloria, inherited a 2-1 count and lined out to first on the first pitch he saw. Ryan O'Hearn struck out looking and pinch-hitter Bubba Starling grounded out to shortstop.

In the bottom of the inning, Richard Lovelady struck out Andrew Benintendi before Christian Vázquez doubled to center. Owings ran for Vázquez and Sam Travis batted for Mitch Moreland. The Royals walked Travis intentionally. Holt then lifted a 1-1 pitch into the left field corner, scoring Owings. Holt rounded first base and headed for second, chased by his teammates. As Holt neared second base, he suddenly turned left and sprinted past the pitcher's mound and slid into home plate!

NESN's replay of the game-winning hit featured its trademark Mega-Zooming, so what viewers saw of Holt was only below the waist. They could not watch him track the pitch with his eyes or see his arms as he swung the bat. Thanks, as always, NESN.


Betts, RF
Devers, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Martinez, DH
Benintendi, LF
Vázquez, C
Moreland, 1B
Holt, 2B
Bradley, CF
August 7's Royals/Red Sox game was suspended in the top of the tenth inning. Red Sox reliever Josh Taylor had a 2-1 count on leadoff batter Meibrys Viloria. The game will resume at 1 PM today.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Darwinzon Hernandez, Nathan Eovaldi, and Brandon Workman have already pitched in the game. ... Andrew Benintendi will lead off the bottom of the tenth.

The Red Sox have not had a suspended game since April 16, 2010, when a home game against the Rays was stopped in the bottom of the ninth, with the score 1-1. The Rays won the game the following day: 3-1 (12).

The last time the Red Sox had a suspended game that was not resumed the next day was more than 50 years ago: June 13, 1968. The second game of a Fenway Park doubleheader between the Angels and Red Sox was halted in the bottom of the sixth inning, also with the score 1-1. The game was completed on August 4, when Ken Harrelson's walkoff grand slam in the bottom of the ninth gave Boston a 5-1 win. (The game had originally been scheduled for June 10, but a rainout created the need for a June 13 doubleheader.)

After the game is completed, the Red Sox will begin a road trip to San Diego, Colorado, and Los Angeles (Dodgers).
Royals  - 002 001 100 * - 4 13  0
Red Sox - 000 220 000   - 4 10  0

Wednesday's game was suspended in the top of the tenth inning after a rain delay of 109 minutes.

The game will be continued on Thursday, August 22, at 1 PM. Boston reliever Josh Taylor had thrown only three pitches in the inning, a 2-1 count on Meibrys Viloria.

August 22 is an off-day for both teams. The Red Sox host the Phillies on Wednesday, so they'll stay in Boston an extra day before flying to San Diego. The Royals' schedule has them in Baltimore on Wednesday and in Cleveland on Friday.

J.D. Martinez (2-for-5) hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Xander Bogaerts (3-for-5) doubled in two runs in the fifth.

Eduardo Rodriguez (5-7-2-3-1, 101) needed 30 pitches to escape the first inning, leaving the bases loaded. After getting two outs in the third, he issued two walks and gave up two singles. (Rodriguez threw 76 pitches through three innings, tied for most by a Red Sox starter through three innings this year.) Rodriguez was helped out by an 8-5 double play in the fourth, as Jackie Bradley threw out Billy Hamilton at third base.

Bogaerts singled to lead off the fourth and Martinez homered to deep left-center (#25), tying the game at 2-2. With one out in the fifth, Mookie Betts singled and Rafael Devers walked. Bogaerts smoked a double down the third base line and into the left field corner. Both runners scored easily.

Darwinzon Hernandez struck out the first two Royals in the sixth, but gave up a double to Hamilton and a run-scoring single to Whit Merrifield. In the seventh, against Nathan Eovaldi, Hunter Dozier singled. A wild pitch and a groundout put Dozier on third with two outs. Nicky Lopez doubled off Brock Holt's glove, as the second baseman dove to his right. The ball died in short center field. (Eovaldi had five strikeouts in two innings.)

AL Wild Card: CLE/TBR –, OAK 0.5, BOS 6.0, TEX 7.0.

Glenn Sparkman / Eduardo Rodriguez
Betts, RF
Devers, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Martinez, DH
Benintendi, LF
Vázquez, C
Moreland, 1B
Holt, 2B
Bradley, CF
I was thinking ... If the Red Sox can win the World Series every five years or so, I can live with a third-place finish/.500 season. That doesn't mean I'll be running to watch this one, though. Also, I would like to know when the championship seasons will be, so I can plan my calendar.

AL Wild Card: CLE/TBR –, OAK 0.5, TEX 6.5, BOS 6.5.

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