It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
That’d be a good sentiment for the Boston Red Sox to embrace at the moment considering the American League wild card standings, and it certainly rang true Friday night at Fenway Park.
[nesn_embed_the_score team=”patriots”]
After falling into a three-run hole off the bat, the Red Sox rallied back to absolutely rout the Los Angeles Angels 16-4 in the second game of their four-game set.
It was a short start from Brian Johnson, but five home runs and a solid performance from the bullpen paced the Sox to a breezy win. J.D. Martinez was dominant, going 4-for-5 with four RBI’s.
The Red Sox moved to 62-56 with the win, while the Angels fell to 56-61 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Boom.
The Sox certainly brought it Friday night.
ON THE BUMP
— Johnson’s night got off to a pretty rough start, getting tagged for three runs in the first inning.
It looked like the southpaw was out of the inning, but a 3-2 curveball that appeared to be in the zone to Justin Upton was called a ball, putting two runners on for Albert Pujols, who promptly put the Halos up 3-0 with a home run into the Monster seats.
Those three runs were Machine Made. pic.twitter.com/I2d4AWHf2z
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 9, 2019
He bounced back to throw a 1-2-3 second, but his night was over after allowing another walk in the third after just 2 2/3 innings. He struck out one and allowed two hits while tossing 50 pitches.
— Marcus Walden entered in the third and did not allow a base runner over 2 1/3 innings, striking out one.
— Nathan Eovaldi took over in the sixth inning and tossed a 1-2-3 frame. He ran into trouble in the seventh, however, giving up a double, then hitting a batter and walking the next two to bring in a run to make it 10-4. He got out of the inning by getting Matt Thaiss to ground into a bases-loaded double play.
— Hector Velazquez tossed a spotless eighth with a strikeout.
— Josh Taylor tossed a scoreless ninth, striking out two.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox got one run back in the first inning. Martinez and Mookie Betts traded places with a pair of doubles to make it 3-1.
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— It was Martinez once again in the fourth inning, tying the game with a two-run home run into the bullpen.
Not shown: J.D. and Brock's dugout hug pic.twitter.com/BuDJJf7Vvv
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 10, 2019
— And it was Betts in the fifth inning giving the Sox a 5-3 lead with a two-run shot over the Green Monster.
BETTS 💣 FOR THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/nRGyIU9s0i
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 10, 2019
— Boston took complete control in the sixth inning.
Sam Travis, pinch-hitting for Brock Holt, drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-3. Jackie Bradley Jr. followed by rifling a ball toward second base that could not be handled by Luis Rengifo, which brought in two more runs to make it 8-3.
After a Betts walk, Rafael Devers broke it wide open with a one-out, two-run single that made it 10-3.
— For good measure, Martinez went bridge again in the seventh to make it 11-4.
We'll have whatever J.D.'s having. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0lsk6fAhZH
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 10, 2019
And Boston was not done there, with Mitch Morland adding an RBI double to make it 12-4.
— Devers and Moreland each homered in the eighth inning as the Red Sox extended the lead to 16-4.
— Betts, Devers, Moreland and Christian Vazquez each had two hits, while Xander Bogaerts and Bradley Jr. added knocks.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Love this.
😂😂 pic.twitter.com/jxXELEGxFx
— NESN (@NESN) August 10, 2019
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will look to clinch their four-game set against the Angels on Saturday. First pitch from Fenway Park is slated for 4:05 p.m. ET. Rick Porcello (10–8, 5.54 ERA) is scheduled to face LHP Andrew Heaney (1–3, 5.09 ERA).
