Red Sox Notes: Hanley Ramirez Ends Drought In Boston’s Hard-Fought Win

The Boston Red Sox perhaps, maybe, potentially, could be turning a corner.

Why all the qualifiers? Well, it feels like we’ve been down this road before, placing too much emphasis on single games and small sample sizes.

That said, the Red Sox are beginning to show life of late, winning four of their last five games, including Thursday’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

There was a lot to like about Boston’s series-opening win over Seattle, just as there was a lot to like about the Red Sox taking two of three from the Oakland Athletics. Let’s dive into some important notes from Thursday, as it’s possible you were sleeping during the West Coast affair.

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— Joe Kelly wasn’t overly electric. And that might actually be a good thing.

Kelly still sat at around 95-96 mph with his fastball, but he looked much more in control of himself while allowing only one run over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out two, walked three and surrendered five hits.

“I wasn’t trying to go out there and throw 98s and 99s,” Kelly told reporters in Seattle. “I wanted to get quick outs, establish the fastball — but not down the middle — and just try to pitch to the corners and stay down.”

Game plan executed.

— Hanley Ramirez entered the game with 10 extra-base hits. All 10 were home runs.

Finally, in Game 35, Ramirez threw caution to the wind and doubled into right-center field. It was one of four hits in the contest for Ramirez, whose teams now are 19-1 in his career when he produces four hits.

Ramirez had been just 3-for-19 over his last five games after returning from a three-game hiatus related to a shoulder injury.

— Shane Victorino continues to assault the Mariners.

Victorino, who hit his first homer of the season while reaching base three times, now is hitting .475 (19-for-40) in 10 career games against Seattle.

Victorino also made an excellent, over-the-shoulder catch with the game tied 1-1 in the seventh inning to start an impressive double play.

“It’ll be on ‘SportsCenter’ No. 1 probably for a month or so,” Kelly said. “That was a pretty awesome play to watch.”

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— As if Blake Swihart’s plate isn’t full enough, the rookie catcher was asked to drop down a sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning with the game tied 1-1.

Why is that significant? Swihart, who was considered an offensive force coming up through the system, had only one sac bunt in 1,331 career minor league plate appearances.

Swihart finally succeeded after two failed attempts put him in an 0-2 hole. The Red Sox didn’t score in the inning, but hey, you have to give credit where it’s due.

— Brock Holt, who sat all three games of the Red Sox’s series against the Toronto Blue Jays and the first game of their series against the A’s, made the most of his opportunity to start in place of Pablo Sandoval.

Holt reached base three times (single, double, walk). Most importantly, he scored the game-winning run, which he helped create in the ninth inning by taking advantage of a lackluster play by left fielder Rickie Weeks and hustling into second base for a leadoff double against Mariners closer Fernando Rodney.

— It’s time to start recognizing Koji Uehara’s reliability this season.

Uehara, who battled an injury and a couple of hiccups to open the year, hasn’t allowed a hit over his last seven appearances. He owns a 1-0 record and is 5-for-5 in save opportunities in that stretch.

— The Red Sox are 8-3 in one-run games this season. It’s surprising for a team under .500 (17-18) yet encouraging for a club that has aspirations of playing meaningful games into October.

— Craig Breslow’s recent “Sip Happens” event raised $250,000 for pediatric cancer research, according to a press release. The reliever’s Strike 3 Foundation now has raised over $3 million to date.

Thumbnail photo via Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports Images