These were the Boston Red Sox we all expected this season.
Justin Masterson made his first start since May 12 for the Red Sox, who had lost the last four games he started dating to April. The right-hander temporarily silenced his doubters, though, going five strong innings en route to a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Boston’s offense also looked good while hitting three home runs off Rays ace Chris Archer, including No. 12 on the year for David Ortiz.
GAME IN A WORD
Quick.
The first six innings of this game flew by while Masterson and Archer were busy striking out a combined 16 batters. Archer worked a bit harder than Masterson, needing 107 pitches to get through six innings. Masterson threw just 84 pitches in his five innings, walking no one.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Junichi Tazawa closed the doors on Tampa Bay in the seventh inning.
The seventh began with Jonathan Aro taking over for Alexi Ogando and the Red Sox holding a 5-1 lead. Brandon Guyer led off with a double for Tampa Bay, and Asdrubal Cabrera drove him in with a double two batters later. Jackie Bradley Jr.’s error in right field allowed Cabrera to move to third, and Aro was pulled in favor of Tazawa.
Grady Sizemore scored Cabrera with a base hit that got past Pablo Sandoval to make the score 5-3 Boston, but Tazawa retired Tampa Bay’s Nos. 3 and 4 hitters — Evan Longoria and David DeJesus — to end the threat.
ON THE BUMP
— As mentioned, Masterson was masterful in his return. The 30-year-old righty scattered five hits in five innings, walking none and striking out six batters. He had impressive command of his slider, which led to several of his strikeouts.
Ironically enough, a bad slider led to the only run Masterson surrendered. Guyer reached with a one-out single in the fifth, and a slider that slid a bit too hard tipped off catcher Blake Swihart’s glove, allowing Guyer to move into scoring position. Cabrera drove him in with a two-out single two batters later.
— Ogando pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief of Masterson. He battled back after a walk to Longoria and a base hit to DeJesus to retire the next three batters, including two strikeouts.
— Aro struggled in the seventh inning and was charged with two earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning.
— Tazawa allowed an inherited runner to score but was otherwise terrific. He struck out three batters in 1 2/3 innings.
— Koji Uehara earned the save in the ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Pablo Sandoval had a nice day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run and sacrifice fly off Chris Archer.
The homer and sac fly were notable as Sandoval, batting from the left side of the plate, took the pitches to the opposite field. The home run came in the second inning and wrapped around the left field foul pole, and the sac fly was in the exact same spot, coming up just short of another long ball.
— Alejandro De Aza continued his hot streak, going 2-for-4 and adding his third home run in four games for Boston. He’s batting .352 in his past five games.
— David Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, giving the Red Sox a 4-0 lead. It proved to be the game-winning hit.
— Mike Napoli struck out in his lone at-bat in the second inning. He was ejected following the at-bat for arguing with home plate umpire Tripp Gibson III. Deven Marrero replaced Napoli and went 0-for-3 in his major league debut.
TWEET OF THE GAME
It was an entertaining broadcast.
[tweet https://twitter.com/TomJoyceSports/status/615237174280257536 align=’center’]
UP NEXT
The Red Sox head to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays, who wiped the floor with Boston during their last visit to Fenway Park earlier this month.
Clay Buchholz is scheduled to take his 3.90 ERA to the mound for Boston. In his last two starts, the righty has allowed one earned run in 14 innings, earning back-to-back wins for the first time all season. The Red Sox are 1-2 against the Blue Jays in Buchholz starts this season.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is set to pitch for Toronto. The 40-year-old owns a 4.88 ERA this season, and the Blue Jays are 1-2 in his three starts against Boston this season.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
