It took 11 innings for the Boston Red Sox to pick up their first lead over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
After being down by as many as four runs, the Red Sox rallied and earned a 6-5 walk-off victory thanks to a Dustin Pedroia opposite-field single.
And while Pedroia played the role of hero in Monday’s contest at Fenway Park, the Red Sox received major contributions up and down their roster.
Andrew Benintendi played a critical role in Boston’s offensive production, picking up two RBIs including a solo blast in the first inning. Hanley Ramirez belted a solo homer of his own, a mammoth shot which tied the game in the eighth inning. And after a mediocre outing from Rick Porcello, the Red Sox’s bullpen tossed five scoreless innings.
After the exciting win, Red Sox manager John Farrell praised his team’s resiliency and called the victory a “total team win.”
“Mookie (Betts) had some big hits,” Farrell said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “Panda (Pablo Sandoval) had a key base hit to lead off the final inning, Mitch (Moreland) once again had some big hits, Benny (Benintendi) jumps back in after a day off and swung the bat well. You can check the box score on a number of guys, so this is very much a team win.”
Victories feel good regardless of how they come, but Boston has to be particularly happy with how the win was earned Monday night. It takes a full team effort to be successful over the course of 162 games, and the Red Sox showed flashes of that in their series-opening win over the Phillies.
Here are some other notes from Red Sox-Phillies.
— This was Boston’s 15th comeback victory of the season and its second of the walk-off variety. It’s also only the second time Pedroia has notched a walk-off hit in his 11-year career.
— Betts slapped three doubles in Monday’s game, putting him in the lead for two-baggers in the American League with 22.
— Benintendi appears to be finding his home run stroke. His longball in the second inning was his fourth in his last seven games.
— Ramirez has reached base safely in his last 22 games at Fenway Park.
— Matt Barnes picked up the victory on the mound. He struck out five batters in his two scoreless innings of work.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
