The Boston Red Sox’s quick trip out West is off to a splendid start.
The Sox earned a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners in the series opener of a four-game set at Safeco Field on Thursday night.
Xander Bogaerts’s sixth-inning solo shot with the score tied at one proved to be the winner, while David Price tossed seven innings of one-run ball.
The Red Sox climb to 48-22 with the win, while the Mariners fall to 44-25.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Tight.
It was a narrow contest from start to finish, but Boston’s pitching was sharp enough to give it the victory.
ON THE BUMP
— Thursday marked the continuation of recent success for Price, as the Sox now have won in each of the southpaw’s last seven outings. Price allowed one run over seven innings with five hits, no walks and seven strikeouts.
The lefty cruised through the first four innings, allowing just two runners to reach while retiring the side in order in the second and fourth.
Price worked himself into some trouble in the fifth, however, allowing Kyle Seager and Ryon Healy each to single to lead off the frame. Seager stole third base and promptly scored on a Guillermo Heredia sacrifice fly to tie the game at one. Price then buckled down and struck out the next two to end the frame.
The 32-year-old’s night ended after he pitched the sixth and seventh inning without issue.
— Joe Kelly struck out one and allowed a hit in a scoreless eighth.
— Craig Kimbrel faced the toughest part of Seattle’s order in the ninth, and the closer immediately issued walks to Mitch Haniger and Nelson Cruz to begin the inning. Kimbrel then settled in, striking out Seager before getting Healy to hit into a game-ending double play.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox got on the board first, beginning with Rafael Devers’ one-out single in the second inning. The third baseman stole second during the next at-bat, and with two outs was driven in when Jackie Bradley Jr. laced a double down the right field line.
— With the game tied at one in the top of the sixth, Bogaerts broke the tie with a solo shot off Mariners starter Felix Hernandez’s 90 mph fastball right over the plate.
— Bogaerts, Devers, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vazquez each had two hits, while Bradley Jr. had one. All other Red Sox batters went hitless.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
What a wild ride this was.
UP NEXT
The two sides will continue their four-game set Friday night, with first pitch from Safeco Field set for 10:10 p.m. ET. Rick Porcello is expected to get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by James Paxton.
