In the first two contests of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners, the Boston Red Sox’s starting pitching had been knocked around by the American League West power, giving up 14 runs in eight innings.
Sunday’s series finale was a different story.
The Red Sox sent Chris Sale to the mound at Fenway Park, and the Mariners probably could have caught an earlier flight out of town.
Seattle had no chance against the left-hander, as Sale cruised through seven shutout innings, surrendering only four hits while striking out 13 hitters in a 5-0 Red Sox win.
Boston was stifled through four innings, but the Sox scored three in the fourth and Mitch Moreland’s two-run homer in the fifth inning effectively sealed the win.
With the win, the Red Sox improve to 52-27, while the Mariners fall to 47-31.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Ace.
Sale continued his stellar run, blowing away 13 Mariners in seven dominant innings.
ON THE BUMP
— The Mariners had little chance against Sale on Sunday, as the hard-throwing southpaw mowed down the M’s with a powerful fastball and sharp breaking stuff.
Boston’s ace ran into a bit of trouble in the fourth when Nelson Cruz ripped a two-out triple to right center field, but Sale struck out Ryon Healy to end the threat.
The Mariners tried to battle back in the seventh inning, placing runners on first and second with two outs in front of catcher Mike Zunino. Sale wasn’t frazzled, though, as he reached back and blew a 100-mph fastball past Zunino for his 13th strikeout of the game.
— Joe Kelly recorded a perfect eighth inning.
— Matt Barnes tossed a 1-2-3 ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Marco Gonzalez baffled the Red Sox through the first four innings, but Boston got to the lefty in the fifth. Xander Bogaerts led off the frame with a double to left field and moved to third on a single by Eduardo Nunez. Rafael Devers drove in Bogaerts with a double to right that moved Nunez to third. Sandy Leon plated Nunez with a sacrifice fly to center.
Two batters later, Mookie Betts scored Devers with a sacrifice fly of his own to make it 3-0.
— Boston extended its lead in the sixth when J.D. Martinez led off the inning with an infield single and Moreland followed by hammering a two-run home run to straightaway center field.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. went 3-for-3 with three singles.
— Martinez, Moreland, Bogaerts, Devers and Nunez each recorded one hit apiece.
— Betts and Andrew Benintendi each went hitless.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Good luck.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will get back to the diamond Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park. David Price will take the hill for Boston and will be opposed by John Lamb.
