After two ugly showings Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox needed to find themselves a win Wednesday evening.
They did just that, beating the Detroit Tigers 11-4 in the third contest of a four-game set at Fenway Park.
Eduardo Rodriguez delivered a nice outing, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning while ultimately allowing just one run over six innings. Meanwhile, the offense hung a pair on the scoreboard in the second inning to set the tone, then dropped seven on Detroit in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
The Red Sox climb to 10-15 with the win, while the Tigers fall to 12-11 with the loss.
Here’s how it went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Sharp.
Rodriguez looked good, and the offense got going early and kept it up late.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez had some tremendous stuff, finishing his night having allowed just one earned run over six innings on two hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
After allowing a walk to the second batter he faced in the first inning, Rodriguez proceeded to retire 11 straight hitters until issuing a leadoff walk to Brandon Dixon in the fifth. Two batters later, Gordon Beckham singled to center to end Rodriguez’s no-hit bid. The southpaw responded by striking out the next two hitters to end the inning.
With a four-run lead to protect in the sixth, Rodriguez let the Tigers get on the board. Jeimer Candelario led off with a double and moved to third on a Miguel Cabrera fly out. Niko Goodrum then drove in Candelario with a sacrifice fly to right, cutting the Sox’s lead to 4-1. Rodriguez finished the rest of the inning without issue to end his night.
— Brandon Workman walked one in a hitless, scoreless seventh, striking out three.
— Matt Barnes loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, but got out of the inning unscathed. All three of the outs the righty recorded were strikeouts.
— Tyler Thornburg took over in the ninth and allowed three runs on two walks and as many hits before ending things in the ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox offense gave their starter some run support fairly early on.
J.D. Martinez kicked the second inning off with a single, then moved to second on a Xander Bogaerts groundout. Rafael Devers brought Martinez home for Boston’s first run with a single to right, but the third baseman was caught stealing during the next at-bat.
With two down, Michael Chavis walked and Jackie Bradley Jr. singled to put runners on the corners, and Christian Vazquez plated Chavis with a single to right.
— Still holding a 2-0 lead, the Sox added a pair more in the fifth.
Andrew Benintendi worked a one-out walk and promptly came home on a Mookie Betts double off the wall the next at-bat. Then with runners on first and second and one out, Martinez roped a single to left to score Betts for Boston’s fourth run.
— The Red Sox added quite a bit of insurance in the eighth.
Chavis was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and stole second two batters later. Vazquez singled to left to score Chavis, then the catcher came home on a Benintendi double to left, making it 6-1.
The Red Sox loaded the bases on walks to Betts and Mitch Moreland, then Bogaerts, Devers and Chavis all walked to up Boston’s lead to 9-1. With plenty of damage already done, Bradley rubbed salt in the wound with a two-run single to right before the inning ended.
— Martinez had three hits in the game, while Betts, Bradley and Vazquez had two.
— Benintendi, Bogaerts, Devers and Bradley all had one hit.
— Moreland and Chavis went hitless.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Not bad at all.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Tigers will finish up their four-game set Thursday. Rick Porcello is expected to get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Jordan Zimmerman. First pitch from Fenway Park is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
