Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and the Boston Red Sox certainly have a will to win this season.
Often the victories they’ve accumulated in their 15-9 record have come predominately from their bats, though the other side of the ball has done its fair share.
But one thing we’re seeing this season is that you never can quite count them out of the game until it’s all said and done.
With a 2-1 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday, the Red Sox showed they can grind out a win with solid pitching in the event of no run support.
“The crunch time games are very important I think throughout a season,” Bobby Dalbec said in his postgame media availability after game. “I feel like we can do various things, you know? We can come out and put 10 runs up quick, or we can grind out at-bats and get the big hit at the end of the game. I feel like we’re getting better and better defense every day.”
Tuesday it was a game-tying homer from Dalbec, his first of the season, that helped the team come back. But mostly, a bounce-back game from Garrett Richards, who gave up one run, walked no one and struck out 10 in his start.
“We’re just grinding,” Richards said after his win. “We’re doing anything we can to find a way to win. And some nights it’s easier, and some nights are like it is tonight where it’s gonna be a one-run ballgame. But we got a hell of an offense, we played pretty good defense and I think our pitching staff is really coming around more so than it was before. So I think we got some good momentum moving forward. And I think we’re just going to try and keep that rolling.”
After a strong start to the season, Boston has split its last 10 games. But with a +21 run differential and having built a small two-game win streak, the Red Sox perhaps can build on their strong play on the road against the Mets on Wednesday ,and then in their following four-game series in Texas against the Rangers.
The Red Sox already have shown the resolve.
