Red Sox Wrap: Boston’s Bullpen Comes Up Clutch In Win Vs. Marlins

The Boston Red Sox pitching staff didn’t always make it easy, but they certainly came through when it mattered Saturday during a number of high-leverage moments.

The Red Sox benefitted from the Miami Marlins stranding 12 runners through eight innings. Boston’s Adam Ottavino came through clutch while stranding bases loaded in the seventh and Hirokazu Sawamura stranded a pair of Marlins on second and third in the eighth. Ultimately, it helped the Red Sox claim a 3-1 victory in front of 25,000-plus at Fenway Park.

Nathan Eovaldi got the win on the mound while the Red Sox offense finished with 12 hits behind Rafael Devers (3-for-4, run) and Hunter Renfroe (2-for-3, RBI, run).

The Red Sox improved to 32-20 while the Marlins fell to 24-28 on the season.

Here’s how it went down:

GAME IN A WORD
Exciting.

The performance of the pitching staff brought plenty of excitement, and the first full-capacity crowd certainly appreciated it.

ON THE BUMP
— Nathan Eovaldi put together a strong start as he made pitches when he needed and benefitted from some timely defense.

Eovaldi, who went 5 1/3 innings and did not allow a run, was helped as the Marlins stranded seven runners through six innings. Eovaldi stranded one on third in the first and runners on first and second in the third and fourth innings, respectively. He struck out the side in the second and retired the side in the fifth.

Eovaldi allowed four hits while striking out seven on 101 pitches (71 strikes).

— Josh Taylor came on with a runner on first and one out in the sixth and got out of it after allowing an infield single to the first batter he faced.

He came back soon for the seventh, recorded one and allowed consecutive hits before getting pulled. Taylor finished allowing three hits with two strikeouts on 21 pitches (16 strikes).

— Adam Ottavino relieved Taylor and put together a clutch relief performance.

The right-hander walked the first batter he faced to load the bases before striking out No. 3 batter Jesus Aguilar and cleanup hitter Garrett Cooper to maintain Boston’s 2-0 lead. It prompted a pretty surreal cheer from the Fenway faithful and a great reaction from Ottavino himself.

Ottavino went 2/3 of an inning and struck out two on 18 pitches (10 strikes).

— Darwinzon Hernandez came on for the eighth and recorded a pair of outs before walking Isan Diaz.

— Hirokazu Sawamura recorded the final out of the eighth and did so with a strikeout, which stranded runners on second and third. Sawamura allowed an infield single to the first batter he faced but threw five of his six pitches for strikes.

— Matt Barnes came on for the ninth and earned the save.

Barnes allowed a lead-off bunt single, and that runner ended up scoring to cut the Red Sox lead to 3-1, but an inning-ending double play to end the game.

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IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox struck first with a single run in the second inning.

Bobby Dalbec ripped a one-out RBI single to to score Devers from second base. Devers had reached on a one-out single to right field two batters earlier, prior to a single by Renfroe pushed him into scoring position. Renfroe ultimately was thrown out at the plate after he tried to score from second on a Christian Arroyo single to left field.

— Boston added another run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead.

Renfroe did the honors as he scored from second on a RBI single by Kevin Plawecki. Renfroe reached on a one-out double to left left two batters earlier.

— The Red Sox threatened to add to their 2-0 lead in the sixth as Devers led off the inning with a double. Devers would reach third with one out on a wild pitch, but Dalbec struck out and Plawecki grounded out to end the inning.

— Boston added to its lead with a much-needed insurance run in the eighth.

Devers came away with his third hit of the game, a two-out double off the Green Monster. He came around to score the very next batter as Renfroe ripped a RBI single to right. It gave Boston a 3-0 lead.

— Devers (three), Renfroe, J.D. Martinez and Bobby Dalbec each had multiple hits. Kevin Plawecki, Dalbec and Renfroe recorded RBIs.

TWEET OF THE GAME
Fans were back with 100 percent capacity at Fenway, and it was awesome to see again. There were 25,089 fans in attendance, as noted on the NESN broadcast.

UP NEXT
The Red Sox will play their final game of the three-game series against the Marlins on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. ET.