The Boston Red Sox benefited from some noteworthy defensive play while Rafael Devers led the offense en route to a 5-4 verdict against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.
Devers recorded three RBIs on a team-best three hits while the Red Sox finished with seven knocks and left 10 men on base.
Boston’s outfield was largely impactful as the Red Sox benefitted from assists by Danny Santana and Kiké Hernández. Martín Pérez was the one who was impacted by those plays the most as the left-hander ultimately earned his seventh win of the season.
Adam Ottavino made it interesting in the ninth, but with runners on first and second and two outs, got Shohei Ohtani to hit into the shift for a game-ending groundout.
The Red Sox, who have won 10 of their last 11 games, improve to 54-32 on the season. The Angels fall back to .500 at 42-42.
Here’s how it went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Drama.
There was plenty of great defense, a pair of Boston home runs and the game ultimately came down to baseball unicorn Ohtani making the final out in a one-run game.
ON THE BUMP
— Pérez put together yet another respectable start.
The left-hander allowed just two runs (one earned) on eight hits through 5 1/3 innings. Pérez walked one batter and struck out three as 56 of his 79 pitches were thrown for strikes. He retired the side in the first inning.
It’s worth mentioning Pérez benefited greatly from two outfield assists. First, Santana threw out Jose Rojas at home plate for a crucial second out in the fifth inning. And just one frame later it was Hernández who gunning down Max Stassi as he tried to stretch a single into a double. It was the first out of the sixth as the Angels were trying to get runners on second and third with nobody out. Hernández robbed a home run in the second inning, as well.
— Hirokazu Sawamura relieved Pérez in the sixth and got out of that jam with a runner on third and one out. The right-handed reliever retired both batters he faced.
Sawamura returned for the seventh inning and allowed the Angels to cut into Boston’s deficit as Rojas sent a solo shot to right field. LA cut its deficit to 5-3 with the home run. It was the only hit Sawamura allowed in 1 1/3 while he struck out two.
— Josh Taylor came on in a big spot in the seventh and induced a Ohtani fly ball for the last out of the inning.
Taylor continued his dominant ways in the eighth as he retired the side in order. Taylor struck out a pair of batters in 1 1/3 innings without allowing a hit. Taylor has allowed just 10 hits in his last 25 appearances.
— Ottavino came on for the ninth and picked up his seventh save of the season.
The right-handed reliever made it a bit interesting, though, as he walked the lead-off man and gave the Angels the tying run at the plate with nobody out. That ultimately led to the Angels cutting their deficit to 5-4 with two outs before Ohtani came to the plate with runners on first and second. He grounded into the shift and Arroyo made the game-ending play.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Christian Arroyo started off the scoring with a solo home run in the second. Arroyo’s fifth blast of the season measured 424 feet and came in his first at-bat in his first game since June 20.
Devers recorded a two-out RBI single later in the inning to give Boston a 2-0 lead. Marwin Gonzalez scored from second base after he reached on a one-out walk and went to second on a Bobby Dalbec single.
— Devers came away with his second hit of the game on a two-out home run to right field in the fourth. Devers’ two-run shot went 405 feet to right center and scored Hernández, who reached on a two-out walk the batter prior.
— Santana came on to replace Gonzalez, who left the game after two innings with right hamstring tightness, and ripped a two-out RBI single to right-center in the fifth. Santana’s hit scored Xander Bogaerts, who reached base on a throwing error earlier in the inning.
— Boston was retired in order during both the sixth and ninth innings.
— Devers was the only batter with multiple hits while Hernández, Arroyo, Santana and Dalbec each had one.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
There’s something about the finger pistol that just never disappoints.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will return to Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Tuesday night. They’ll get a look at Ohtani on the mound, with first pitch scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET, which you can watch live on NESN.
