Boston Red Sox reliever Adam Ottavino didn’t take kindly to something he heard during the team’s road trip in Seattle.
The Red Sox relief pitchers, as Ottavino explained, were the subject of some shade thrown by the Mariners’ broadcast during the three-game series in Seattle.
“The Seattle broadcast was talking about how they had the bullpen advantage in this series and I think, at least I did, I took it personally,” Ottavino said after Wednesday’s 9-4 win at T-Mobile Park. “So, glad we were able to be the difference the last two nights.”
It’s true.
The Red Sox bullpen, along with a few timely offensive outbursts, helped pull out consecutive wins and ultimately head back to Boston on a high note. The Red Sox bullpen on Wednesday, specifically, shut down the Mariners as Boston allowed just two combined hits and one run over the final 5 2/3 innings.
And in the last six games? Boston compiled a 0.68 ERA over 26.1 innings pitched and allowed just two earned runs during the trip, per Red Sox Notes.
Ottavino played a crucial part in Wednesday’s verdict as he recorded the final out of the eighth inning and came back out to pitch a scoreless ninth. It sent the game to extra innings before Boston scored six runs in the top half to pull away. Ottavino, who did not allow a hit and struck out two, earned the win.
“Guys have been doing a good job collectively this road trip, I feel like putting in some heavy innings in the pen, just trying to do our jobs and keep the games close to give us a chance,” Ottavino said.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora also praised the bullpen.
“The bullpen was amazing the whole trip, right?,” Cora said.
Now the Red Sox get to board a much happier flight and head back to Boston with a series against the Baltimore Orioles beginning Friday at Fenway. Park.
