The Boston Red Sox won the opening game of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels with a 4-0 final at Fenway Park on Tuesday.
Boston improved to 10-14 on the season while Los Angeles dropped to 15-10.
You can view the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Michael Wacha’s performance was dominant once again during his fifth start in a Red Sox uniform. Unfortunately, Red Sox manager Alex Cora pulled him after 5 2/3 innings with just 60 pitches thrown.
Wacha certainly looked capable of handling a deeper outing, and the early move to the bullpen was questionable given their recent output. With Garrett Whitlock in the rotation for now, the early hooks become much riskier.
The strategy worked out on Tuesday, but also put unnecessary wear-and-tear on the bullpen for not only the series but the season. If the plan for the Red Sox is to pull starters early regardless of the outcome, the bullpen will wear down.
Hopefully, this strategy is a product of the shortened spring training and not based on the fear of a starter facing the lineup three times.
The good news? The trio of Jake Diekman, Ryan Brasier and Hirokazu Sawamura did not allow a hit in 3 1/3 innings of relief.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Wacha allowed just three hits in the game with a pair of walks and strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He recorded his first four outs with just six pitches and finished two frames in just 12 pitches. The outing was as efficient as it gets.
— Rafael Devers hit an absolute nuke to dead center to open the scoring. His fourth-inning home run traveled a season-high 437 feet.
— J.D. Martinez hit a home run as well. His eighth-inning solo shot flew 402 feet. The designated hitter batted 2-for-4 on the night.
WAGER WATCH
Devers had +475 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook to hit a home run against the Angels. A $100 bet on the franchise cornerstone would have paid out $575.
ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox will play the second game of the series against the Angels at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET following an hour of pregame coverage, and you can watch it all on NESN.
