MIAMI -- Everything you need to know from the Red Sox’ 7-3 victory over the Marlins in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Offense comes alive: In the previous three games, the Red Sox scored a grand total of six runs and coming into Monday night, were hitting just .214 for the season with two homers in the first four games. But that changed in a big way as the Sox pounded out 12 hits -- including homers from Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts -- and scored a season-high seven runs. "(Sunday) we hit some balls hard,'' said Alex Cora, "so it was just a matter of time.'' After falling behind 1-0 in the second, the Sox ripped off six-straight, unanswered runs. A two-run double by Christian Vazquez got things started and Ramirez's two-run homer in the fifth continued the onslaught. "I wasn't worried at all,'' said Johnson about falling behind early. "This offense is going to be great.''
BTW #ElTrece's in Miami. pic.twitter.com/FHLAZPVl2e
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 3, 2018
Rotation continues its roll: The Red Sox have not gone one entire turn through their rotation and the five starters have allowed a grand total of three runs in 30 innings, posting an ERA of 0.90. That's remarkable under any circumstances, but given that the Sox are missing two starters (Eduardo Rodriguez and Drew Pomeranz), it's particularly noteworthy. On Monday night, it was Brian Johnson's turn to do the job and he allowed one run on six hits over six innings. "This is what we expected,'' insisted Cora. "We know how special (the rotation) can be with the first three guys (Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello). But the last two guys (Johnson and Hector Velazquez) were outstanding.''
.@Brian_Johnson35 final line: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR pic.twitter.com/eKXKusBu0L
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 3, 2018
Hanley hits at home: Hanley Ramirez was a member of the Marlins for seven seasons and makes Miami his home, so he was especially motivated to get it going Monday night. He hit a monster shot to left in the fifth for his first homer, then added a single in the ninth before picking up his second stolen base of the season, which led to the final Red Sox' run when Rafael Devers scored. "I spent a lot of money on tickets,'' he said chuckling. "That's OK. They got a chance to see me play live.'' Ramirez also visited with a sick child before the game and told him that if he homered, he would give him his game jersey. True to his word, Ramirez returned after the game and handed over his uniform top.
TURNING POINT
Twice -- once in the fourth and again in the sixth -- the Marlins put the first two hitters of the inning on base against Johnson. But the lefty, making just his seventh big league start, remained composed and worked himself out of jams both times. In the fourth, he got a flyout and a double play to strand two. In the sixth, he got two flyouts and a popup to leave two more as he finished the outing having thrown 82 pitches. Since the Sox are one of the few teams playing six straight days to open the season, Cora stressed before the game that the team needed Johnson to go fairly deep to preserve the bullpen. Johnson did as he was asked, leaving only the final nine outs to two relievers.
THREE UP
Brian Johnson: Johnson was in command the entire time. He didn't get flustered after leaving a pitch up in the zone which Brian Anderson hit out for a solo homer in the second. In fact, he retired the next three hitters that inning, and the first two in the third, too. As usual, he didn't flash overpowering stuff - topping out at 90 with his fastball -- but he spotted his pitches carefully and stayed out of the middle of the plate while issuing just one walk.
Christian Vazquez: When he wasn't guiding Johnson through the Miami lineup, Vazquez was contributing with his bat. He had a third-inning single with a nice opposite-field stroke, then hammered a double to left in the fourth to score two runs.
Waaaay back in the 4th, when it was a tie game... pic.twitter.com/45CF0ir04C
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 3, 2018
Hanley Ramirez: Returning to his adopted hometown, Ramirez hit his first homer at Marlins Park as a visiting player -- he hit seven here as a member of the Marlins in 2012 -- and later added a single. And five games into the season, Ramirez has already eclipsed his stolen base total from all of last year, when he had just one.
THREE DOWN
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Though he did work two walks, Bradley was the only position player in the starting lineup who didn't collect a hit and is just 1-for-12 through the first five games of the season.
Marcus Walden Pitching for the second straight day, Walden seemed on fumes. In two innings of mop-up relief, he walked a batter, hit another and allowed two runs on three hits.
Andrew Benintendi The outfield did pick up his first hit of the season -- a check-swing chopper to the right side he beat out -- but still isn't having the quality at-bats for which he's known. He struck out, popped up and grounded out, failing to get the ball out of the infield in his other at-bats.
NEXT UP: Series finale against the Marlins on Tuesday at 6:10 p.m.