It took 27 games for Alex Cora to use Craig Kimbrel the way he promised to last winter. But it was worth the wait.
When Cora was hired, he made his feelings about bullpen usage clear. He wasn't going to be tied to convention and utilize Kimbrel solely in the ninth inning. If the Sox had important outs to get earlier in the game, Cora indicated he wouldn't hesitate to go Kimbrel.
But Kimbrel's daughter's health issues put that plan on the back burner during spring training. Kimbrel spent little time in Fort Myers and instead spent nearly all of March back in Boston to be with his infant as she recovered from a second heart procedure. He kept his arm in shape by throwing regularly at Babson College, but it wasn't the same as facing major league hitters in competition, and the Sox and Kimbrel never had the opportunity to workshop the idea of going to Kimbrel in the eighth.
When the season began, there were opportunities to do so, but Cora held off, saying he needed to first communicate with Kimbrel and work out a plan. On Sunday, the idea was put to use.
It was the perfect situation, created by imperfect circumstance. The Sox were a man short in the bullpen thanks to the suspension to Joe Kelly, and a run of shorter outings by the starters had forced relievers to contribute 10.1 innings over the last three games. So Cora had hoped for a deep outing from Rick Porcello.
"I felt like (the game) was going to go from Rick to Craig,'' said Cora.
After a two-out single by C.J. Cron off Porcello, it was time to unveil the plan.
"We were going to bring (Kimbrel) in for the ninth anyway,'' said Cora, "so why not (bring him in for the final out in the eighth)? Physically, he's getting there and he understands where we're at.''
Kimbrel allowed a double to Joey Wendle, though a better outfielder than J.D. Martinez almost certainly would have caught the ball. No matter. Kimbrel, with runners at second-and-third, fanned Brad Miller.
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With runners on second and third, Craig Kimbrel strikes out Brad Miller swinging to end the top of the 8th with the game tied at 3 (00:16)
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Craig Kimbrel strikes out Carlos Gomez with runners on second and third to complete a four-out save as the Red Sox win, 4-3 (00:19)
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