After spotting the visitors a one-run lead, the Red Sox raced to their fourth straight win with seeming ease Wednesday night, posting a routine 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Andrew Benintendi and Xander Bogaerts, the top two hitters in the Red Sox lineup, combined for five hits and four RBI to help lead the offense. Christian Vazquez, suddenly revitalized at the plate, chipped in with three hits and two RBI, including his second homer in his last three starts.
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched into the sixth inning and allowed just one run on five hits. The Red Sox are now 11-1 in games started by the lefty.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won three in a row eight of their last 11, still in first place in the A.L. East with both the best winning percentage in the game the most wins. Boston won the series opener Tuesday 6-0 behind seven shutout innings from Steven Wright. The Tigers have struggled away from Detroit, going just 9-19 to date.
STARTING PITCHER: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (6-1, 3.88) vs. LHP Blaine Hardy (2-0, 2.77).
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS
10:00 Matt Barnes had a rocky inning, needed 26 pitches to get three outs after getting two quick outs, then loading the bases before ending the threat by getting James McCann to hit into a fielder's choice. Barnes, who spoke over the weekend about his improved command -- his walk tonight was his first in a nine games -- now has a 2.02 ERA and hasn't allowed a run over his last 11 appearances.
9:50 Christian Vazquez went the first 58 games of the season without a homer. Now, he has two in his last three starts. Vazquez broke the drought in the seventh inning, homering to tie up the game against the Astros in the seventh inning. It was an impressive blast. Tonight, he added another one, and finally seems to have unlocked some things at the plate. He had doubled and singled earlier and is now back over the .200 plateau.
8:50 Andrew Benintendi: not Mookie Betts, but an incredible simulation! The temporary leadoff hitter strikes again with a big hit, this one a leadoff homer into the home bullpen for his 10th homer of the season. He's got two extra-base hits and two RBI tonight. That's five homers in his last 11 games and seven in his last 16.
8:11 Andrew Benintendi gets a pitch an or two off the ground and golfs it to center, scoring Christian Vazquez. Benintendi is now hitting .407 with runners in scoring position this season.
7:57 Funny moment as Miguel Cabrera hits a pea nearly directly over the second base bag, only to have Eduardo Nunez make a leaping stab of the ball and rob him of a hit. Cabrera took about three steps out of the box, saw Nunez make the fabulous play, and then claps in appreciation while grimacing at his bad fortune.
7:33 Much was made Tuesday night about how well J.D. Martinez has been hitting in Fenway, with a slash line of .352/.400/.806 and 13 homers in 28 games, there's one example of the ballpark hurting him. Martinez just hit an absolute rocket in the bottom of the first, with the ball climbing, but striking The Wall a few feet below the Monster Seats. In 29 other ballparks, that's a homer; here, with Martinez getting thrown out trying to stretch at second, he gets only a long, hard-hit single.
LINEUPS
Benintendi CF
Bogaerts SS
Martinez LF
Moreland 1B
Nunez 2B
Travis DH
Devers 3B
Vazquez C
Bradley RF
TIGERS
Goodrum 2B
Castellanos RF
Cabrera 1B
Martinez DH
McCann C
Martin CF
Jones LF
Iglesias SS
Rodriguez 3B
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Sam Travis got his first start of the season, serving as the DH. "I loved what I saw in spring training,'' said Alex Cora, "and I love the swing on Sunday (when Travis doubled in Houston when pinch-hitting for J.D. Martinez). We'll give it a shot. Hopefully, he can hit one in the air -- he wasn't doing it that often (in Pawtucket) -- and help us win a ballgame.''
- Mookie Betts (abdominal strain) tracked some pitches and is "feeling a lot better,'' said Cora. "He'll take batting practice (Thursday) and we'll decided where to go. But he's feeling a lot better.'' When Betts is ready, he may need a one-game rehab assignment to get his timing back.
- Dustin Pedroia will resume baseball activities Thursday. "Mentally he's in a good place again,'' Cora said. "He's relieved.'' Pedroia was told Tuesday that he was suffering from inflammation, but there was no structural damage detected.
- Rafael Devers is hitless in his last 12 at-bats, and Cora described him as "a little bit frustrated. He hasn't been able to catch up to a fastball for a while. He's struggling right now. He's working on a few things in the cage.''