All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 7-1 win over the Tigers, complete with BSJ analysis and insight
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
If ERod is on the mound, the runs will follow: Starter Eduardo Rodriguez had some difficulty finishing off hitters and thus, his pitch count escalated and he was done with two outs in the sixth. Nonetheless, he turned in his sixth-straight game in which he allowed three runs or fewer -- he gave up just one in 5.2 innings -- and sports a 2.14 ERA in that span. Once again, he benefited from strong offensive backing. The Sox are averaging a tick over seven runs in games he starts and he appreciated the support. "With this lineup,'' he said, "with these guys, you've just got to keep the game where we can score runs and win the game. That's my target every time I go out there.'' Rodriguez didn't have his best fastball command Wednesday, but relief more on his changeup and slider to take care of the Detroit lineup.
Extra work by Vazquez paying off at the plate: In Houston, Sandy Leon got three of the four starts behind the plate, providing some time for Christian Vazquez to work with hitting coach Tim Hyers. It seems to have paid off. Vazquez hit a huge game-tying homer Saturday in his one start there, and Wednesday, followed up with a three-hit game, including his second homer in his last three games. "It seems like he's on time,'' said Alex Cora. "He's able to see the ball better. You saw the results of the adjustment against (Justin) Verlander in that first at-bat (Saturday), then he goes deep. That's always good because when you work hard, if you don't see results, you can go back to (bad habits) ... the swings are better. He's getting into hitter's counts and taking advantage of it and now he's able to pull the ball again.''
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1004564172569546752
Benintendi picks up the slack: Mookie Betts has been out of the lineup for 10 days, but the Red Sox have somehow not missed a beat, as Andrew Benintendi replicates the power and production the Sox had been getting out of the leadoff spot. In his last 11 games -- or, roughly, coinciding with the absence of Betts -- he's hit five homers and a total of 11 extra-base hits and 11 hits overall. "I'm going up there to try to hit it hard and just kind of be the leadoff man, I guess,'' said Benintendi of his responsibilities, "and get on base and score runs. Obviously, Mookie is a big guy to lose, but we have a deep lineup.''
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1004529121840566273
SECOND GUESS
Good for Sam Travis, who got a start as the DH and delivered a run-scoring single in his four at-bats. But the Red Sox should be taking advantage of these opportunities to get Blake Swihart going. Certainly, it can't be about matchups, since Swihart is a switch-hitter and Cora said last week in Houston he was comfortable with Swihart hitting from either side of the plate. Yes, he's going to get a chance to catch either Friday or Saturday, but why not provide him with some at-bats as the DH?
TWO UP
Xander Bogaerts: Bogaerts continues to hit well, especially at home. He had a three-hit night (his sixth such game this season) and he has an OPS of 1.020 at Fenway, where he's collected 25 of his 33 RBI this year.
Rafael Devers: Devers snapped an 0-for-12 skid with a two-hit night — a single in the third before a booming double to straightaway center in the eighth.
ONE DOWN
Matt Barnes: One of the most reliable of the team's relievers of late, Barnes had a sloppy inning, allowing the bases to fill up after getting the first outs. It took 26 pitches for him to get out of the seventh.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I love it. The way they've been hitting every game, the way they hit every time I go out there, I just try to go out there and keep the game where they can score runs and win the game. I know it's going to happen.''
— Eduardo Rodriguez on his run support.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Sox improved to a season-best 24 games over .500.
- At Fenway, the Sox have won five straight, 11-of-13 and are 22-8 on the season.
- In winning their last four games, Boston has outscored the opposition 27-8.
- The Sox hit two homers and are now 26-5 when hitting multiple homers.
- Benintendi is now hitting .368 at home this season.
- Travis has three RBI in two games after knocking in one in 33 games last year.
- Bogaerts has reached safely in each of his last 31 home games.