Final: Red Sox 2, Mariners 1 - Kimbrel hangs on

David Price became the third member of the Red Sox rotation to win his eighth game, limiting the Seattle Mariners to a single run over seven innings in a 2-1 Boston victory.

Xander Bogaerts snapped a 1-1 tie with solo homer in the sixth off Seattle starter Felix Hernandez. The Sox had grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second when Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled home Rafael Devers from second.

The only run off Boston pitching came in the fifth when the Mariners used two singles, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly from Guillermo Heredia.

Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel finished up for the Sox, who won their fourth straight.

WHO: Red Sox vs. Seattle Mariners
WHEN: 10:10 p.m.
WHERE: Safeco Field
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox begin their second series of a three-city trip, having swept the Orioles on their first stop. Overall, the Sox have won eight of their last 11 and 19 of their last 27. This is the first meeting of the year between the two teams (with another series scheduled next weekend at Fenway). Boston owns nearly as good a road mark (23-11) as home record (24-11). The Mariners ate the surprise team of the American League to date, having overtaken the world champion Houston Astros for first place in the A.L. West. The Mariners are on a 19-5 roll and just swept division rival Los Angeles at home.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP David Price (7-4, 4.00) vs. RHP Felix Hernandez (6-5, 5.70)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM

IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:

11:48  Can't say that I saw that one coming -- Xander Bogaerts had been overmatched in his previous two at-bats against Hernandez and then fell behind  0-and-2 in that at-bat, too. But after extending the at-bat, Bogaerts took a nice, easy swing on a 90 mph fastball from Hernandez and hit it out to the deepest part of Safeco. That was his 10th homer of the season, equaling his total from a year ago.

11:31 Maybe not the best idea for Vazquez to throw down on that play. It looked like Kyle Seager may have been trying to draw a throw from the Sox' catcher to he could break for third -- which is what happened.

11:21   Impressive at-bat from Christian Vazquez, who battles Hernandez through eight pitches, fouling off a number of pitches before fighting off a two-seam fastball and lining it into right for a single.

10:36  On Wednesday, Alex Cora said he told Jackie Bradley Jr. "Don't change a thing.'' That seemed a curious bit of advice for someone who is in the middle of an 0-for-17 skid, but Cora's point was that Bradley hat, at least in the series finale with the Orioles, had some bad luck. Indeed, Bradley hit the ball very hard twice -- once right at the first baseman and once right at the right fielder. Bradley's first at-bat tonight? A ringing double to right, scoring Rafael Devers from second.

10:16 This is not the same Felix Hernandez of even a few years ago. The velocity on the fastball is off 5-6 mph and the command isn't as sharp. The Mariners have gone so long without making the playoffs (2001) that, incredibly, Hernandez has gone his entire career without pitching in the playoffs.

 

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Betts RF
Benintendi LF
Martinez DH
Moreland 1B
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Nunez 2B
Bradley CF
Vazquez C

MARINERS

Gordon 2B
Segura SS
Haniger RF
Cruz DH
Seager 3B
Healy 1B
Heredia CF
Span LF
Zunino C