All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 2-1 victory over the Mariners, complete with BSJ analysis and insight.
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Price continues to build on a great stretch: Ever since Price returned from his carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis, he's arguably the best the most consistent starter in the Red Sox rotation. Thursday night marked the seventh-straight start in which he allowed three runs or fewer and the seven innings he provided represented the second-longest outing during this run. Price relief heavily on his fastball and cutter, and cut back on both his changeup and curveball. Whatever he was using for a pitch mix, it worked. He yielded just five hits -- all singles -- in his seven innings of work and allowed just one baserunner to reach scoring position -- all against a formidable lineup and a hot team. He didn't issue a single walk and struck out seven. "He was rock-solid,'' said Xander Bogaerts.
Bogaerts matches last year's homer total -- in mid-June: Last season was, in many ways, a forgettable year for the Red Sox shortstop. A hand injury in the first week of July spoiled his second half of the season and he posted his worst offensive year since becoming a regular. This year, healthy and with a newly aggressive approach at the plate, Bogaerts has been a different hitter. He appeared to be overmatched against Seattle starter Felix Hernandez in his first two at-bats Thursday night, striking out both times. But in the top of the sixth, after falling behind 0-and-2 quickly, he battled back, forced the count full against King Felix, then unleashed an almost effortless swing that sent a Hernandez fastball over the wall in straightaway center. "The more pitches he was throwing me, the better I was seeing him,'' said Bogaerts. It was his 10th homer in the Red Sox' 70th game-- and his 53rd -- covering 209 at-bats; a year ago, he hit 10 in 148 games played over some 571 at-bats. That wasn't his only impressive at-bat, either — he later perfectly executed a nice hit-and-run with J.D. Martinez on first, poking the ball into right and sending Martinez to third.
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Defense helped carry the day: Naturally, in a low-scoring pitcher's duel, every out gets magnified and it's important to convert balls into outs. The Sox did that Thursday, led by a superb double play from Bogaerts in the sixth. Three innings later, Bogaerts went down to one knee to handle a hot smash from Ryon Healy and start a game-ending 6-4-3 double play with the potential tying run on second and the potential winning run on first. "He's doing an outstanding job defensively,'' gushed Alex Cora. "People haven't noticed that.'' Throw in an impressive play by catcher Christian Vazquez -- who temporarily lost sight of a pop-up behind the plate in the seventh, thanks to a dusk sky, only to recover in time and for the first out in the seventh -- and it was an efficient and effective night all around for the Red Sox in the field.
TURNING POINT
The Mariners were threatening after the Sox had gone ahead in the top of the sixth, with the leadoff man on when Jean Segura hit a ball right up the middle. Xander Bogaerts, moved over toward second on the shift, gloved the ball as he went sprawling, reached back to tag second for the forceout on Dee Gordon, then made a strong throw from his knees to first to nab Segura. That cut off any momentum the Mariners may have been building.
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TWO UP
Christian Vazquez: The Sox catcher is contributing more at the plate, collecting two hits in four at-bats, lifting his average to .217, a jump of about 40 points from where he was less than a month ago.
Rafael Devers: Devers extended his hitting streak to nine-straight games with a second-inning single and a fourth-inning double. He also scored the game's first run after improbably stealing second.
ONE DOWN
Eduardo Nunez: Nunez was 0-for-4 at the plate and failed to make a play on a catchable foul ball down the right-field line.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He's right where we want him to be.''
— Alex Cora on David Price.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
- The Red Sox became the first team in baseball to have six players reach double figures in homers.
- The Sox have now won each of David Price's last seven starts.
- Eight of the last 13 games between the Sox and Mariners in Seattle have been decided by a single run.
- Boston improved to 11-7 against the A.L. West
- With Vazquez as their starting catcher, the Sox have won their last 13 games.