All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 9-3 win over the Mariners, complete with BSJ analysis and insight.
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Rodriguez streak grows: Starter Eduardo Rodriguez won his sixth straight start with a strong effort, allowing two runs on five hits in seven innings of work. Rodriguez walked just one and fanned nine and the Sox have now won 13 of the lefty's 14 starts this season. Before Sunday's start, both Alex Cora and pitching coach Dana LeVangie expressed hope that Rodriguez could both improve his tempo and his efficiency. In that regard, Rodriguez was successful. He certainly pitched at a quicker pace and wasn't nearly as deliberate as he had been Tuesday night in Baltimore. "He made a conscious effort to speed it up (and the tempo) was a lot better today,'' said Cora. But the efficiency is going to need more time. Rodriguez used 113 pitches to get through six innings and that needs improvement. After the Sox gave him a 5-0 lead in the top of the third, Rodriguez needed 24 pitches to get three outs in the bottom of the inning and another 24 to get through the fourth. For someone who can be as dominant as Rodriguez, he needs to find a way to get the Sox through seven innings more regularly.
Offense returns after a night off: On Saturday, the Sox were limited to two measly singles -- one from Mookie Betts to start the game and then no more hits until the eighth -- and were shutout for the third time this season. But the offense looked completely different on Sunday. In the third inning, the Sox broke out for five runs, led by a massive clout from Rafael Devers, who delivered a three-run shot for his 11th homer of the year. But that wasn't the end of the power display. Xander Bogaerts, who had homered Thursday and Friday, contributed his third of the series, and Jackie Bradley Jr. tacked on another run with a solo shot in the seventh. The Sox strung some rallies together, too -- in the big five-run third, all of the baserunners, to say nothing of the runs, after two outs.
Sox remain road warriors: With Sunday's win, the Red Sox improved to 26-13, a .667 winning percentage, away from home. Here it is, nearing the halfway point of the season, and the Red Sox have lost just two road series all year -- in Oakland at the end of April and a three-game set in New York in May. With two series down and one still to be played on this 11-day, 10-game trek, the Sox are already assured of no worse than a .500 trip and with just one in the final series against the Twins, can assure themselves of yet another winning road trip. "It's a good start so far,'' agreed Mitch Moreland. "Obviously, (Seattle) is a great team. We came in here, split with them, go to Minnesota after this last one and maybe carry a little momentum.''
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox were already leading 2-0 in the third after a two-run single from Mitch Moreland. But with two on, Rafael Devers came to the plate and hammered a pitch from Seattle starter Mike Leake off a restaurant sign in right field, measured at 442 feet. Suddenly a two-run cushion grew to 5-0, and the Red Sox never looked back after that.
TWO UP
Andrew Benintendi: Benintendi did it all. He had three hits -- all singles -- added a sacrifice fly, scored two runs and stole a base for a complete offensive day.
Mitch Moreland: Moreland had been slumping of late, going hitless over his previous 11 at-bats and collecting just one hit in 18 at-bats. But he delivered a two-run single to get the Red Sox on the scoreboard in the third, then, working against the shift in the seventh, singled to short.
ONE DOWN
Mookie Betts: A rare off day for the Red Sox' leadoff hitter -- Betts was hitless in four at-bats, though he managed a walk in his final plate appearance.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Two out of four, we'll take it, but I think we let one slip away.'' Alex Cora on the Sox gaining a split of the series but bemoaning Friday's loss in which they blew an eighth-inning lead and suffered a defeat.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Sox improved to 31-3 when scoring first.
- With the split, the Sox are 8-2-2 in road series.
- Boston is now 18-5 in series finales and 14-3 on getaway days.
- After scoring three runs in the third inning Friday, the Sox scored five more in the third Sunday.