All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 8-7 win over the Marlins, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Johnson works out of jams: As has become almost common-place, starter Brian Johnson wasn't allowed to go very deep -- lifted after 4.1 innings, but while he was in the game, he battled and limited the Marlins to a single run. After setting down the first seven hitters he faced, he yielded a solo homer to Isaac Galloway in the third, then had runners at first-and-third with two out before he got the Marlins' most dangerous hitter, J.T. Realmuto, to line out to second to end the inning. An inning later, it was more of the same: a lead-off triple by Starlin Castro and then a one-out walk that again gave the Marlins runners at the corners, with just one out. But Johnson was able to focus and got two infield popups to strand both baserunners. "I'm basically trying to bear down and get soft contact in the infield, or a pop fly,'' said Johnson of the mess he found himself in, "to where they aren't going to be able to tag-up -- basically, (acting as though) every pitch is a two-strike pitch.'' In 11 starts this season, Johnson has posted a respectable 3.51 ERA. And perhaps more tellingly, the team is 9-2 in those 11 games.
Nunez' second-half improvement: In the first few months of this season, Eduardo Nunez was clearly not himself, as he dealt with the after-effects of his sprained knee ligament suffered late last season. Nunez lacked range in the infield, and at the plate, couldn't drive the ball as well because his lower half wasn't yet strong enough. But in the second half, Nunez has looked like a completely different player. With his knee strengthened, he has a firmer foundation and the results are showing in the batter's box. Over the last 26 games, Nunez is 30-for-98 (.306) and the ball is again jumping off his bat the way it did last August after the Sox obtained him from the Giants at the deadline. On Tuesday, he slammed a homer in the sixth and a single in the eighth. "Much, much better,'' agreed Nunez of the difference he now feels at the plate. "My knee is working better, stronger and (has) more stability. My swing has started to be more explosive, and I'm swinging at better pitches. I'm more relaxed at the plate and I'm enjoying my game.''
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1034636933945647105
Bradley fights though at-bat to provide game-tying single in the eighth: It was almost exhausting watching Jackie Bradley Jr. battle through a seven-pitch at-bat that ended with a hard single up the middle to score two as the Red Sox tied the game at 6-6. "Saw a lot of fastballs,'' recounted Bradley. "Few outside the zone, a few in the zone. Took a couple of swings, fouled some off and was able to just compete on a very good pitch.'' Indeed, the single came on a 100-mph fastball from Marlins reliever Tayron Guerrero. Bradley has shown a propensity for being a tough out in such instances: Tuesday represented his seventh go-ahead or game-tying RBI in the eighth inning or later of his career.
SECOND GUESS
Alex Cora has been quick with the hook when it comes to Johnson, who on Tuesday night, as has become almost customary, was pulled in the middle of the fifth inning. Some of that stems from pitch count and some of it stems from not wanting him to face a lineup a third time through. But given the number of short starts and bullpen workload the Sox have had of late, it might have been a good idea to allow Johnson to get through the fifth, rather than dipping into the bullpen so early -- even after Monday's off-day.
TWO UP
Mookie Betts: After a rough stretch in the last 10 days, Betts lined the first pitch he saw into left field, then drew walks in three of his next four at-bats, showing a selectivity at the plate that's been missing of late as he was chasing pitches out of the strike zone.
Xander Bogaerts: He had a solid night at the plate, with a double and run scored in the second, a sacrifice fly in the third and a single as part of the ninth-inning winning rally.
ONE DOWN
Mitch Moreland: The streaky Moreland continued to trend downward, going 0-for-3 (with a walk) while pulling off pitches and taking some awkward swings at times.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Good, bad or ugly, a win is huge for us now.''
โ Xander Bogaerts
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The win was the Red Sox' fifth walk-off victory of the season.
- The Sox have won 21 of their last 25 interleague games and 18 of their last 21 at Fenway.
- Bradley has 12 game-tying or go-ahead RBI.
- Mookie Betts walked three times.
- Blake Swihart threw out a would-be base-stealer and has nabbed five of 11 runners this season.