All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-5 win over the Rays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Game ends on odd note: With the Red Sox clinging to a one-run lead, the potential tying run on second and potential winning run at first, Christian Vazquez threw behind the runner at first, Tommy Pham, and picked him off for the final out. Credit Vazquez with being alert -- although there were hints that a play was put on from the Red Sox dugout -- and making a strong throw and first baseman Steve Pearce for sneaking in behind Pham to take the throw and apply the tag. It has not been a good week on the bases for Pham -- on Thursday night, the night before the Sox series began, Pham attempted to steal third base in the ninth inning of a tie game and was thrown out. The Rays went on to lose the game in 11 innings to Baltimore. If anything, though, Saturday's miscue was worse, since it appeared that Pham wasn't fully alert, with a far-too-big lead off first, then failing to get back to the bag in time.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1119776699443548160
Benintendi delivers — twice: In the second inning, the Red Sox had a run and the bases loaded when Andrew Benintendi stepped to the plate against Tampa Bay starter Charlie Morton. Benintendi drove a fastball on the outer half to left-center and the ball managed to just clear the wall. (In fact, on a crew review, the umpires checked to determine if the fan who caught the ball had interfered by reaching into the field of play; it was ultimately ruled he hadn't). Benintendi was then hitless in his next two at-bats, but came into play again in the ninth. With runners on second and third and one out, he managed a tough at-bat against lefty flamethrower Jose Alvarado, hitting a ball deep enough to right field to enable Jackie Bradley Jr. to score the go-ahead run from third base.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1119734690934661121
Porcello straightens out: After three horrid starts, Rick Porcello finally give the Sox a quality outing. He yielded a solo homer in the second to Avisail Garcia, then gave up two triples in the fourth for a second run. But that was the only damage done against him. More to the point, Porcello displayed far better control. After walking 12 in his first 11.2 innings over the first three starts, he issued just one walk. Throughout, thanks to some mechanical adjustments, he showed far better fastball command and even though he missed location on a few pitches in the middle of the game -- resulting in extra-base hits -- he kept the game under control, something he couldn't claim about any of his first starts this season.
TURNING POINT
The Rays threatened in the seventh, scoring two off the Boston bullpen and putting the potential tying run on third. But Marcus Walden took over and over nine pitches, struck out the next two hitters -- one looking, one swinging -- to preserve the lead.
ONE UP
Michael Chavis: Chavis made his major league debut off the bench in the ninth and belted a bullet double to deep center, sending Bradley to third to help set up the go-ahead run.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1119768648808325121
TWO DOWN
Bobby Poyner: With some of the bullpen unavailable, the Sox turned to Poyner for some big outs in the seventh and didn't get them. After getting ahead of pinch-hitter Guillermo Heredia, he walked him, then got ahead of Austin Meadows, allowed a two-run triple.
Tzu-Wei Lin: Rough night at the plate for the infielder, who was 0-for-3 in his first three at-bats, then couldn't get a bunt down in the ninth, fouling off his second attempt for another strikeout.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It feels good. If you would have told us before the year that it would take us this long to win a series, we'd probably laugh.'' - Andrew Benintendi.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- While the win gave the Red Sox their first series win of the season, it also represented the Rays' first series loss of the year.
- Tampa Bay collected four triples against the Red Sox.
- J.D. Martinez extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He's reached safelty in all 21 games to date
- After not recording a blown save in their first 18 games, the Red Sox have blown two in their last three games.