All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-3 win over the Tigers, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Ready for launch?: The first half of the season has certainly had its shares of highs and lows for the Red Sox, but perhaps they are finally finding some consistency. Sunday's win over the Tigers was their fourth straight as they head into the All-Star Break with a 49-41 record — a season-best eight games over .500 — and having won five of their last six games. Waiting for the Red Sox after the break at Fenway: the NL-best Dodgers, their old friends from the World Series. “We need to get better,” Cora said. “We start against the Dodgers right off the bat Friday. We need to do better than this.”
Price grinds to 150th career win: It was anything but a Picasso in five innings of work, but David Price was sharp enough to become the first Red Sox pitcher since Tim Wakefield in 2006 to notch his 150th career victory. “That’s cool,” Price said. “That’s winning 15 games a year for 10 seasons. The back of my baseball card speaks for itself, and I’m definitely proud of it.” It didn't look good early as Price trailed 1-0 after two batters following a walk and double. But Price retired the next eight batters and held the Tigers in check from there, grinding out four hits, two walks and six strikeouts over 99 pitches to improve to 7-2 (3.24 ERA).
Vazquez, Bogaerts stay hot: Big shocker here — Christian Vazquez and Xander Bogaerts continued to carry the Red Sox' offense. Vazquez took Gregory Soto deep on an 0-2 pitch to give the Sox a 2-1 lead in the second.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1147932239876874240
Bogaerts’ two-out, two-run double ignited a three-run fifth.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1147945260393230336
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox busted it open in the fifth with three runs in what was a 2-1 game at the time. Boston sent eight men to the plate with huge two-out RBIs from Bogaerts (double) and Andrew Benintendi (single through the left side of the infield) to make it 5-1.
TWO UP
J.D. Martinez: Besides the red-hot twins (Vazquez, Bogaerts), Martinez paced the offense with a 2 for 3 day and a team-leading two runs scored.
Marco Hernandez: Went 2 for 4 to raise his average to .360 with an OPS of .933. Eduardo Nunez better watch his back.
ONE DOWN
Ryan Brasier: Is any lead safe at this point? Apparently not. With a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth, Brasier surrendered a two-run homer to Brandon Dixon. Brandon Workman had to come in and extinguish the flames.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He makes adjustments. One day it’s 94 (mph). Another day it’s 89-90 with the changeup and precision. That’s why he’s great." — Cora on Price.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Vazquez has four RBIs in the last two games and a career-high 41 for 2019. That's third among AL catchers.
- Bogaerts finished the first half with 65 RBI (second-most in AL), 29 doubles (tied for first in the AL) and 46 extra-base hits (tied for first in the AL).
- Price is one of nine pitchers since 1920 to total 150 wins, capture at least 65 percent of his decisions and with a career earned-run average of 3.30 or lower. (Sandy Koufax, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Whitey Ford, Lefty Grove, Ron Guidry, Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer).
- Since July 20 last year, Price is 13-3 with a 2.80 ERA and the team is 18-9 in games he pitches (regular season).