All you need to know about the Red Sox' 5-3 win over the Mariners, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Pitching and defense keys win: The Red Sox managed just five hits against Seattle pitching and didn't score after the second inning, but a strong effort from starter Eduardo Rodriguez (seven innings, three runs on six hits, no walks and eight strikeouts) meant that it didn't take much for the Sox to pick up a win. Rodriguez weathered doubles to three of the first six hitters on the afternoon and, with the bullpen having been worked hard in previous days, made sure he got the Sox the first 21 outs. He was aided and abetted by strong glovework behind him. In the third, Kiké Hernández took a circuitous route to a ball that the wind blew over to right, looping around in front of the home bullpen before making the catch about ankle high. Then, in in the eighth inning, with the potential tying run at the plate and one out, Marwin Gonzalez grabbed a grounder near the second base bag, and as naturally as possible, flipped it backhand from his glove to second baseman Christian Arroyo covering to begin a huge 6-4-3 double play.
Sox take advantage of Mariners' wildness: Over the final six innings, the Red Sox collected just two base hits - two doubles, both from J.D. Martinez. But thanks to a meltdown on the part of the first two Seattle pitchers, they didn't need anything more. Starter Nick Margevicius couldn't get out of the first inning after he walked four of the first seven hitters in the Red Sox lineup, the last two each forcing in runs with the bases loaded. His replacement, Drew Steckenrider, wasn't much more precise, hitting the first batter he faced and forcing in another run. He then walked the first two hitters of the second, too, leading to the fifth and final Red Sox run of the afternoon.
Homestand ends on high note: It was a mixed back of a homestand for the Red Sox, who came home having won nine of their previous 10 -- including a 6-1 mark on the road -- and ended up splitting all three series on the homestand. They went 2-2 with the White Sox, 1-1 with the Blue Jays and 2-2 with the Mariners. That left them at 8-8 at Fenway for the season and while .500 in your ballpark isn't exactly a recipe for success, Alex Cora pronounced himself at least partly satisfied. "It wasn't perfect,'' said Cora. "We need to be better at home, but we played some good teams. Overall, C+ I guess. We're not thrilled, but we're not upset.''
TURNING POINT
In the fifth inning, with the Red Sox up 5-1, Rodriguez quickly got himself into trouble with an infield single and two straight doubles, producing two runs while giving the Mariners a runner in scoring position, no outs and the top of the order due. But Rodriguez dug in and got a strikeout sandwiched around two routine flyouts to right field. Starting with the first out in that inning, Rodriguez retired the final nine hitters he faced and didn't allow another baserunner the rest of the way.
TWO UP
J.D. Martinez: Martinez banged out two doubles a drew a walk in four plate appearances and leads MLB in extra-base hits (17) and total bases (61) and doubles (10).
Matt Barnes: After a rocky outing Friday in which he allowed a three-run homer, Barnes got back on track with a very efficient ninth inning, retiring all three hitters, two by strikeout.
ONE DOWN
Hunter Renfroe: It was another unproductive day in the batter's box for the embattled outfielder, who after drawing a first-inning walk, was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
QUOTE OF NOTE
''That's what aces do. They put their team on their back.'' Alex Cora on Eduardo Rodriguez.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The win was the Red Sox' 11th comeback victory of the season, the most of any team in MLB.
- The four runs in the first inning on just two hits was the Sox' first such first inning since Aug. 11, 2018.
- Eduardo Rodriguez is the first Red Sox starter to win all four of his first four starts since Rick Porcello in 2018.
- Xander Bogaerts finished the homestand with a .799 slugging percentage.
- Matt Barnes is 4-for-4 in save opportunities.