BSJ Game Report, ALDS Gm. 4: Red Sox 6, Rays 5 - Hernandez walks off Boston to ALCS

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Rays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Hernandez wins it: After storming out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning thanks to a bomb to center field by Rafael Devers, Boston watched Tampa Bay slowly chip away at the lead with a run in the fifth, two in the sixth and the Rays tied it with two more in the eighth. But in the bottom half of the ninth inning, Christian Vazquez had his second hit, a single to left, to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to second by Christian Arroyo. Pinch-hitter Travis Shaw reached on a slow roller and low throw by Yandy Diaz (it was not ruled an error ... somehow) and the Sox had runners on first and third with one out. Alex Cora pinch-ran Danny Santana for Vazquez and that would pay off. Kiké Hernández, who keyed the Sox' offense in this series, was up next. Rays manager Kevin Cash elected not to load the bases, perhaps because Devers was 3 for 4. On the second pitch, Hernandez lofted a fly ball to left that was deep enough to score Santana and send Boston to the ALCS against either Houston or Chicago.

It was fitting that Hernandez won it. He hit .450 with a 1.329 OPS, 3 doubles, 2 HR, and 6 RBI during the series (9-for-20, 4 R, 1 SF). If there was an ALDS MVP, he would have won it unanimously.

"Yeah, a lot of people were talking about the bunt, giving outs away, but we didn't need to score four runs in the ninth. We only needed to score one," said Cora. "Christian did a good job getting on base. Christian did a good job putting the bunt down. Travis did a good job putting the ball in play. It's something we always talk about. Then Kiké put the ball in the air. Old school baseball right there. Fundamental baseball, and we won the ALDS playing good fundamental baseball."

Red Sox bats woke up, big time: In the first 11 innings of this series, the Rays outscored the Red Sox, 10-2. The Red Sox then out-scored the Rays, 24-10, during the remainder of the series. In the final three games of the series, the Sox outhit the Rays 47-25. The Sox pounded out 12 hits in this one, including multi-hit games from Devers, Vazquez and J.D. Martinez. 

"I think they had a pretty relentless approach at the plate," Cash said. "We just could not create that swing and miss that we've done so well throughout the regular season. They really had a good approach. It felt like there was constant pressure. There were no easy outs. For us being a team that seems to strike a lot of guys out, we did not rack up the strikeouts like we typically do."

The Sox only struck out three times in Game 4.

Pitching starts, finishes strong: Eduardo Rodriguez, who allowed two runs in just 1.2 innings in taking the Game 1 loss, retired the first nine batters, including five strikeouts, in Game 4. He pitched into the 5th inning before giving way to Tanner Houck, who allowed a two-run homer run. 

"It was a relief that I got a second chance, and thank God I had the opportunity to pitch today again and keep the team in position to win the game," said Rodriguez. 

"Outstanding. He made some adjustments," Cora said of his lefthander. "I'm very, very happy for him. Everybody knows what happened last year and the up and downs of this season, and for him to go out there and give us a chance to win, it means a lot."

Perhaps the most impressive performance was by Garrett Whitlock, who retired all six batters he faced — including a runner on second and no outs in the 8th — to pick up the win.

Red Sox to ALCS: They're still waiting to find out who they will be playing — Houston leads Chicago 2-1 in the other Division Series — but the Red Sox are returning to the championship series for the second time in four seasons, both with Cora, who is now 15-4 in the postseason. The previous two times the Sox advanced to the ALCS (2013, '18), they won the World Series.

Since the start of 1986, the Sox are now 8-1 in potential clinching Postseason games at Fenway Park, having won their last five.

"This place gets rocking, man," Hernandez said. "This place gets rocking, and this place is a lot of fun to play in. Not that fun to play in when you're a road team, and that gives us a little bit of an advantage. I'm glad I'm wearing white when we play here."

TURNING POINT 

In the eighth inning, Whitlock entered in a very precarious situation — two runs were already in to tie it, and the Rays a runner on second with no one out, and Wander Franco up. Franco flew out to right, Brandon Lowe grounded out weakly to Whitlock, and then he got Nelson Cruz to ground out to end the threat. 

"It was a cool situation to come into, and just trying to get outs right away," said Whitlock, a Rule 5 pickup in the offseason. "I knew to try not to let the guy on second score. I just knew to try to get outs right away. ... I was worried about just trying to throw up a zero in the ninth. Once AC said you've got to keep going, that's all I was focused on. So move on to that one."

THREE UP

Garrett Whitlock: When he entered the game in that situation, it felt like the entire series was on the line because momentum had swung back to the Rays. Whitlock allowed 1 run in 4.1 IP over 3 appearances this postseason (1 H, 1 BB, 3 SO).

Rafael Devers: Was 3-for-4 and hit a 3-run HR in the 3rd inning, giving the Red Sox a 3-0 lead. In 20 career postseason games, has hit .300 with a .925 OPS with 3 HR and 20 RBI. Devers' 20 Postseason RBI are tied for the 3rd-most ever before turning 25 years old (Carlos Correa-24, Albert Pujols-21, Andruw Jones-20).

"This kid since 2017, it's all he knows, right?" Cora said. "Playoffs and be good in the playoffs. When we played him in '17, he was always smiling. There was no pressure, and he put great at-bats. ... What he did today, that was a great swing. He was under control the whole night, put good at-bats, played great defense.

"He's only 24. 25 in ten days, I think, right? I always said that there's a lot of young players, very talented players, but this kid, he's still young, been there, done that. He has a World Series ring. He's dominated October, and we're very proud of him."

TWO DOWN

Ryan Brasier: Had been great down the stretch, but was nearly the goat in this one when all three batters he faced had hits — including two big doubles — to tie the game and blow the save before Whitlock bailed him out.

Tanner Houck: Came in and surrendered a two-run homer to Wander Franco, which instantly gave the Rays life.

QUOTE OF NOTE

"A lot of things. A lot of things. Just proud of the group. Proud of everybody here. Happy for my family that they can enjoy this. Happy for Boston. It was an amazing day. That was loud. That was actually better than yesterday." - Cora, on being emotional after the game.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING 

• Tonight was Boston's 2nd straight walk-off win. It was the Sox' 4th walk-off win in a potential postseason clinch game. They also did so in Game 4 of the 2008 ALDS vs. LAA, Game 3 of the 2004 ALDS vs. ANA, and Game 8 of the 1912 WS vs. NYG.
• Josh Taylor retired all three batters he faced in the 7th. He has not allowed a run in three postseason appearances (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K).
• J.D. Martinez had four RBI in three games after sitting out Game 1 with an injury.
• Rays lost in 5 of their 7 ALDS appearances in franchise history, including both of their ALDS meetings with the Red Sox.
• Randy Arozarena has a hit in each of his last 9 postseason games dating back to Game 2 of the 2020 World Series (10/21/20). Ties the longest postseason hitting streak in franchise history. He's batting .382 (13-for-34) with 9 runs scored, 7 RBI and 7 BB over the span.

UP NEXT

The ALCS starts Friday night either in Houston or Chicago. The Astros lead the series 2-1 and it resumes, after a rainout Monday, 2:07 p.m. Tuesday in Chicago. 

Boston will host Games 3-5 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Better news: No conflict with Patriots-Cowboys.

Boom.