All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Mariners, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Sox finally walk one off: All season long, the Red Sox have found themselves on the wrong end of things in the ninth inning or extra innings. Before Sunday, they had been 0-5 when it came to walkoffs. Finally, however, they turned the tables. Trailing by a run in the bottom of the 10th, they got a run-scoring single from Kike Hernandez. After Chrsitian Vazquez was gunned down in a bang-bang play at the plate, the Sox loaded the bases and got a game-winning, walkoff grand slam from Franchy Cordero, triggering a huge celebration at home plate. It was a dramatic way to close out a highly successful homestand (6-1) while extending their winning streak to five games while giving them their first four-game sweep of the season. It was the 20th walkoff grand slam in franchise history and first since Travis Shaw -- whom Cordero replaced on the roster earlier this month -- had one against Texas last August.
Problems persist with the bullpen: As the Sox have played far better over the last two weeks, the bullpen has been a factor. But there are still hiccups in the late innings. When Hansel Robles gave up a game-tying, two-out homer in the top of the ninth to Eugenio Suarez, it marked the sixth blown save for the Sox from the ninth inning on this season. It's important for the Sox bullpen to have games like Saturday, when five relievers combined to provide six scoreless innings after Garrett Whitlock lasted just three innings. But at some point, the Sox have to find someone whom they can regularly trust to lock down one- and two-run leads in the ninth inning, or extra innings. Without a designated closer, they're left to try different options late, most of which have not been successful.
Eovaldi rebounds: In his last start, earlier this week, Nate Eovaldi was torched for five homers in the second inning, leading to the only defeat on the homestand. But Eovaldi was far sharper Sunday, which was very much necessary since the Sox were operating without a full bullpen. He blanked the Mariners over the first five innings before being victimized by Adam Frazier for a two-run homer in the top of the sixth. In all, he allowed just four hits over 6.2 innings, issuing only one walk and 11 strikeouts, the latter a career high. "I got back to kind of the basics for me today,'' he said, "sticking the heaters down and away, but making sure I'm getting them down in the zone. The way they came up swinging yesterday, I had to make sure I was keeping the fastball down and using the other off-speed pitches more.''
TURNING POINT
After reliever Jake Diekman surrendered consecutive one-out singles to the Mariners in the top of the 10th, the Mariners had their first lead of the afternoon and were threatening to do more damage, with baserunners at first and second. But Diekman righted things by striking out both Ty France and J.P. Crawford -- Seattle's No. 2 and 3 hitters in the order -- and stranding both baserunners. Keeping the deficit to one run proved big in the bottom of the inning when the Sox first tied it, then went ahead for good.
TWO UP
Christian Arroyo: He got word that he'd be filling in at DH only 30 minutes before the start of the game, but that didn't stop him from hitting a solo homer in his first at-bat.
Kiké Hernández: Finally, signs of life at the top of the order from the slumping Hernandez, who had a third-inning double and then singled home the tying run in the bottom of the 10th.
TWO DOWN
Bobby Dalbec: It was another futile afternoon at the plate for the first baseman, who grounded out to the right side three times and flied to right in an 0-for-4 performance.
Hansel Robles: The reliever suffered his third blown save of the season when gave up a game-tying homer in the top of the ninth. All three of his blown saves have come from the ninth inning on.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"He's really easy to root for. He's a great teammate, a great player, and he's a special talent. Really, really happy for him.'' - Christian Arroyo on Franchy Cordero.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The win was the first in extra innings for the Sox, who lost their first six.
* The four-game sweep was the first for the Sox since they took four in a row from Kansas City June 28-July 1, 2021.
* In four of their last five wins, the Sox have come from behind.
* Boston has homered in each of its last seven games.
* Jackie Bradley Jr. is batting .319 at home this season with an .883 OPS.
* Xander Bogaerts extended his on-base streak to 21 straight games.
UP NEXT: The Sox are off Monday before beginning a brief three-game road trip against the White Sox. On Tuesday, it will he RHP Nick Pivetta (2-4, 4.22) vs. RHP Dylan Cease (4-1, 3.09)