BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 1, Angels 0 - Wacha spins a beauty

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

BOX SCORE 

Wacha goes the distance: In what was arguably the best starting pitching performance for a Red Sox pitcher this season, Michael Wacha tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits, becoming the third Sox starter in the last three weeks to notch a complete game. Nick Pivetta and Nathan Eovaldi accomplished the feat previously. Wacha hadn't pitched past the sixth inning this year, and you'd have to go back to 2018 for the last time he pitched into the eighth. But after allowing two hits in the first inning, Wacha was in complete command, allowing just one hit -- and only two baserunners -- over the final eight innings. As his pitch count climbed, he became more and more efficient, too, needing just eight pitches to get three outs in the eighth inning. Wacha did not allow a baserunner to third base all evening and had runners in scoring position just twice -- in the first and again in the sixth. Another encouraging sign was that Wacha was able to maintain - and at times, ramp up -- his velocity as he got deeper into the game. When he needed to reach base, Wacha was spotting his four-seam fastball in the upper 90s.

Febles make the right call: Ordinarily, you only hear about a third base coach when he makes the wrong decision and gets a baserunner thrown out at the plate. But in the Red Sox' 1-0 victory over the Angels, third base coach Carlos Febles made the right call in the second inning and given how the rest of the night unfolded, it may have meant the difference between a win and a loss. Alex Verdugo was on first base with two out and Christian Vazquez at the plate when the catcher drove a single to center. Because the pitch Vazquez hit came on a 3-and-2 count, Verdugo was off with the pitch, giving him a good head start. He hit second and headed to third as center fielder Mike Trout fielded the ball and threw the ball into the Angels cutoff man behind second base. But when Febles noticed the ball bounced before its intended target, he got the idea that could make all the difference for Verdugo and waved him home. Verdugo never slowed at he reached third and slid safely into home, easily beating the throw. "Carlos was our best offensive player today with that send,'' said Alex Cora. "Carlos recognized the throw, he took a chance and it was a great send. It was amazing.''

TURNING POINT

In the sixth inning, with the Red Sox clinging to a 1-0 lead, the Angels threatened with a two-out double down the left field line from Matt Duffy. That brought Shohei Ohtani to the plate with the potential tying run in scoring position. But Wacha dialed it up, firing four straight fastballs to Ohtani, each a little harder than the previous one, until he finished him off with a 97 mph four-seamer that Ohtani foul tipped into Christian Vazquez's glove.

TWO UP

Christian Vazquez: Vazquez supplied the biggest hit of the game, driving a single to center in the second, scoring Alex Verdugo all the way from first base.

J.D. Martinez: Martinez was given the day off Sunday in Oakland and came out refreshed, reaching base three more times with a single, double and a walk.

TWO DOWN

Christian Arroyo: Given a start in the outfield because Kike Hernandez was given the night off, Arroyo was 0-for-3 a in the s the Sox continue to struggle from the leadoff spot in the order.

Trevor Story: Story made a few nice plays in the field, but was 0-for-4 at the plate, including two strikeouts.

QUOTE OF NOTE

"It's very satisfying. It's a really cool feeling to go deep in a game and finish what you started.'' - Michael Wacha

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

* Alex Cora tied Ralph Houk for 10th place for most wins by a Red Sox manager with 312 wins.

* Rafael Devers extended his hitting streak to six straight games.

* The Red Sox have three complete games; no other team in MLB has more than one.

* Christian Vazquez has 14 RBI in his last 16 games.

* J.D. Martinez has at least one base hit in 40 of his 45 games.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox and Angels continue their four-game series Tuesday night at 9:38 p.m. with RHP Garrett Whitlock (2-1, 3.02) vs. TBA.