All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Mariners, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Sox getting the hang of close ones: Friday night marked the fourth straight win for the Red Sox decided by one run --all three wins in Anaheim against the Angels were also one-run affairs. "It was a real grind,'' said Alex Cora of the victory, Boston's eighth in its last nine games. The biggest lead of the night was two for the Sox, and the game was knotted up as late as the seventh inning. Even in the ninth, when the Sox and Tanner Houck finally slammed the door, the Mariners had the potential tying run on third and the potential winning run on second before Houck got Adam Frazier to line a bullet right at Trevor Story for the 27th out for the Mariners. The more games the Sox play like this, the more comfortable they seem, and they've had plenty of practice in the last week alone.
Bullpen does the job: When starter Rich Hill was lifted after 4.1 innings, that left a lot of work to be done for the bullpen. They did it well, with only Matt Strahm allowing a run. Cora used Houck for the final three outs, and though he had plenty of traffic in the ninth, thanks to a hit batsman and a bloop single into shallow left, Houck didn't buckle. Indeed, he looked as relaxed as a pitcher can be with the game on the line in the final inning of a game. It's clear that Cora isn't in any hurry to name an official closer, making clear that Houck isn't going to be limited to that. Any way it winds up in the ninth, the Sox will be OK if they keep getting the kind of tag-team effort that they got Friday, with five different relievers going 4.2 innings and allowing only one run on five hits.
Dalbec delivers at home: First baseman Bobby Dalbec grew up in the greater Seattle area and still has lots of friends and family in the area. He estimated that about 50 people he knew were on hand to watch him, and for the second straight year in his homecoming, he didn't disappoint them. Dalbec, who homered at T-Mobile Park a year ago, did it against Friday night, cranking a slider out to left to lead off the top of the seventh and put the Sox ahead to stay. He later added an infield single as the Sox tried -- but failed -- to tack on an insurance run in the ninth.
TURNING POINT
Ordinarily, a double play that happens to result in a run isn't seen as much of an achievement, but in the top of the eighth inning, it happened to make all the difference for the Red Sox. After Bobby Dalbec's homer put the Sox up 3-2, the Sox threatened for more, getting runners at the corners with no out. J.D. Martinez, who had homered earlier, hit a grounder to short, resulting in a 6-3 double play. Still, that was enough for Rob Refsnyder to score from third with what turned out to be the winning run.
TWO UP
Rich Hill: Hill didn't take the Red Sox very deep, lasting only into the fifth inning, but he was mostly effective along the way, striking out six and making just one mistake -- a hanging slider that Jesse Winker hit down the RF line for a two-run homer.
Rob Refsnyder: Placed into the leadoff spot after joining the team Thursday, Refsnyder managed to get on base three times -- once the hard way, being hit in the back by a 101 mph fastball from Andres Munoz.
TWO DOWN
Christian Vazquez: Vazquez has had some huge hits over the last two weeks, but this was an off-night for him at the plate as he was 0-for-4 with a strikeout, two groundouts and a flyout.
Matt Strahm: Strahm noted two saves in the series in Anaheim, but after getting two quick outs in the eight, he allowed three straight hits and a run, making things uncomfortable for the Sox.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Little by little, you can see that he's making strides. He's been on time with pitches and he's dominating the strike zone. When he does that, he becomes very dangerous.'' Alex Cora on Bobby Dalbec.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* All four of Bobby Dalbec's homers this season have put the Red Sox ahead.
* With the win, the Red Sox improved to 16-5 against teams from the AL West this season.
* The home run by J.D. Martinez was his first after 78 at-bats, 19 games ago, to May 17.
* Dalbec stretched his hitting streak to five straight games.
* The game marked just the third time in the last 21 wins that the Sox didn't score at least five runs.
UP NEXT
In the middle game of this three-game weekend series, the Red Sox will turn to RHP Michael Wacha (4-1, 1.99) vs. RHP George Kirby (1-, 3.38)