All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Mariners, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Devers makes the difference: It's probably not a coincidence that Red Sox' offensive rebound this season coincided with a long hot streak from Rafael Devers. In the top of the eighth, after Rob Refsnyder had been hit by a pitch, Devers fell behind 0-and-2, but then swung at a fastball up and out of the zone and hit it out to left. Those two were runs were the only runs by either team. Over the last 34 games, Devers has 10 homers and knocked in 25, and even on a team that features two others having All-Star caliber seasons, Devers is clearly the team's most productive bat. He leads the league in hits, doubles, and extra-base hits and is among the leaders in total bases. The homer was a great example of what makes him so tough -- behind in the count, he was able to club a pitch well out of the strike zone out of the ballpark, to the opposite field.
Crawford comes through: The Red Sox were unsure of what they were going to get from Kutter Crawford in his first start in 2022. But with the bullpen somewhat depleted, they hoped to get four or five innings. They got five, and they were five shutout innings. Crawford didn't allow a base hit until two were out in the fifth when Luis Torren singled to right. But Crawford got the next hitter he faced to strand Torren. He did walk four over five innings, but many of the pitches called strikes were just outside the zone. He also fanned seven by mixing his three pitches -- cutter, curveball and changeup. Crawford looks to have earned a more permanent spot in an injury-stricken rotation.
Defense shines: In a close, low-scoring game like this one, it's the little things that matter most, and the Sox had two outstanding play in the field in the bottom of the eighth. First, Devers came up with a barehand grab and a strong throw to first to nip Jesse WInker for the first out. Then, Rob Refnsyder, moved from center field to right field after Jackie Bradley Jr. entered the game in the top of the inning, raced after a line drive in the right-center field gap off the bat of Ty France, and with full extension, made a catch to rob France of extra bases. You'll not see a more acrobatic outfield catch this season, and it couldn't have come at a more important time, with the Sox leading by two in the eighth.
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox have had their share of shaky ninth innings all season, most recently Saturday night when yet another lead slipped away and resulted that in a loss. But that wasn't the case Sunday, thanks to Tanner Houck. Rested after being given Saturday off, Houck came on with a two-run lead and proceeded to make quick work of the Mariners, retiring Seattle's 4-5-6 hitters on just eight pitches with a groundout, a strikeout and a pop-up. The Sox couldn't let another one get away, and Houck made sure it didn't.
TWO UP
Xander Bogaerts: In addition to a steady day in the field, Bogaerts managed to get himself on base twice, with a double in the second and a walk to open up the seventh.
Boston bullpen: After a blown save in the ninth inning Saturday night, Red Sox relievers rebounded in a big way, with four different pitchers combining for four shutout innings, without allowing a single hit.
TWO DOWN
Kevin Plawecki: Plawecki did a nice job navigating Kutter Crawford through five innings, but he was 0-for-3 at the plate and also allowed three more stolen bases. Opposing base runners are 10-for-10 running against Plawecki.
Bobby Dalbec: Dalbec, who was nearly the hero Saturday night, had a rough day at the plate. He was 0-for-4 and twice failed to get a runner home from third base. He stranded Xander Bogaerts in the second, then hit into an inning-ending double play with Bogaerts on third with one out in the seventh.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Unreal. Hand-eye coordination, power...you've got to be perfect to hit a ball like that, and he was with that swing.'' Alex Cora on Rafael Devers and the game-winning two-run homer.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The shutout was the sixth by Red Sox pitching this season.
* Boston improved to 17-6 in games against AL West opponents.
* The Sox are 7-1-2 in their last 10 series.
* The last time the Sox won as many as eight games on any road trip was 2017.
* Not since 1995 have the Red Sox won as many as eight games on a West Coast road trip.
* Rafael Devers has nine career homers in 30 games against Seattle.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox have a scheduled day off Monday before starting a nine-game homestand Tuesday. First in, Oakland, with the Red Sox sending RHP Nick Pivetta (5-5, 3.78) against LHP Jared Koenig (0-1, 9.00).