All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Royals, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Wacha brilliant again: The Red Sox' best starter, from the first weeks of the season, has been Michael Wacha, and now, just a couple of weeks from the finish line, that hasn't changed. Wacha gave the Red Sox seven strong innings, allowing just one run on seven hits. He didn't walk a single batter and fanned four. The only run against him came in the sixth when M.J. Melendez led off with a double high off the wall in center and rode home on a run-scoring single by Salvador Perez. Otherwise, the traffic against him was scattered and he was able to work out of what little difficulty he encountered. As usual, the changeup was Wacha's best weapon and his quick tempo didn't hurt, either. Worth nothing: the Red Sox are 15-5 in Wacha's 20 starts this season.
Walk in the park: One of the downfalls of this Red Sox offense has been their inability to draw walks. The team is middle-of-the-pack when it comes to working walks -- seventh in the American League and 15th among all 30 MLB teams -- and that's no doubt hampered them at times. Not only have the Sox gotten themselves out by chasing pitches outside the zone, but they've failed to produce additional baserunners for themselves by working walks. That wasn't the case Friday night, however, especially late in the game. Though they accumulated just two walks in the first six innings, they showed increased patience in the late innings, with two walks in the seventh and four (!) in the eighth, helping set up their two runs.
Good showing from the bullpen: After seven innings, the Red Sox trailed 1-0 and it appeared as though Wacha's fine outing might have been wasted. But with a close game, it was important for the bullpen to keep the score there, buying time for a run or two. First, Garrett Whitlock came out, attacking the strike zone, fanning the first hitter he faced on three pitches. He allowed a two-out single, but successfully worked around that. In the ninth, not wanting to extend Whitlock too much, the Sox turned to Matt Strahm who got two quick outs before issuing a walk of his own. That proved harmless, however, when he got Hunter Dozier on a routine flyout for the final out, preserving the one-run lead.
TURNING POINT
With the Royals leading 1-0 in the seventh, Michael Taylor led off by reaching on an infield single. Taylor has terrific speed -- he has just three steals this year, but has 94 over his career -- and is a threat to go almost anytime he gets on base. And he's also fast enough to score from first on a double, and the way things were going for the Red Sox' bats, they could ill-afford to fall behind by two runs. But with the shift on, Wacha got Michael Massey to hit a ground ball to the right side, and the Sox were able to eliminate Taylor at second with a force out. With one down and the dangerous Taylor off the bases, Wacha fanned the next hitter and got the third out on a foul pop-up.
TWO UP
Triston Casas: Casas missed a big chance to blow the game open when he fanned with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth, but previously, he showed good control of the strike zone when he worked two walks.
Alex Verdugo: LIke Casas, Verdugo wouldn't be baited into swinging at pitches outside the zone, walking twice including once with the bases loaded to force in a run.
TWO DOWN
Tommy Pham: From the leadoff spot. Pham didn't get on base in four plate appearances, and while he posted his 13th assist from the outfield in the third inning, that was the result of misplaying a catchable line drive.
Xander Bogaerts: The shortstop was looking for career hit No 1,400, but didn't get it, going 0-for-4 and stranding four baserunners along the way.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"For a game that didn't look too good early, we found a way to scrap it out.'' J.D. Martinez.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The win was just the fourth all season in which the Red Sox won after trailing after seven innings.
* The game marked the second time this year the Sox won despite collecting just three hits or fewer.
* The Sox improved to 7-3 in their last 10 games at home.
* Michael Wacha's 2.61 ERA is the fourth lowest for any starter in his first 20 starts with the Red Sox over the last 75 years.
* The save was the first for Matt Strahm since June 8.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will play the middle game of their weekend series with the Royals, sending LHP Rich Hill (7-6, 4.56) vs. RHP Brady Singer (8-4, 3.21) at 4:10 p.m.