BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 12, Mariners 3 - Boston blows out Seattle to take series for strong finish to homestand

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

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Sox blow it open to win series: The Red Sox have seemingly snapped out of their funk, blowing out the Mariners for the second night in a row to take the series at Fenway, 2-1, by way of a 12-3 final. Boston scored three runs in the first before tacking on another six in the second to chase Marco Gonzales. Justin Turner homered, and Pablo Reyes had four RBI. 

Bello grinds it out: Something was off with Brayan Bello’s command tonight. Chalk it up to the cold weather, but the kid stuck with it, going five innings and striking out seven. Got himself out of a couple jams, and had a little help from the wind that likely kept a Taylor Trammell fly ball in the yard. 

TURNING POINT

Bottom of the second: Trammell nearly tied the game at 3-3 with the booming flyout, and Boston made Seattle pay for coming up empty at the plate. Turner belted a two-run homer before four more hits finished a six-run inning for the Sox, who batted through the order in that half of the second.

FIVE UP

Justin Turner: Turner again finds himself in the ‘Up’ column. 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring three runs and batting in two on his home run, his second in as many games. 

Brayan Bello: The 24-year-old only gave up three hits and one run, even while struggling to find the zone as he walked five and hit one batter. Plenty of run support certainly helped, but he could have easily faltered and didn’t. Set a season-high and tied a career-high with 7 Ks, and set a career-high 107 pitches (67 went for strikes). Bello generated 19 swings and misses, by far his most this season. Good to get the win on your birthday, too. 

Pablo Reyes: Reyes, playing second today, stayed red hot since joining Boston. Started his outing with a pair of doubles. Set a new career-high in RBI and matched his career-best in extra-base hits. His double in the first came with two outs on a 3-2 count and ended up keeping the spark going for Boston after Kiké Hernández flew out with the bases loaded. If Reyes didn't get anything there, the Sox would have only been up 1-0 after the first, and the game could have gone differently. Also made a sharp play, running to his left on a grounder before getting the out at first.

Kiké Hernández: Kiké had a forgettable weekend, whether it was his struggles at the plate or his throwing error that cost Boston the game on Saturday. In his first game back since a three-game absence with left hamstring tightness, he went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. Also made a nice defensive play with a diving snag on a grounder up the middle before getting the out to help Bello out of a jam in the fourth. 

The offense: Aside from the three hitters above, the last two games were refreshing for an offense that had gone fairly quiet for three straight outings. The Sox cracked it open with 10 hits and nine runs in the first two innings alone. All but one starter (Connor Wong) had a hit. Rafael Devers (two), Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran also had RBI. Boston was 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position, stranding seven (five in scoring position). 

NOTABLE

Nick Pivetta will move to the bullpen, Alex Cora said.

Devers has 22 RBI in his laast 23 games. He got everything started with an RBI single in the first.

Alex Verdugo left the game out of precaution with right groin tightness. Cora expects him to be fine. 

Yoshida has a hit in 12 of his last 13 games.

UP NEXT

The Sox will begin the first leg of a nine-game road trip when they open a three-game set against Xander Bogaerts and the San Diego Padres on Friday at 9:40 p.m. ET. LHP James Paxton (0-0, 3.60 ERA) will face LHP Blake Snell (1-5, 4.61 ERA).