All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 4-2 victory over the Padres, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Enmanuel Valdez three-run blast: Valdez had been one for his last 11 coming into the game against the Padres. The left-handed slugger hit his third homer of the season into the right-field seats. Ramiel Tapia and Kike Hernández both scored on the blast. Valdez finishes the night 2-for-4, with a home run and three RBIs.
Chris Sale was his old vintage self again: Sale tossed seven innings, with eight strikeouts, one walk, two earned runs. The two runs Sale allowed came off home runs, Juan Soto hit a solo blast to right-center field in the second inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a mammoth solo homer off Sale that landed in the second deck in left field during the sixth inning. He retired the side in order in the first, third, fourth and seventh inning. The left-hander has now thrown six innings or more in each of his last four starts, he is now 3-0 over that span. The Red Sox are now 6-3 in his starts this season.
TURNING POINT
Ramiel Tapia starts a second-inning rally: Tapia started the second inning with a one-out single, he would move up to second when Musgrove hit Hernández with a pitch. Valdez came to the plate with both runners on, Tapia and Hernández attempt a double steal, Tapia was called out at third but Cora challenged the call and it was overturned. Valdez then launched a 374-foot, three-run blast leading the Red Sox offensive charge.
TWO UP
Alex Verdugo extends hit streak: Verdugo entered the game with a five-game hitting streak. The Red Sox right fielder extended his streak to six games with a base hit to left field in the fourth, knocking in Hernández in the process. The 26-year-old now has 38 hits which have him in the top three of the American League.
The Kike Hernández show: Tatis Jr. hit a ground ball deep into the hole at shortstop, Hernández ranged to his left, flashing the leather and threw out the runner to end the third.
“I think as you’re going after the ball, figuring out as you’re reading it if you’re going to slide for it to do a pop-up throw or if you’re going to try to stay on your feet and put on the breaks,” Hernández said to reporters after the game. “I can get the most out of my throw by doing what I did, which is sliding, popping up and throwing as quickly as I could.”
Hernández has struggled at shortstop this season making eight errors in his first 28 games. Since then, he's settled in only making one error in his last 13 games, dating back to May 2.
“He played some great shortstop today,” Cora said. “He’s been playing good shortstop for the last three weeks. Just moving fast and playing as an athlete. His arm plays there. Just a matter of slowing him down on a few plays. But I think overall, the last few weeks have been solid.”
Hernández led off the top half of the fourth and roped a ball into left center. He was initially called out trying to stretch the hit into a double. Cora who was already 1-for-1 with challenges in the game signaled to the umpire crew to take a look at the play and the call was overturned. The shortstop went 1-for-3 at the plate with his eighth double, two runs scored and a stolen base and is slashing .243/.299/.355 on the season.
ONE DOWN
Triston Casas remains cold: Casas was penciled into the No. 3 hole for the first time in his career. The young slugger failed to produce leaving three runners on base, striking out once and walked once. He's hitless in his last nine at-bats and is hitting .178 on the season.
NOTABLE
Alex Cora trusts Chris Sale: Sale threw a season-high 110 pitches in his last start against the Cardinals. That didn't stop Cora from using his lefty deep into the game again watching Sale throw a new season-high 111 pitches. Sale started to look like he was hitting a wall in the sixth inning, Tatis Jr. homered, Ha-Seong Kim doubled and then he settled down, retiring the next three batters. That didn't stop Cora from sending his ace back out for the seventh inning even with Kutter Crawford warm in the Red Sox bullpen.
"Good fastball, good slider, good command," said Cora. "[He] got in trouble there, we let him get out of it and then into the seventh, it was kind of like, get the leadoff guy, and he did. And then get the next guy, and he did, and he finished the inning. But overall, everything he's been working on is paying off and he's in a great spot."
Over his last four starts, Sale owns a 2.30 ERA, seven runs allowed in 27 1/3 innings.
Kenley Jansen closes the door in the ninth: Jansen hadn't pitched since last Saturday when he blew a save against the Cardinals from Fenway Park. His blown save came on consecutive nights and spoiled a very good start from Sale. Jansen retired Xander Bogaerts who led off the inning with a fly ball to right field. Bogaerts is now 0-for-8 in the series against his former team. The All-Star closer walked Juan Soto to create some drama in the inning, but quickly popped out Matt Carpenter to third and then walked Jake Cronenworth to put two runners on but was able to get Brandon Dixon to pop out and end the game.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will look to sweep the three-game series on Sunday at 4:10 p.m. and will have Corey Kluber on the mound. Kluber is 2-5 with a 6.41 ERA this season. He will be opposed by former Red Sox starter Michael Wacha (4-1, 4.06 ERA), The right-hander will be looking for a team-leading fifth win on the season.
