Nick Sogard delivers with clutch late-inning hit, Aroldis Chapman remains unhittable fueling Red Sox to dramatic win over D-Backs

Let’s save the high fives and attaboys for the Red Sox for another time. After dropping the first two games to the Diamondbacks this weekend, Boston needed to win the series finale in Arizona. 

The game was tied at 3-3 heading into the ninth inning, and the Red Sox desperately needed someone to step up and deliver a key hit at a crucial moment of the game.

Who had Nick Sogard as the Red Sox’ player to come off the bench and provide late-inning heroics on their bingo card?

With one out in the ninth inning, Romy Gonzalez ignited the Sox’ rally, smacking a 75.2 mph curveball into center field for a single off right-handed reliever Taylor Rashi. Nate Eaton followed, reaching first after a six-pitch walk. With two runners on and one out, Ceddanne Rafaela was unable to cash in, flying out to left field.

That set the stage for Sogard, who Alex Cora summoned off his bench to pinch-hit for catcher Connor Wong. Sogard hammered the third pitch he saw from Rashi, an 83.5 mph splitter that was on the outside part of the plate, into left-center field for a two-run double, giving Boston a 6-4 lead.

“I think that’s just a testament to how deep this team is,” Sogard said following the game to NESN’s Jahmai Webster. “It’s always good to help contribute, and especially this time of year, with the way this team’s been going, it feels good. 

"That was a big win.”

One batter later, Cora again called for a pinch hitter off his bench, using Carlos Narvaez to hit for Masataka Yoshida, and he smoked a 76.9 mph sweeper into right field, scoring Sogard and sealing the game for Boston. 

With a three-run lead entering the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox relied on All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman to decisively defeat the D-Backs, leading Boston to a 7-4 victory in the desert. The hard-throwing southpaw struck out four batters in the frame to close out the game, sealing the win for the Sox.

Chapman remains dialed in on the mound and has not allowed a hit since July 23 (17 appearances).

“It’s huge, and Chappy too. We just got to be better with the rest of the guys, and that’s the reality of it,” Cora said of Whitlock, who received the win, and Chapman. “Trying to avoid him going two innings or four outs, but in that situation we needed it… Having those two guys in the back end of the bullpen is a luxury.”

Chapman’s hitless streak is the third longest since the beginning of MLB’s Modern Era in 1901. Tim Byrdak (18, 2012 Mets) and Randy Choate (20, 2011 Marlins) currently stand in front of the lefty as he looks to break the record. He also lowered his ERA down to 0.98 and has struck out 81 batters in 55 innings.

Cora compared Chapman’s impressive first season in Boston to Eric Gagne’s when he won the 2003 Cy Young Award as the closer for the Dodgers.

“Very close to Eric, I think,” Cora said. “What Eric did in LA—that was amazing, that was crazy. He was so good that people started staying late at games and started leaving early. But this is special, let’s put it that way. To do it at this age, and where we’re at as an industry as far as, like, the hitters and adjustments that they make, is eye-opening.”

Boston will now head to Sacramento to play a series with the Athletics, boasting a 79-65 record and in possession of the second American League wild-card spot. The Sox are five games ahead of the next closest team vying for a chance to play in October. With 18 games to play, the Red Sox are still hovering around the first-place Blue Jays, sitting just 3 1/2 games behind for the division crown.

The Red Sox are also sitting just 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the top spot in the wild card race. With significant playoff ramifications at stake, the two rivals will square off in a pivotal series this coming weekend at Fenway Park.

Besides the late-inning rally, the Sox made some noise in the seventh inning, scoring three runs, and it gave them their first lead since Tuesday. The frame opened with Trevor Story getting drilled by a pitch, and then he was caught in a rundown but advanced to second base after diving under the tag, making him a perfect 27-for-27 on steal attempts this season.

With two outs, Wong hit a ground ball to third base, and Arizona’s Jordan Lawler bobbled the ball, recovered it, but then threw wide of first base for a two-run error that put Boston on top. 

David Hamilton added an RBI single in center field, capping off the three-run inning.

Brayan Bello tossed six innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two. Through the first four innings of his outing, the D-Backs took two leads because of wild pitches from the righty.

The Sox will hop on a quick flight to Northern California on Sunday night to begin a three-game series at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. It’ll be left-hander Garrett Crochet (14-5, 2.67 ERA) in the series opener, and he will be opposed by righty Luis Morales (3-0, 1.59 ERA).