FINAL: Red Sox 17, Chicago Cubs 0 - Rafaela Shines in Sox Blowout Win

The Red Sox (15-13) pour on 17 runs against the Chicago Cubs (17-10), in a shutout win. Masataka Yoshida, Tyler O'Neill, and Ceddanne Rafaela all had three or more hits on the day.

The bats of Boston put on a clinic in today's game, having 21 hits, with four of those being doubles, and two of them being home runs. Tyler O'Neill hit his ninth in the bottom of the first, and Ceddanne Rafaela hit his second of the year in the bottom of the seventh. Masataka Yoshida was in the lineup for the first time in eight days, and he came back firing with a 4-5 day, with a double, an RBI, and three runs scored.

The pitching was a sight to see as well, as the bullpen of the Sox worked the whole game, with Josh Winckowski starting the game and throwing three innings, giving up only three hits. Brennan Bernardino would come in for an inning and gave up only one hit. Justin Slaten would pitch two innings, and get the win, where he gave up no hits and struck out two. Rookie Cam Booser also pitched two hitless innings, where he struck out three Cubs. And the pitcher to close out the game in the ninth inning, none other than infielder Pablo Reyes. He gave up a hit and a walk, but had some pretty impressive pitches for an infielder.

My Player of the Game: Ceddanne Rafaela - The young utility man had the best game of his young career, coming a triple shy of the cycle. He went 4-4 with a double, a home run, and a sacrifice fly. He had a team high seven RBI, which brings him to the team lead with 17 on the season.

The rubber match will be played at 7 p.m. tomorrow night on Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. Probable starters are Jordan Wicks (1-2, 4.70 ERA) and Tanner Houck (3-2, 1.65 ERA). 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    __________________________________________

WHO: Chicago Cubs (17-9) at Red Sox (14-13)
WHEN: 4:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: 0-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Ben Brown (0-0, 3.72 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Winckowski (1-1, 4.20 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran CF
Rafael Devers 3B
Tyler O'Neill LF
Wilyer Abreu RF
Connor Wong C
Masataka Yoshida DH
Enmanuel Valdez 2B
Bobby Dalbec 1B
Ceddanne Rafaela SS

SP Josh Winckowski

OPPONENT

Nico Hoerner 2B
Mike Tauchman RF
Ian Happ LF
Christopher Morel 3B
Michael Busch 1B
Dansby Swanson SS
Matt Mervis DH
Yan Gomes C
Pete Crow-Armstrong CF

SP Ben Brown

WHAT'S UP

The Red Sox lost to the Cubs in last night’s series opener, 7-1. Kutter Crawford allowed 4 R (3 ER) in 6.0 innings, recording his 2nd consecutive quality start and 3rd this season. Tyler O’Neill hit a solo HR in the 4th inning, his team leading 8th of the season.

Alex Cora’s next win will tie Jimmy Collins (455) for 5th on the Red Sox’ all-time managerial wins list. He has led the Sox to a 454-383 (.542) record, the 4th-highest win percentage in franchise history (min. 500 games managed).

BOS is 11-5 on the road, compared to 3-8 at home. The Sox have batted .198 with a .616 OPS at home, averaging 3.3 runs per game...On the road, they’ve hit .258 with a .765 OPS and scored 5.1 runs per game. Sox pitchers own a 4.15 ERA at home (47 ER/102.0 IP) and a 1.77 mark on the road (28 ER/142.1 IP). The Red Sox have lost each of their 4 series openers at home while going 4-1 in road series openers.

The Red Sox own MLB’s most Interleague wins and best all-time winning percentage in Interleague games (311-222; .583).

Vaughn Grissom is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester...He started at 2nd base Thursday night at Toledo and went 1-for-4 with a double. Grissom has played in 7 rehab games, making 4 starts at 2B and 3 as the DH...He’s recorded a .346 OBP (5-for-22, 2 2B, 3 BB, HBP, 2 SB).

Boston has an MLB-best five players with an OPS of .850 or better (min. 50 AB; Abreu, Casas, Devers, O’Neill, Wong)...The only teams with 4 such players are BAL, LAD, and ATL.

Wilyer Abreu has recorded an RBI in a career high 7 consecutive games (8 total RBI)...He’s batting .464 with a 1.357 OPS in that span (13-for-28, 5 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB). Prior to Abreu, the last Red Sox to record an RBI in 7 consecutive games in a single season before turning 25 years old were Mookie Betts (2016) and Jim Rice (1977).

Boston leads the Majors with a 2.73 ERA (74 ER/244.1 IP), the club’s 3rd-lowest mark through 27 games in the Live-Ball Era (since 1920), trailing only 1920 (2.54) and 2001 (2.70). BOS also ranks 3rd in MLB in FIP (3.35) and WHIP (1.15), and ranks 4th in SO/BB (3.26). The Red Sox have allowed 13 runs in their last 2 games, after allowing 13 in their previous 7 games. The Sox lead MLB in unearned runs (28) and errors (24).