Through 158 games, the Red Sox are still mathematically alive. That means at least one scenario exists where the Red Sox earn the third wild card spot. There are likely multiple scenarios, given the complicated tiebreakers and different permutations of how the season could end. Either way, if we want to see the Red Sox in the postseason, winning the rest of the games is step one.
Tonight, Alex Cora managed with this in mind. Brayan Bello wasn’t his sharpest self, down about 1.5 MPH with his sinker and failing to spot his changeup regularly. He battled through four innings, surrendering two runs before Cora decided he had seen enough. Earlier in the season he may let Bello figure it out on the mound. Tonight, he couldn’t give Bello the opportunity and went to the bullpen early.
Lucas Sims, Justin Slaten, the Luis G’s (Garcia and Guerrero), and Chris Martin combined for the final five innings of regularly scheduled baseball, giving up just one run in the process. Through most of the night though, it looked as if the offense would remain dormant.
In the seventh inning, Vaughn Grissom and Wilyer Abreu worked two-out walks which were followed by two-out singles by Danny Jansen and Ceddane Rafaela. The singles plated two runs, but Duran struck out and stranded two runners to end the inning. In the eighth inning, the Sox pushed another run across to tie the game.
After an uneventful ninth, the tenth began with a near disaster as Romy Gonzalez lined out. Fortunately, Jarren Duran is fleet of foot and was able to get back to second base before being doubled off. Triston Casas was intentionally walked, and the often-maligned Trevor Story doubled into the gap, scoring the first run of the inning. Alex Cora continued emptying his bench, inserting Mickey Gasper into the lineup to run for Casas who made it to third on the double. That move immediately proved fruitful, as Wong grounded to the shortstop who threw home, but too far off the mark to get Gasper. After that, Vaughn Grissom continued his great day with the bat and singled in the third run of the inning.
The bottom of the tenth was an adventure with the Blue Jays plating two runs and moving the tying run to third base, but a combination of Zach Penrod and Chase Shuggart were able to close the door and secure the win. Elsewhere, the Twins fell to the Marlins while the Royals snapped their seven-game losing streak. Both teams will need to continue losing for the Red Sox to have any chance at the playoffs, although taking care of business and finding a way to win the final four games comes first.
Three Studs
Vaughn Grissom (3-4, BB, SB, RBI)
Trevor Story (2-5, RBI)
Romy Gonzalez (1-5)
Play of the Game
The play of the game is one that you probably wouldn’t remember, or may not have noticed at all as it happened. In the top of the eighth inning, Romy Gonzalez led off with a single. Casas followed it by lining a ball back up the middle for a single of his own. The hitting was great, but Gonzalez’s baserunning was fantastic. He got a great read off the bat and used his speed to go from first to third. Masataka Yoshida then grounded out, and Gonzalez tied the game with ease. Vaughn Grissom singled, which likely would have scored Gonzalez anyway, but who knows how he’s pitched with the tying run on third and two outs. Great stuff, Romy.
