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A TEAM THAT COULDN'T
GET THE JOB DONE ...
Drew Pomeranz and the Sox pitchers notch 20 Ks
May 25, 2017 ...
Drew Pomeranz walked off the mound to a
handshake after one of his best starts with the Red Sox. Pomeranz
worked six strong innings as the Sox extended their win streak to
four games with a 6-2 victory against the Texas Rangers.
For the 25-21 Red Sox, the game was
about continuing momentum that has them three games out of first
place.
In addition,
Pomeranz and four relievers tied the major league record of 20 strikeouts in a
nine-inning game. He had 11, matching a career best. Then Heath Hembree had two,
Robby Scott one, Matt Barnes two, and Craig Kimbrel four in the ninth inning
thanks to what was ruled a wild pitch after a swing-and-miss.
Home runs by Xander
Bogaerts and Deven Marrero helped complete a three-game sweep of a Texas team
that arrived at Fenway Park having won 11 of its previous 12 games. Former Ranger Mitch
Moreland was 2 for 3 with an RBI. He was 6 for 9 in the series and drove in four
runs.
It was 52 degrees at first
pitch with rain falling. The teams were on the field ready to play at the
scheduled 7:10 p.m. start time when Farrell sought a delay. The players were
called off the field and the grounds crew spent 28 minutes spreading more drying
agent on the infield and all around the warning track. Only then did the game
get started.
Texas starter Nick Martinez
was no mudder. He allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings, continuing
his woes against the Sox.
Bogaerts singled with two
outs in the first inning, stole second, and scored on a single by Andrew
Benintendi. After Hanley Ramirez walked to keep the inning going, Moreland
singled to drive in Benintendi.
Pedroia walked to start the
third inning and scored when Bogaerts drove a non-sinking sinker just over the
wall in left field. It was the first home run for Bogaerts in 173 at-bats dating
to Sept. 29. His teammates ignored Bogaerts when he returned to the dugout then
happily swarmed him after a few seconds.
Martinez has faced the Sox
four times and allowed 16 earned runs on 33 hits over 22⅓innings.
The Rangers were down, 4-0, after three innings and had struck out seven times
against Pomeranz. They showed some life in the fourth inning when Elvis Andrus
homered to left field.
Delino DeShields walked to
start the sixth inning and was caught off first base by Pomeranz. But the Sox
were not able to execute the play and DeShields beat the throw to second base by
Moreland. Nomar Mazara’s single cut the lead to 4-2. Pomeranz ended his outing
with a strikeout of Rougned Odor. Shaky
in his three previous starts, he allowed two runs on four hits and walked only
one. He used his slider and changeup more often and to good effect. He
threw 64 of 96 pitches for strikes.
Second baseman Dustin
Pedroia left the game after the fifth inning with a sore left knee. Farrell took
him out because of the wet field conditions, particularly behind second base. He
is day-to-day. Pedroia had surgery on his left knee in October and reinjured it
April 21st when Baltimore’s Manny Machado slid into him.
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