A 6 run 1st inning propelled the Red Sox to victory on Marathon Monday, with a solid outing from Nate Eovaldi who went 6.1 innings allowing 4 runs off 9 hits, and in addition 10 strikeouts and no walks on Patriots Day.
“Outstanding,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said regarding Eovaldi’s performance. “He’s been doing a good job, attacking the strike zone, something he started last year, and mixing up his pitches. That’s a tough lineup, and he did an amazing job.”
“I felt like I had all of my pitches working today, Eovaldi said. “Second, (and) third inning on, I felt like we were working quick and efficient.”
The Red Sox started off their 6 run rally with a leadoff solo homer belted into the monster by Kike Hernandez, which was originally called a single but after further review it was ruled a home run.
Devers, Gonzalez, Renfroe and Cordero would all follow with RBI hits in the inning, as the Red Sox would work Giolito to over 40 pitches.
Bobby Dalbec would have a gritty plate appearance that lasted 14 pitches, and would result in him scoring after walking.
“Everything starts with walks,” Cora said in regards to Dalbec’s 14 pitch at-bat. “We believe that when you start walking, good things happen. He (Dalbec) fouled off some tough pitches in the at-bat, and being able to win that battle. It was fun to watch, and it was outstanding. He wasn’t trying to do too much, and it wasn’t that he was in surviving mode either.”
“It was a game changer,” Cora later said in regards to the at-bat.
The bottom of the 1st lasted roughly a half hour with the offensive massacre from the Red Sox.
“I was able to throw in the batting cage in between innings,” Eovaldi said while waiting for the bottom of the 1st to be over. “My arm was nice and lose. I was stretching down there and moving around in the dugout so I was ready to go back out with no issues.”
The Red Sox would follow up with 2 more runs in the 2nd inning, as a JD Martinez home run and a Rafael Devers walk would knock Giolito out of the game. Devers would score later that inning off of a sacrifice fly from Hunter Renfroe.
Verdugo would hit a solo homer in the 3rd, and a Franchy Cordero RBI single in the 4th would make it 10-2 after 4.
An RBI single in the 7th from JD Martinez would make it 11-4 after 7 innings, and Garrett Whitlock would come in to pitch 2.2 innings, and finish off the ballgame. He has yet to allow a run in his Major League career, as he’s pitched 6.1 innings so far.
“Huge win for us,” Eovaldi later said. “Especially having the two losses yesterday to get us back on track and get ready for Toronto coming in.”
The Red Sox remain at the top of the AL East, at 11-6 on the season after splitting the series with the Chi Sox.
The Red Sox will host the Blue Jays for two games, and then host the Mariners for four games to cap off the ten game home stand.
**PHOTO VIA ELISE AMENDOLA**