The Red Sox had five players competing in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, as they helped the American League defeat the NL, 5-2, to capture the AL’s eighth straight win.
Xander Bogaerts was mic’d up for his first at-bat, as while talking to Joe Buck and the Fox Sports crew he struck out swinging.
“It didn’t go well, either. And I’m facing (Max) Scherzer — probably the best in the game,” Bogaerts said, according to MassLive.com. “But it was fun. Something different. Definitely the concentration level is a bit not where it’s supposed to (be) because it’s something you’re not used to.”
The AL’s starter at shortstop finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, singling off both Brewers’ Corbin Burnes and Marlins’ Trevor Rogers.
The starter at third base, Rafael Devers went 1-for-2 on the day, as he chopped a double down the right field line in his first at-bat before grounding out to shortstop in his second at-bat.
J.D. Martinez didn’t have the same fortunes as Devers and Bogaerts had, as the reserve struck out in both of his two at-bats.
Nathan Eovaldi was tasked with the fourth inning, as he allowed a base hit off of Freddie Freeman before getting out of the inning with a double play from Nick Castellanos.
Matt Barnes came on for the eighth, and although he notched a scoreless inning he didn’t get through it as easily as Eovaldi did. He allowed a hit off both Justin Turner and Eduardo Escobar before walking Juan Soto. But the first-time All-Star got out of it after Kris Bryant lined out to left fielder Jared Walsh to retire the side.
Together, the Red Sox went a combined 3-for-7 while producing an RBI offensively. And on the defensive side, the AL-leading Red Sox tossed a combined two scoreless frames to lead the American League to victory.
After the off-day Wednesday, the Red Sox will head to New York face the Yankees on Thursday to kick-start the second half of the season. Their four-game set against the Bronx Bombers not only marks the start of the second half of 2021, but marks the start of a pivotal 18-game stretch where they only face their AL East rivals — the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Rays.
(Photo of Xander Bogaerts/Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos/Getty Images)