At the start of the season, the Red Sox were a heavyweight team with elite mid-table talent but lack the support team. Other performances by Rafael Devers, Xander Bogarts and JD Martinez in the first five weeks proved inadequate with the rest of the line-up offering nothing.
As spring turns into summer, the team’s rush to compete continues largely through the kind of inner depth that often distinguishes good seasons from the false promise of a warm start.
The Red Sox scored a solid 5-2 win over the desperate Tigers on Monday night at Fenway, led by a number of players who opened the year in Triple A. In the inning, loyal John Schreiber handed the key to exit, defensive midfielder Garen Doran and first baseman Franchi Cordero led the attack Reach base three times each: a spin adding two steals and two points, and a cordero driving in pairs.
“They have been great for us,” coach Alex Cora said of reinforcements. “We are in a good position as a team and I think we are in a good position with the squad.”
Duran showed constant rest, and perhaps a promising look at the future of the Red Sox, at the top of the squad. He led the first half with a five-shot second half against Tigers player Alex Faido and stole second place, scoring a goal from JD Martinez right of center.
After the Tigers equalized in the second half, Duran – in the midst of perhaps the largest game of his first major league career – stepped up the attack again in the third. He jumped on a high Faedo slide to bring the double floor base into the center right warning lane and accelerated home when Raphael Devers smashed a fastball right of center to double the RBI.
It was Devers’ 41st major success in this year’s extra leagues.
Later, Duran hit a left on an away fastball and stole a base in the back for a double steal, ending the night 2 for 3 with walks and a couple of runs. The three times in the base correspond to the highest functional level, while the robbery was new.
“Just finding a base for the big guys, letting JD get into the RBI and getting a base for Devers is all I want to do,” said Doran, who has made .310 / .394 / .517 in eight games. . “I love trying to set the tone and if I keep doing it, I feel I can probably run the rules madly for these guys.”
The Sox kept the pressure against Faedo and the Tigers, adding a fourth in the fourth, then two more in the fifth when Cordero lost a two-round single to focus on left-footed relief Tyler Alexander to put the Sox ahead, 5-1.
Cordero launched rockets onto the field on his 3-out-of-4 evening, including a single rocket with an exit speed of 117.9 mph, a milestone that only Giancarlo Stanton, Shuhei Ohtani and Vladimir surpassed this year. Guerrero Jr
“Rocket”, Cora.
This first offense proved important for the owner (2-1, 3.68), who shone for the second consecutive game. The right inspired little contact from the Tigers throughout the night, allowing him to run twice out of seven shots while only walking one and hitting two.
Winkowski mostly leaned on his heavy hitter and slider from the mid-90s, but mixed in some fast four-tier balls and tough turns (90mph) to avoid becoming too predictable. Although he didn’t miss the bat, Winkowski avoided heavy friction and kept his throw count down, convincing Cora to leave him on the hill until seventh.
Though he faltered there allowing two halves to run, the 23-year-old became the fourth Red Sox player since 2009 and the first since 2017 to reach seventh in one of his first three league games. The rookie attributes his wobbly pace to receiver Cristian Vazquez.
“Vazqy saw me more and more. When I go to throw, I really think of an idea. He called her almost every time, ”Winkowski said. “It doesn’t happen often. The level of comfort is very high. “
Jake Dickman replaced Winckowski with one man in the second and two in the seventh. Eric Haase punched a steamship from the left, but Alex Verdugo’s diving hold allowed the Sox to escape with a 5-2 lead intact.
Eighth, Matt Strahm conceded a single while recording two outs before Cora turned to John Schreiber, the correct preferred setting. But Javy Báez touched Schreiber for a brace, put in two, and brought dazzling rookie Riley Greene to the plate as a potential link attempt.
Bravely, Schreiber froze Greene with a 95mph fastball on the edge, then left a long line of stinging hands in the Red Sox lair with a series of screams.
Tanner Hook, author of Friday and Sunday saves against the Cardinal, followed him for the ninth time, the first time in the career of a right-hand man who had spent days in a row. Hawk turned out to be no worse than a quick tack, as he peaked at 96mph for his fifth save.
The Red Sox win was sixth in their last eight games, and the team have left six games above 0.500 (37-31) for the first time this year. With the win, the Sox overcame the Rays to finish third in the AL East, their division record since April 22.
You can contact Alex Speier at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at Embed the tweet.
