That certainly wasn’t a performance the Red Sox were expecting from their ace, but Boston’s offense took him off the hook.
David Price turned in a stinker of an outing Friday against the Texas Rangers, getting tagged for six runs and 12 hits through just 2 1/3 innings. But the Red Sox boast Major League Baseball’s best offense and were playing in the very hitter-friendly confines of Globe Life Park, so they weren’t going to go down without a fight.
The Red Sox rallied for four runs in the ninth inning and ended up pulling off the 8-7 win.
Here’s how Friday’s game unfolded.
GAME IN A WORD
Redemption.
Price (almost) got out of the spotlight in this one, as he ended up with a no-decision thanks to the Red Sox’s potent offense.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Koji Uehara struck out the side in the ninth inning.
Uehara blew his last appearance by giving up two home runs to the Chicago White Sox to earn a loss Wednesday. He certainly bounced back by getting three straight swinging strikeouts Friday.
ON THE BUMP
— This was hands-down Price’s worst start of the season. Though the left-hander came into Friday’s game with eight straight quality starts, it was clear from the get-go that this was not going to be Price’s night. Price’s third pitch of the night was a solo home run to Rangers right-fielder Shin-Soo Choo, and he then gave up three straight singles to wind up with a three-run first inning.
Price was having trouble keeping the ball down, and he continued to get beat up, ending his short night with six runs on 12 hits with only one strikeout over just 2 1/3 innings.
— Matt Barnes wasn’t perfect, but he got the job done for the most part. The right-hander relieved the struggling Price in the third and got out of a bases-loaded jam, but he gave up a solo shot to designated hitter Prince Fielder in the fourth.
Barnes finished the night with one run on four hits with four strikeouts.
— Tommy Layne came on in the bottom of the sixth when the Rangers sent lefty Nomar Mazara to the plate to pinch-hit. The southpaw walked Mazara, but he ended the inning with a pop out and two lineouts. Layne pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to finish with no hits, no runs, one walk and two strikeouts over two innings.
— Heath Hembree sat the batters down in order in the eighth and added a strikeout.
— Uehara showed his worth but striking his three batters out in the ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mookie Betts played the hero in this one, tying the game in the ninth inning with a two-run home run. The right fielder went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run.
— Hanley Ramirez was the one to put the Red Sox on the board first with a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and the first baseman had a decent night overall. Ramirez went 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs and a walk.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. also added to Boston’s score with his own two-run shot. The center fielder went 1-for-3 with a run, a walk and two RBIs.
— Xander Bogaerts (1-for-5), David Ortiz (1-for-4 with a walk and a run), Bryce Brentz (1-for-4) and Travis Shaw (1-for-4) all collected one hit on the night.
— Dustin Pedroia (0-for-3 with two walks) and Christian Vazquez (0-for-2) went hitless. Pedroia’s ninth-inning walk proved to be an important one, though, as he scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
— Sandy Leon pinch-hit for Vazquez in the ninth and ripped an RBI double to left field. He’s batting .545 since being called up because why not?
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
It was none other than Bryce Brentz who had the Red Sox’s highlight defensive play of the night.
Hell of a catch by @bbrentz7 https://t.co/BIYuc3E0O1
— Sox Lunch (@Soxlunch) June 25, 2016
UP NEXT
The Red Sox play the middle game of their series against the Rangers in a 9:20 p.m. ET contest Saturday. Knuckleballer Steven Wright will get the ball against Texas right-hander A.J. Griffin, who’s making his first start back from the disabled list.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
