Boy, did the Red Sox need a game like this.
After being outscored 20-4 over their four-game losing streak, which included two shutouts, the Boston bats finally came back to life on Friday night, combining for 14 hits in a 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Even without Rafael Devers, who’s day-to-day with left calf muscle tightness, this version of the Red Sox offense was a sight for sore eyes. They collected nine 2-out hits, gave Chris Sale a 3-0 cushion in the second, which Kiké Hernández pushed to 5-0 with a 431-ft 2-run homer in the fourth.
It was a multi-hit game for top third of the lineup; Raimel Tapia, Alex Verdugo, and Justin Turner combined for seven hits and an RBI apiece. Hometown kid Verdugo was a bit late to the party, but after going 0-for-2 in his first two at-bats, the Tucson native put together a 3-hit game with a run scored and RBI.
It was encouraging to see Triston Casas looking significantly more comfortable at the plate, too. The rookie first baseman put up his fourth multi-hit and second 3-hit game of the year; his ninth-inning double would’ve been a home run in 24 of 30 major league ballparks, but at Chase Field, Casas had to settle for a 403-ft double.
Rob Refsnyder continues to be quietly crucial to his team’s success. After leading off the second with a single, he scored the first run of the game, then walked and stole a base in the fifth.
For the 14th time this season, the Red Sox knocked out the opposing starter in under four innings. Rookie Brandon Pfaadt, who made his major league debut on May 3, exited the game after 3 ⅔, charged with five earned runs on eight hits. He struck out four and didn’t issue a walk, but wasn’t able to limit damage. The second inning alone required 40 pitches.
Meanwhile, Chris Sale began his night with a 9-pitch, 1-2-3 first inning, en route to becoming the 25th Red Sox starter in the last 28 games to complete at least five innings. In his 10th start of the season, the 34-year-old left-hander held the Diamondbacks to one earned run, four hits (one for extra bases), a walk (pitch clock violation), and struck out three. Even though it wasn’t his most dominant, overpowering performance of the year, he got the job done with virtually no trouble.
Sale was only at 73 pitches when he finished the fifth frame, but he didn’t return for the sixth. Alex Cora wanted to play it safe with the veteran lefty, who’d been dealing with a stomach bug this week. Sale was also working on five days’ rest after getting 6-7 days between his other May starts, and given his injury history and his previous two starts of 111 and 110 pitches, better safe than sorry. And with a 5-run lead and a well-rested bullpen, there was no need to push his prized pitcher.
What a month this has been for the veteran southpaw. Since his 3-inning season debut on April 1, he’s gone five innings or deeper in eight of his nine starts, including all four of his May games.
Throughout spring training and the beginning of the season, Sale stressed that repetition would be key to his comeback. Two months into the season, the results speak for themselves; Sale allowed 15 earned runs over his first three starts of the season (12 innings), then held opponents to seven earned runs over 26 innings in his four May starts. Over his last five starts, he’s posted a 2.23 ERA, a 0.74 WHIP, 35 strikeouts, and only four walks.
It might be time to call it a comeback.
