Yesterday’s Red Sox game was one of the best wins of the 2016 season yet. Coming into the 9th inning, down 5-2, it seemed as if the Red Sox were going to lose the divisional game.
After Aaron Hill struck out in the beginning of the 9th, the Red Sox were at a projected 1.9% odds of winning o, the loss had already been penciled in… But then, Chris Young gets on by a HBP, Pedroia walks, Xander gets on with a fielder’s choice (while Young gets tossed at home from awful base running), Ortiz singles, Mookie drives in Xander with a single, then Hanley ends it with a 3-run bomb to dead center.
It was a game that has you waking up the next day smiling because you know you’re about to see it all over the TV before you head to work. No better way to start the weekend.
I hate being a Debbie Downer or Negative Nancy, however, there is definitely room for concern. Eduardo Rodriguez had a rough night. The lefty went 2.1 IP, gave up 8 hits, and 4 earned runs. It was not a pleasant sight to watch, especially after Drew Pomeranz and Clay Buchholz did not go a combined 9 innings the last time through the rotation. Our bottom 3 pitchers, of our 5-man rotation, didn’t even combine for 9.
In the month of September, Pomeranz is sporting an 8.22 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP and Buchholz has a 6.52 ERA with a 1.66 WHIP. Red Sox pitching has stepped up in a big way this summer. Since July 9th they have posted a 3.52 ERA over 378 innings. However, with the last stretch of the season, 16 games is upon us, there is definitely cause for concern, especially after E-Rod’s performance last night. Hopefully, it was just one of those nights, and he continues the recent success he had before last night when he had a 2.76 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 50 Ks over his last 58 2/3 innings. This late in the season there is really not much room for him to have these types of hiccups, luckily though the bullpen and offense bailed him out in a big way.
One thing for sure is that this team is going to have a real tough time relying on just David Price and Rick Porcello and our bullpen, who has been stepping up. They key to the last stretch of the season and playoffs: Getting E-Rod (who I’m not overly concerned about at the moment), Pomeranz, and Buchholz on the right track because pitching is everything come playoff time.
But to end this blog on a good note, I’m just going to leave this here:
The Loyal Bostonian 