Red Sox Offense Rolls Over Mariners 8-7 in 10
By Paul Prims
The Red Sox ended their series in Seattle this afternoon with a bang with a come from behind 8-7 win over the Mariners in 10 innings.
June 22, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Daniel Nava (29) at bat against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Daniel Nava singled home Jackie Bradley, Jr. with the winning run as Boston came back from deficits of 5-1 and 7-4 to take three of four at Safeco Field.
Offensively, the Sox picked up where they left off the last two nights, in which they produced 22 runs, as Jacoby Ellsbury led off the game with a homer for Boston.
But the Sox found themselves down 5-1 early as Ryan Dempster had an awful outing.
Dempster, who had pitched well lately for the Sox, was ineffective today. He left too many pitches up in the strike zone and the Mariners took advantage.
The pounding started in the second inning as Kyle Seager led off the inning with his 14th home run of the season to begin things. After a Mike Zunino single sandwiched around two routine fly outs, Dempster unraveled.
Following a wild pitch to advance Zunino to second, Brendan Ryan reached on an error by third baseman Brock Holt. Both runners then scored on consecutive hits; a double by Brad Miller and single by Endy Chavez to make it 4-1.
Michael Saunders added an RBI single in the third to extend the Seattle lead to 5-1.
The Sox got back into the game in the fourth as Holt, Jose Iglesias and Ellsbury had consecutive two-out RBI singles to cut the Seattle lead to 5-4.
But Dempster gave it back in the bottom of the inning as Kendrys Morales drove him from the game with an RBI single to make it 6-4.
Steven Wrightrelieved Dempster and ended up being huge in this one. He allowed an inherited runner to score on a Seager RBI single to make it 7-4 but then settled down and gave the Sox 5 2/3 scoreless innings from there, allowing the Sox to again get back into the game and save wear and tear on the bullpen.
April 23, 2013; Boston, MA USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Steven Wright (35) pitches during the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Dempster’s ugly line was 3 1/3 innings with nine hits and seven runs (four earned) allowed.
The Sox managed to tie things up at 7 in the top of the fifth as they loaded the bases with no outs and proceeded to score on a Mike Carp sacrifice fly and RBI singles by Holt and Iglesias.
The three run rally knocked out rookie Seattle starter Erasmo Ramirez, who replaced the recently DFA’d Jeremy Bonderman in the Seattle rotation.
Wright was able to earn his first major league win when the Sox finally broke the deadlock in the the top of the tenth.
Ryan Lavarnway drew a leadoff walk and was pinch run for by Bradley. Holt bunted Bradley over to second, Iglesias struck out but then the Mariners chose to intentionally walk Ellsbury.
That set the stage for Nava, who snuck a single through the middle to give the Sox the lead for good and the win as Koji Uehara retired the Mariners in the bottom of the tenth for the save despite almost allowing a tying homer to old friend Jason Bay on a long foul to left.
The Red Sox are now 4-3 on this west coast swing and make their final three game stop tomorrow night in Oakland as the red hot John Lackey faces the A’s Jarrod Parker.