Shaw, Swihart lead Boston Red Sox past Pirates, 6-2

The Boston Red Sox had some solid defense, decent pitching and the bats of Travis Shaw and Blake Swihart leading the way to a 6-2 win against the Pirates.

The Boston Red Sox recipe for success was more solid pitching and the dynamic duo – at least for a day – of Blake Swihart and Travis Shaw who combined for five RBI and three extra-base hits in a 6-2 road win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

For Boston, it was another opportunity for Joe Kelly to make a positive impression for the perceived competition for a fifth rotation slot. Pittsburgh offered up former San Francisco Giant Ryan Vogelsong – a 38-year-old veteran right-hander who is also attempting to lock down a rotation slot. The contest also featured up in lights prospect Yoan Moncada getting a start at second base.

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Swihart (3-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB) got the Red Sox started with a double in the first inning – his first hit of the spring. Swihart – who was also at DH – was not on base long as the future for the season may have eerily presented itself. Pablo Sandoval – playing third base – flew out to left field and a possible heir apparent to his position – Shaw (2-3, R, BB, 3 RBI, HR) – smacked a Vogelsong offering for a home run to left field and a 2-0 lead. Panda’s average stood at .000 and Shaw’s at .583.

Kelly was in a generous mood in the second inning. A Starling Marte single, a stolen base and a ground out had Starling perched on third where a Kelly wild pitch brought him in and had the Red Sox lead was reduced to 2-1. Kelly, however, was still in a giving mode and eight of his next nine pitches were balls to walk Danny Ortiz and Cole Figueroa. This was a National League game so Vogelsong and his career .144 trotted to the plate for three obligatory strikes and the end of the Pirates mini rally.

Swihart was in a doubles mood for the day and after a Rusney Castillo single Swihart brought him in with a shot to right field. Sandoval managed a pop out and the new respect for Shaw was demonstrated with an intentional walk. Ryan Hanigan also walked and after a quick mound conference hot hitting Brennan Boesch also got into the pop out frenzy with an infield fly rule – a truly ingenious rule – for the second out. Deven Marrero rolled out to a force at third and the Red Sox moved into a 3-1 lead.

Kelly didn’t get through his scheduled three innings as singles by Francisco Cervelli – he of the Italian entry to the WBC – and Gregory Polanco brought Matt Barnes in for his workout. Barnes induced a Marrero to Moncada to Shaw double play and the Pirates chance was snuffed out. Double plays by the Red Sox would be crucial in the win as they collected four for the afternoon.

The S and S pair would continue their personal crusade of Pirate torment in the fifth.

Swihart singled and stole second. Sandoval moved Swihart to third on an infield out leaving Shaw in yet another RBI situation. The result was a nifty line shot to left for a single.

In the sixth the S and S duo became the S and S trio.

The Red Sox loaded the bases for Swihart on a pair of singles and a Moncada (0-2, BB, K, R) walk. This time, it was an RBI on a force out and leaving it up to Sandoval. The Panda notched his first hit of the season – a double – and Boston was in late game coast mode with a 6-1 lead.

The rest of the way was the typical battle of the farm systems as the Red Sox coasted to the win.

Next: Red Sox Predictions: Christian Vazquez will be starting catcher

Game Notes:

* Entering the game the Red Sox (4-3) had an ERA of 3.00 – second lowest among AL teams this spring.
* Red Sox hitting stood in fifth place at .283.
* Sixteen players on the Red Sox 40-man-roster are via the draft.
* Williams Jerez, Marco Hernandez, Sean Coyle and Pat Light are the only roster players without MLB experience.
* Moncada’s first plate appearance was a routine grounder to first.
* Mark Melancon struck out the side in his inning of work.
* Game time temperature was 79 degrees. In Boston it was 66 degrees.

A less than memorable performance by Kelly (2.1 IP, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 3 K, WP)as control – long a Kelly issue – certainly was present. Kelly did keep the ball in the park with three ground outs to go with his three strikeouts, so the positive was no home runs allowed.

Barnes (1.2 IP, K) got a huge DP early on to keep the Pirates off the board.

(2 IP, BB) pitched a solid two innings.

Sean O’Sullivan

(2 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, K) had a fairly sloppy outing and was aided by a DP.

Williams Jerez

(IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K) finished up.

Castillo had a pair of hits and is now at .308. RISP was still an issue with a 4-18 following a 3-18 yesterday. LOB was 11. Two out RBI for Shaw and Sandoval.

got another hit.