After four horrific outings from their starting pitching staff to begin a six-game road trip on the wrong foot, the Boston Red Sox were in dire need of a viable start from right-hander Rick Porcello (9-2), the last leg of a rotation that has been dragged through the mud in the last week.
Rick Porcello impresses on mound
Fortunately for manager John Farrell and Red Sox Nation, Porcello delivered. The owner of a 3.78 ERA, he lasted six innings while allowing just one run on five hits and three walks. The 27-year-old struck out eight batters while becoming just the sixth major league pitcher to throw 13 outings of at least six innings in Boston's 8-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Red Sox offense returns to form
Porcello was assisted by an eruption by the Boston bats, who tagged struggling Rays ace Chris Archer (L, 4-11) for four runs on eight hits and four walks in 6.1 innings despite striking out on nine separate occasions. Third baseman Travis Shaw broke out for a 3-for-5, five-RBI, one-run night while first baseman Hanley Ramirez reached base on all five of his plate appearances, extending his hitting streak to seven games while scoring once and driving in a run.
Designated hitter David Ortiz also went 2-for-4 with a run and his 63rd RBI of the season while center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. went 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI double.
Boston got on the board early against Archer, with Shaw leading off the second inning by crushing a high fastball 449 feet into the right field seats for his eighth home run of the season to give his team a one-run lead that they would not relinquish. Right fielder Mookie Betts then proceeded to lead off the third inning with a double, followed by a soaring RBI double by Ortiz which gave the Red Sox a 2-0 advantage.
Despite his momentum throughout the first three innings as he stranded four Rays baserunners, Porcello ran into some trouble in the fourth inning. Center fielder Desmond Jennings walked to begin the predicament, followed by a single by right fielder Oswaldo Arcia and a walk by left fielder Taylor Motter.
Porcello then proceeded to issue his third walk of the inning, granting designated hitter Nick Franklin a free RBI and a pass to first base to bring in Tampa Bay's first run of the ballgame, placing himself in a difficult jam. However, he managed to strike out Rays catcher Hank Conger before forcing second baseman Logan Forsythe to fly out and striking out shortstop Brad Miller on a 3-2 fastball below the strike zone to end the damage.
The Red Sox took advantage of the Rays missed opportunity in the following inning, as Ramirez walked with two outs and scored from first on an RBI double by Bradley Jr. on the ensuing at bat, the 50th RBI of the season for the speedy outfielder.
Then, in the seventh inning, second baseman Dustin Pedroia singled with one out to conclude Archer's outing, followed by a single by Ortiz off of reliever Enny Romero. Ramirez then slapped a two-strike fastball from Romero into center field for an RBI single before Shaw laced a two-out, two-RBI double down the right field line, increasing the Boston lead to 6-1.
A solo shot by Miller in the bottom of the inning off of Boston reliever Junichi Tazawa lessened the deficit to just 6-2. However, the Red Sox offense struck again against reliever Dana Eveland in the eighth inning.
Pedroia lead off the inning with a walk before stealing second, joined on base by Ramirez after an intentional walk. Bradley Jr. then reached base on a force play before stealing second himself, leading to a two-out, two-run single by Shaw, his 43rd and 44th RBI of the season, which pushed the Red Sox lead to 8-2.