#RedSox Game Summary (September 30) Finished with a Bang

The Red Sox closed out the 2018 baseball season with a big thumping of the New York Yankees. Of course, neither team really needed to win this one, and the parade of pitchers to the mound showed that it was much more about picking pitchers for the postseason roster than gaining another W. Still, the Sox avoided being swept, avoided losing 4 in a row (they are the only team not to have lost 4 in a row at least once this year) and they ended up with a win going into the playoffs. The Red Sox got most of their runs early, with 4 in the 1st and 3 in the 2nd inning. In the 1st, Mookie Betts singled off New York starter Enrique Cessa and, in a show of real hustle, scored from first when Aaron Judge bobbled Brock Holt’s subsequent hit. JD Martinez singled, and Mitch Moreland drove in Holt with a double. Martinez scored on an error by Cessa. Moreland scored on a fielder’s choice. In the 2nd, Jackie Bradley, Jr. singled off Jonathan Loaisiga and scored on a Holt double, and then Xander Bogaerts crushed a 2 run jack to center. In the 4th, Yankee reliever Justus Sheffield walked Tzu-Wei Lin and Holt, then gave up a 3 run bomb to Martinez, his 43rd of the season. The X-Man subsequently doubled, but did not score. So, in the Yankees’ pitcher tryouts, the Sox went 10-for-37. Sam Travis also doubled ,but did not score. Interestingly enough, the Sox played the last 3 innings without the DH rule, because Alex Cora moved DH Brandon Phillips into the field to play second base in place of Ian Kinsler, but the pitcher’s spot did not come up before Craig Kimbrel closed out the game. For their tryouts, the Boston pitchers looked good. Pretty much everyone who had looked bad in recent games redeemed himself with the exception of Bobby Poyner, who gave up 2 runs in the 4th when Miguel Andujar doubled and scored on Luke Voit’s 2 run Johnson. Rick Porcello, who started the game, looked exceptional, going 2 no-hit innings with 1 walk and 2 Ks. He threw the rest of his 100 pitches in the bullpen. Personally, I think the win is a big boost for team confidence, and now comes the agonizing wait until Friday, when the Sox face the winner of the wild card game (Yankees vs. A’s). Boston beat New York, 10-2, at Fenway Park. Record: 180-54. Game 162/0. End of season.