#RedSox Game Summary (October 9) Done Deal

CC Sabathia has been the bane of the Red Sox’ existence sometimes, but this was not one of those times. Boston got going in the 3rd inning, when Andrew Benintendi got hit by a pitch, reached 3rd on a single by Steve Pearce, and scored on a JD Martinez sac fly. Then, a wild pitch sent Pearce to 3rd, and he scored on an Ian Kinsler double. Kinsler subsequently scored on an Eduardo Núñez single. In the 4th, Christian Vázquez provided the ultimate margin of victory with a solo dinger to right off reliever Zach Britton. Rick Porcello was very solid in this outing, going 5 innings, giving up 1 run on 4 hits with 1 K. That run came in the 5th inning, when Gary Sanchez hit a ground-rule double, reached 3rd on a Gleyber Torres single, and scored on a Brett Gardner sac fly. Matt Barnes, Ryan Brazier, and Chris Sale held the line until the 9th. Sale had been scheduled for Game 5, but when Alex Cora saw the chance to end things here and now, he took it. Craig Kimbrel provided a little unintentional excitement in the 9th, when he gave up a single to Didi Gregorius and 2 walks to load the bases for Neil Walker, whom he hit with a pitch to force in a run. Gary Sanchez then hit a sac fly with 1 out to drive in another run, making the game uncomfortably interesting, at 4-3. But then Gleyber Torres grounded out in a close play to end the game. Now, it’s on to the ALCS against the Houston Astros on Saturday. Boston beat New York, 4-3, at Yankee Stadium. Boston wins the ALDS, 3-1.