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A TEAM THAT COULDN'T
April 13, 2017 ... Hanley Ramirez changed a dreary game in a flash, his two-run double in the eighth inning helping deliver the Sox to a 4-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the Sox down, 3-1, Dustin Pedroia drew a one-out walk off Daniel Hudson in the eighth inning and took second when Andrew Benintendi knocked a pitch softly to center field. The ball landed at the feet of Starling Marte. Pedroia, wary of being doubled off first base, had to hustle to second and just beat the throw. Facing Juan Nicasio, Mookie Betts walked to load the bases. That brought up Ramirez. Ramirez stayed on a 96-mile-per-hour fastball and drove it to center field. Marte tracked the ball and slowed down on the warning track as though lining up to catch it. But the ball landed beyond the reach of his glove and a frenzied merry-go-round started on the bases. Pedroia scored and waved his left arm for Benintendi and Betts to follow. But Benintendi anticipated a catch and was too close to second base. Betts thought the ball would drop and was only a few feet behind him. Benintendi scored but Betts was tagged out by catcher Chris Stewart when shortstop Jordy Mercer made a strong relay throw to the plate. The Pirates intentionally walked Mitch Moreland to get to Xander Bogaerts. Nicasio got ahead, 1 and 2, and threw a 97-m.p.h. fastball on the outer edge of the plate. Bogaerts flicked it into right field to drive in Ramirez with the go-ahead run. It was the ninth time in his career Bogaerts had a go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning or later. After Eduardo Rodriguez allowed three runs over 5⅓ innings, Heath Hembree, Matt Barnes (2-0), and Craig Kimbrel (third save) held the Pirates down. Ramirez returned to the lineup on Tuesday after missing four games with a stomach ailment that landed him at Massachusetts General Hospital to get checked. He is 4 of 12 with two doubles and two walks since, helping the Sox win two of three games. Pablo Sandoval, who was hitting .133 with a .573 OPS, was given a day off and Marco Hernandez played third base. Sandoval was 4 of 30 with nine strikeouts. He was 0 for 9 against lefthanders. The Sox swept the season series from the Pirates, 3-0. Andrew Benintendi has reached base safely in all nine games. Craig Kimbrel has converted 22 consecutive save chances. |
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