After an embarrassing 10-1 loss to one of the worst teams in baseball on Saturday and a Sunday postponement, the Boston Red Sox blew a two run ninth inning lead but got a walk-off grand slam homerun by Travis Shaw for an 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers in 11 innings on Monday afternoon in the rubber game at Fenway Park.
The hosts jumped on top in the bottom of the second when Rafael Devers led off with a single, and then with two outs Alex Verdugo took one into the bullpen in right field for a two-run homerun to make it 2-0 Boston. Texas (43-81) got on the board on an error by first baseman Bobby Dalbec in the fifth to slice the margin to a run at 2-1. The Sox added on in the sixth with two outs when Hunter Renfoe took one over the green monster in left for a solo homer, his 23rd of the season. The Rangers then blew a save chance in the ninth inning against closer Matt Barnes, with two hits and a fielders choice to load the bases with one out. Andy Ibanez made it 3-3 with a ground rule double to right. Garrett Whitlock then came on in relief and struck out the next two hitters to keep it tied. The game went to extras and the teams swapped a pair of runs in the 10th, with the run by Boston coming on a two out, two strike double by Devers to score Xander Bogaerts and send it to the 11th. In the bottom of the 11th after Christian Vazquez led off and reached base on a sacrifice bunt that was turned into a throwing error by pitcher Dennis Santana, Texas then walked Verdugo to load the bases. Shaw sent the home crowd home happy taking a 3-2 pitch into the right field bleachers for the walk-off grandslam.
Verdugo had three hits to lead the way, and Devers had two as Boston goes to 71-55. Nathan Eovaldi got a no decision but was excellent over 7.0 innings allowing one run (none earned) on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Whitlock (5-2) allowed a run but struck out four in 2.2 innings to pick up the relief win. Ibanez, Nate Lowe, and Jason Martin had two hits each for Texas. Santana (2-3) took the loss and got a blown save allowing five runs over just 1.0 inning, including the grand slam homer to Shaw. The Red Sox now welcome in the Minnesota Twins for a three game series beginning Tuesday night. Tanner Houck (0-3, 3.12 ERA) will take to the hill in game one, while Minnesota goes with Griffin Jax (3-1, 5.11).
