Mookie Betts drilled two homeruns on Friday night including the extra innings game winner as the Boston Red Sox blew a four run lead but with the help of Betts came up victorious 7-6 over the Los Angeles Angels in 15 innings at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.
Boston (73-62) didn’t waste any time in getting the scoring started. Betts belted a 3-1 pitch to lead off the game against Los Angeles starter Jose Suarez over the fence in left to make it 1-0. Brock Holt drove in Sam Travis with an RBI single in the second for a 2-0 advantage. JD Martinez continued his sizzling hitting of late when he hit his 33rd homerun of the season in the third inning with two outs. The two run shot to left gave the Sox a four run lead.
Los Angeles (64-72) though chipped away. Brian Goodwin hit a solo homer in the bottom of the third, just past the glove of Betts in right center to get the home team on the board. Josh Taylor relieved Boston starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi in the fifth. Taylor though allowed a lead off single to Luis Rengifo, a walk to Max Stassi, and a walk to Goodwin to load the bases with noone out. Taylor would then get Mike Trout to pop out to second base, and then Shohei Ohtani hit one to first baseman Christian Vazquez who threw to catcher Sandy Leon for a force out on Rengifo at home. Albert Pujols came through as he singled to center for a two RBI hit off another reliever Marcus Walden, on runs that were both charged to Taylor to cut it to 4-3.
The Sox pushed it back to a three run lead in the sixth when Martinez doubled in Xander Bogaerts, and then would score on a Andrew Benintendi sacrifice fly. Goodwin smacked his second solo homer of the night to right center to lead off the bottom of the seventh for the Angels to cut the lead to a pair. The score remained the same until the Angels final at bat in the bottom of the ninth. Boston let Brandon Workman stay in for his first full inning to try to pick up the save, but he walked the first two batters in Goodwin and Trout. Ohtani then grounded into a force to second base as Brock Holt flipped to second to Xander Bogaerts to retire Trout. Pujols was clutch again as tied the game with a hard single into right field that scored Goodwin, and would also score Ohtani when the ball was misplayed by Martinez. David Fletcher then struck out swinging, and Andrelton Simmons was intentionally walked to load the bases. Matt Thaiss grounded out to Holt at second to send the game to extra innings.
Boston outfielder Mookie Betts shown here earlier this season against Texas at Fenway Park, slugged two homeruns including an extra inning game winner Friday night to help the Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels. Photo courtesy of Delaney Gardner
Betts would lead off the 15th inning with the score still the same. The Sox outfielder would end the game like he started it, this time off Los Angels reliever Trevor Cahill smacking the first pitch he saw deep over the wall in left for a solo homer. Trout drew a one out walk in the bottom of the 15th, but then Ohtani grounded into a force out and Pujols lined out to Benintendi in left to end the game.
Andrew Cashner (11-7) ended up as the winning pitcher for the Sox pitching 4.0 innings of hitless and scoreless relief. Eovaldi started the night and went 4.0 innings allowing one run on three hits, with one walk and eight strikeouts. Boston pitching (eight combined) struck out 20 Los Angeles hitters on the night. Betts had three hits including the biggest one to lead the offense, while Martinez had a pair of hits and three RBI. Betts becomes the first player in MLB history to hit a homerun to lead off a game and then hit another one in the 15th inning or later. Pujols had four hits and three RBI for the Angels, while Goodwin added the two solo homeruns. Los Angeles left 16 baserunners on, while Boston left only four. Cahill (3-9) allowed the homerun to Betts in the 15th and took the loss. Suarez allowed four runs on five hits in 5.0 innings in his start. The Sox were held without a hit or a baserunner from the seventh inning until the 13th when Holt drew a walk.
Game two of the three game weekend series is scheduled for a 9:07 p.m. Eastern Time first pitch Saturday night. Boston will go with a bullpen game as Taylor will be up first on the hill to start, while Los Angeles will send left hander Dillon Peters to the mound.
