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Red Sox reactions: Trevor Story (2-run 2B), Garrett Crochet (7 Ks) get Boston back in win column
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- Red Sox reactions: Trevor Story (2-run 2B), Garrett Crochet (7 Ks) get Boston back in win column
BOSTON — Instant reactions as the Red Sox (3-8) get back in the win column, riding clutch hitting by Trevor Story to a 3-2 win over the Brewers on a frigid Tuesday night at Fenway:
1)Trevor Story exorcised some early-season demons with one of the bigger swings of the Red Sox season in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded — and 0-2 count against lefty D.L. Hall — the scuffling Story smoked a high changeup into left field at 102 mph, plating two runs to break a scoreless tie.
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The swing was precisely what the doctor ordered for a hitter who came into the night batting .130. It was one of just three hits all night for the Red Sox, who also walked five times.
2) Garrett Crochet was excellent until he wasn't , much like Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski , who similarly dominated, then faltered before leaving the game. In need of a "stopper," the Red Sox got what was expected out of Crochet over the first six innings, when he held the Brewers scoreless on three hits (all singles).
Pitching with a sudden 3-0 lead in the seventh, though things got away from the lefty, who allowed two singles and issued a walk before hitting David Hamilton with a pitch to force in a run and make it 3-1. Crochet's final line, which included two earned runs on five hits, was tainted by how his 107-pitch night ended. He struck out seven.
3)That sixth inning included a questionable managerial call by Milwaukee 's Pat Murphy, who left Misiorowski in too long. The righty had dominated for five innings but lost the zone as his pitch count climbed, walking Jarren Duran and Willson Contreras with one out in the sixth. With Misiorowski at 96 pitches, Murphy opted to leave him in instead of going to the left-handed Hall with Wilyer Abreu due up. A third straight walk loaded the bases ahead of Story's heroics and ended Misiorowski's night.
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Alex Cora, smelling blood in the water later in the inning, opted to pinch-hit Caleb Durbin for Marcelo Mayer against the left-handed Hall with two men in scoring position and one out. He was rewarded when Durbin's slow roller to second was enough to plate a third Sox run.
4)Before things unraveled for both, the Crochet vs. Misiorowski duel lived up to the billing. Misiorowski flashed triple-digit velocity throughout the evening and struck out nine batters through five innings, including the first five he faced. Crochet was efficient, too, and ultimately took the win.
5)Credit Zack Kelly for doing enough to clean up Crochet's mess in the seventh. The righty entered with the bases loaded and one out in a two-run game and escaped with the lead thanks to two hard-hit grounders. First, Christian Yelich hit a sharp hopper to Durbin, who threw to second as Milwaukee's second run scored. Kelly then got William Contreras to ground out to end the inning as Story made a nice backhand play in the hole.
From there, the shutdown back end duo of Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman did its job. Chapman went wild for a minute with a four-pitch walk to Sal Frelick , but then got Blake Perkins to ground into a game-ending double play. It was the closer's third save of the year.
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6)The Red Sox had another disastrous defensive play earlier in the game, though this time, it didn't cost them. With a runner on first and one out in the fourth, Joey Ortiz hit a grounder to Story behind the second base bag, but the middle infield bungled an easy double play. Story's flip took Mayer off the bag — and both runners were safe. Bizarrely, it was Mayer, and not Story, who was charged with the error.
Three pitches later, Luis Matos hit into a 6-4-3 double play ball that allowed Boston to escape.
7)There was, as there often is, a subplot involving Willson Contreras. A day after Contreras challenged the Brewers by threatening revenge if he was hit by another pitch, Misiorowski struck him out to end the first inning and seemed to wasn't shy with his celebration coming off the mound. Contreras took notice and got payback in the fourth, with his two-out single serving as Boston's first hit.
8)Poor challenge decisions also continue to be an issue. With two outs and a man on in the fourth, Abreu challenged a strike three call in a low-leverage spot and was wrong. The Red Sox would be wise to clean up their ABS decision-making soon.
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9)Five days after pitching six strong innings against the Padres, righty Sonny Gray (1-0, 4.50 ERA) will return to the mound for Wednesday's matinee rubber game. Milwaukee will start ex-Red Sox prospect Shane Drohan, who will be making his major league debut months after being sent to Milwaukee in the trade that sent Caleb Durbin to Boston.
First pitch is at 1:35 p.m. ET.
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