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| (Getty Images) |
From the start, this was to be a "bullpen" game. Manager
Alex Cora 'started'
Hector Velaquez and also used:
Jalen Beeks,
Brandon Workman,
Matt Barnes,
Joe Kelly and new-guy
Ryan Brasier. They all pitched pretty well (except for Beeks) and the Red Sox offense did the rest in
an 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers—
the eighth in a row for Boston.
The Carmine Hose pounded out
six doubles—seemingly all to the deepest part of centerfield (two each by
Jackie Bradley, Jr. and
Andrew Benintendi)—in the twelve-hit attack. Four different Red Sox had two RBIs: Bradley and Benintendi—along with
Mitch Moreland and
Xander Bogaerts. The game also featured two game-changing catches by Bradley and
Mookie Betts. The win—coupled with a 6-5 walk-off win by
The Birds of Baltimore—goosed Boston's lead in the American League East to 3.5 games over
The Evil Ones.
