The Red Sox Finally Have A Player With Double Digit Homers, As Mookie Betts Goes Deep Twice In Third Straight Red Sox Win
.@mookiebetts’ first 3 at-bats:
Single.
Double.
Homer. pic.twitter.com/XIKAi5U3im
— #VoteRedSox (@RedSox) June 15, 2017
.@mookiebetts ended his big night with a bang! https://t.co/xW6gjCIBmx pic.twitter.com/aeq7HKygMO
— #VoteRedSox (@RedSox) June 15, 2017
For all the dickheads who weren’t satisfied with back-to-back extra inning walk-off wins against the shitty Phillies, was this win winny enough for you?
And this idea that the Red Sox are somehow just getting things going simply because they’ve hauled off three straight wins against the worst team in baseball; that’s completely false. If you’re keeping score at home, yes, that’s the third win in a row for the Red Sox against Philly, but it’s also their fifth win in their last six games, their eighth win in their last eleven games, and since they avoided a four-game sweep at the hands of the last place A’s back on May 21, they’re 16-7, which is the best record in the American League and the second best record in the majors.
All that being said, this game wasn’t all positive news for the Red Sox, despite the outcome. Brian Johnson took the mound for Boston and was lifted after two and two thirds innings after he felt a pinch in his shoulder. It hasn’t been announced yet, but he’s going to end up on the disabled list. I wouldn’t expect him to need more than roughly around the minimum of ten days on the DL, though.
In Johnson’s absence, the Red Sox got six and a third shutout innings from their bullpen, which was led by Hector Velazquez, who went 3.1 shutout innings, allowing just one hit. The Red Sox bullpen has tossed 17.1 scoreless innings in these three games against the Phillies with 17 strikeouts. Robby Scott has appeared in all three games, allowing just one hit and no runs. Eight total pitchers have combined for the scoreless streak that the Red Sox bullpen is currently riding.
I don’t want to say I have “high” hopes for Velazquez, because I still don’t really know what he is at the major league level yet, but I am curious, and also found it odd that they gave him one start against Oakland, in which he sucked, and that’s all they needed to see before they sent him back down. It’s hard to make an assessment on a guy after just one start, especially if it’s their big league debut, and I thought his excellent numbers at Pawtucket would’ve bought him at least one more look. This was his first appearance since his major league debut, and he looked pretty good, albeit against an awful lineup. So were the A’s, though. I’d imagine Velazquez is probably gonna be their guy while Johnson’s on the shelf for a little bit.
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On the positive side of things, last night was the Mookie Betts Show. He came to the plate in the ninth inning a triple shy of the cycle and hammered his second home run of the night instead. Cycles are stupid, anyway. Give me the double dingers, a double and a single any day over the cycle. June has notoriously been the month that Mookie takes off in. Go back and look at his game logs from previous seasons and he’s been pretty good up until June and then once June comes around, he’s a rocket ship to the moon. Since June 3, Mookie’s hitting .362 with a 1.083 OPS, 7 doubles and 2 homers. Mookie’s two-homer game brought his season total to 11, finally giving the Red Sox a player with double digit homers. Through 65 games last year, David Ortiz (17), Betts (14), and Jackie Bradley Jr. (11) all had double digit home runs.
Also, since we’re looking at last year compared to this year — through 65 games last year, the eventual AL East champion Red Sox were 37-28, a game back of first place. Through 65 games this year, the Red Sox are 37-28, two games back of first place. Sports radio will tell you this team is in big trouble, though. The Red Sox are the hottest team in the league, but the sky is also falling at the same time.
Final score: Red Sox 7, Phillies 3
Radio plug: I’ll be talking Red Sox with Zolak and Bertrand today from 11am to noon on 98.5 The Sports Hub. LISTEN LIVE HERE.