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Mazz: Are the Red Sox Showing Real Signs of Life?

If you’re looking for small signs that the team is waking up, the third inning Thursday night is a good start.

Apr 14, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) celebrates with Boston Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez (28) after hitting a three run homerun during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Apr 14, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) celebrates with Boston Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez (28) after hitting a three run homerun during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

By Tony Massarotti, 98.5 The Sports Hub

The Red Sox still have some work to do, and we all know things can change quickly. After winning three straight at Tampa last weekend, after all, the Red Sox returned home and were promptly swept by the Detroit Tigers in a doubleheader on Tuesday at Fenway Park.

But if you’re looking for small signs that the team is waking up, the third inning Thursday night is a good start.

After taking a 2-0 lead on a Michael Chavis home run in the second inning, the Red Sox promptly spit up the lead and fell behind 3-2 in the top of the third when Rick Porcello failed to execute a shutdown inning. The air quickly came out of the Boston balloon before the Sox tied the game in the bottom of the third on a single by J.D. Martinez, leaving the Sox with one out and runners at first and second.

That’s when this happened:

(Courtesy: NESN)

Seems like a basic play, right? Xander Bogaerts hits what could have been an inning-ending double play to the left side, but hustles to extend the inning and give Rafael Devers a chance. And then – though not shown on the video – Alex Cora gave Devers the green light on a 3-0 pitch, which Devers fouled off. The count ran to 3-2 – Devers fouling off what would have been ball four – before Devers hit a two-run double off the left field wall that gave the Sox a 5-3 edge.

They never trailed again and won, 7-3.

Here’s the point: Bogaerts’ hustled to extend an inning and then Cora got aggressive with a player who has been swinging a relatively hot bat. Devers is now hitting .319 with an .822 OPS in his last 15 games and .346 with an .895 OPS in his last eight.

Does that mean the real Sox are back? Maybe yes, maybe no. But it looks like the Red Sox are starting to hit and their starting pitchers (minus Hector Velasquez) have a 3.48 ERA over their last eight starts.

Tampa Bay arrives at Fenway Park tonight for a three-game series.

Let’s see what happens now.

You can hear Tony Massarotti weekdays from 2-6 p.m. EST on the Felger & Massarotti program. Follow him on Twitter @TonyMassarotti.

Tony Massarotti is the co-host of the number 1 afternoon-drive show, Felger & Mazz, on 98.5 The Sports Hub. He is a lifelong Bostonian who has been covering sports in Boston for the last 20 years. Tony worked for the Boston Herald from 1989-2008. He has been twice voted by his peers as the Massachusetts sportswriter of the year (2000, 2008) and has authored five books, including the New York times best-selling memoirs of David Ortiz, entitled “Big Papi.” A graduate of Waltham High School and Tufts University, he lives in the Boston area with his wife, Natalie, and their two sons. Tony is also the host of The Baseball Hour, which airs Monday to Friday 6pm-7pm right before most Red Sox games from April through October. The Baseball Hour offers a full inside look at the Boston Red Sox, the AL East, and all top stories from around the MLB (Major League Baseball).