Bradley saves game, Benintendi wins it as Sox beat O’s 2-1
By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Boston Red Sox (19-19) worked their way back to the .500 mark for the only the second time in 2019 with a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles in 12 innings.
W: Ryan Brasier (2-1)
L: Yefry Ramirez (0-1)
S: Heath Hembree (1)
Here are three takeaways from the win:
1. The catch of the year:
Baltimore’s Trey Mancini hit a would-be walkoff home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, but Jackie Bradley Jr. went over the fence to rob him on what will likely be the catch of the year for the Red Sox:
NOT TODAY. pic.twitter.com/bBLMdrAaou
— MLB (@MLB) May 9, 2019
Bradley can’t hit a lick, going 0-for-4 to drop his average to an MLB-worst .142, but few centerfielders in baseball could have made that play.
2. Benintendi wins it:
A half inning after Bradley saved the game, Andrew Benintendi won it:
ANDREW BENINTENDI KNOWS ITS ALMOST BEDTIME#RedSox pic.twitter.com/rZyUZYMsXA
— Red Sox on CLNS (@RedSoxCLNS) May 9, 2019
3. Sale dominates:
Chris Sale turned in a vintage Chris Sale outing, dominating the Orioles over eight innings of work. He allowed one run, struck out 14, and issued no walks.
It was arguably one of the best starts by Sale in a Red Sox uniform.
The lefty’s night included an immaculate inning in the seventh, a nine-pitch, three-strikeout performance.
9 pitches. 9 strikes. 3 outs.
— MLB (@MLB) May 9, 2019
That's what we call, immaculate. pic.twitter.com/8jAlyE0T4V
He became the fifth pitcher in known Red Sox history to accomplish the feat:
Documented immaculate innings in Red Sox history:
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) May 9, 2019
Chris Sale – 5/8/19 at BAL (7th inn.)
Rick Porcello – 8/9/17 at TB (5th inn.)
Craig Kimbrel – 5/11/17 at MIL (9th inn.)
Clay Buchholz – 8/16/12 at BAL (6th inn.)
Pedro Martinez – 5/18/02 vs. SEA (1st inn.)
The Red Sox bullpen got the job done in relief of Sale, with Matt Barnes, Brandon Workman, Ryan Brasier, and Heath Hembree combining for four innings of shutout ball.
Up next:
The Red Sox return home Friday to open a series with the Seattle Mariners. Eduardo Rodriguez (3-2, 5.40 ERA) will take the ball in the opener against right-hander Erik Swanson (1-3, 4.94 ERA)
You can hear Matt McCarthy on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s own Hardcore Baseball podcast and on various 98.5 The Sports Hub programs. Follow him on Twitter @MattMcCarthy985.
