Red Sox 4, Astros 1: Ceddanne It Feels Good To Be A Gangster

In the field and at bat, Rafaela leads to the Sox to a series win behind a surprisingly effective bullpen performance.

The Sox beat the Astros on Wednesday, 4-1, with the lone run given up to the first batter of the game. It was something! Here’s how it went:

Justin Verlander returned to the Astros after more than two months and was immediately greeted by a Jarren Duran double — a single for anyone else — that led to him scoring two batters later on a Triston Casas single to make it 1-0. Unfortunately, it took one (1) Houston batter, Alex Bregman, back after five games off, to make it 1-1:

But it wouldn’t last! With a runner on first and two outs, Ceddanne Rafaela doubled off the left field wall to put the good and righteous Sox up 2-1:

There was a little scare in the bottom of the inning, but Cooper Crizzed well enough to get out of it.

There were some nice defensive plays to keep the score tied over the next couple innings, but the highlight was probably Kevin Millar, who was in the booth — like in it in it, not Zooming in — talked about how teeth were expensive to buy. All credit to Criswell for this, as Verlander settled down like one would expect him to, but Cora lifted him after 4.2 innings to get to the robust Sox bullpen (you can’t spell “robust” without “bust.”)

Not all of the author’s friends were enamored by Millar:

Zack Kelly relieved Criswell, but Josh Winckowski started the sixth and gave up a one-out single to Yainer Diaz, leading to Rhode Island legend Jeremy Pena grounding into what could have easily been a disaster but ended up as a force out:

In the top of the seventh the Sox scored while I walked to the store when Rafaela doubled home Masa Yoshida. What a game for Ceddy! That make it 3-1, but Jake Weissert came on for the bottom half determined to undo it, giving up back-to-back singles to put two on with no outs. Then he threw a wild pitch to put them on second and third. You know, just to be thorough.

It should be noted that Online was very mad that Weissert was in the game:

It did not help that after registering a strikeout he walked the nine hitter to face Bregman with one out and the bases loaded… and somehow got him to pop up on the first pitch. That was it for him, as “best OPS against the Red Sox of anyone in history” Yordan Alvarez was due up next, so Alex Cora went to the lefty Brennan Bernardino, despite the fact Alvarez is better against lefties than righties. Don’t even worry about it! Berny struck him out on three pitches. Because life is beautiful.

The Sox frittered away the eighth, leading to Luis Garcia starting the bottom half of the inning on the mound and tearing through the lineup with ease. And there was much rejoicing:

And then David went HAMilton:

Chris Martin came in to shut it down and did just that after allowing a two-out single. Who needs Dakota Johnson anyway? Look it up if you must. And vote Ceddy below.

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