The Sox opened up the 2017 season with reigning Cy Young winner Rick Porcello on the mound and hoping for a win from the National League Pittsburgh Pirates. Porcello and Cole were in the midst of a pitchers’ duel when the Sox bats broke out in the 5th inning. The hero of the afternoon was Andrew Benintendi hitting a 3 run homer that would end up being the difference in the game.
The ball game hit the halfway point and it was still scoreless. The Sox offense came to the plate in the bottom of the 9th and the home team would end up scoring all 5 of their runs in that inning. With two outs in the inning, Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a triple and then Pablo Sandoval hit a hustling infield RBI single to bring JBJ to the plate. Sox 1-0. Sandy Leon got on by way of a bunt single and then Pedroia brought Sandoval to the plate with an RBI single. The inning was topped off when Andrew Benintendi hit the first Sox homer of the season, a 3 run dinger to put the Sox up 5-0.
Porcello was still on the mound in the 7th inning and that would be the first time he’d find any sort of trouble. Porcello gave up a single and a double to start off the inning. Porcello gave an RBI single to Harrison with one out to put the Pirates on the board. Sox 5-1. Porcello would be done for the afternoon and Matt Barnes would be tapped to end the inning and keep the Pirates off the board. Barnes wasn’t able to stop the bleeding as he gave up an RBI single to Mercer and an RBI sac fly to Marte. Sox 5-3. Barnes got the final out of the inning, but the Pirates now had life in this game. Porcello’s pitching line for the night was 96 pitches, 6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB and 5 Ks.
The Sox pieced together the 8th with Robby Scott getting one out and then Heath Hembree getting two outs to close out the inning. The 9th inning would end up being in the hands of Sox closer Craig Kimbrel. Most of Red Sox Nation remembers Kimbrel blowing a save last year during the Fenway opener and hoped to not have a repeat performance. Kimbrel did give up a lead off double and hit a batter, but he was able to get the 3 outs the team needed to secure the save and the win.
Sox Player of the Game: With the 3 run homer that ended up being the difference in the game, it’s a no brainer that Andrew Benintendi would be the Player of the Game. Jackie Bradley Jr. gets an honorable mention for a spectacular catch in centerfield and the triple that started off the hitting in the 5th inning.
Red Sox 5 Pirates 3 BOXSCORE
WP: Porcello (1-0) LP: Cole (0-1) SV: Kimbrel (1)
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