On Saturday night Masataka Yoshida’s eight game multi hit streak came to an end. He didn't like that. So Sunday he promptly went out and started a new one. Hey you can’t start a streak without the first. Right ? right. Yoshida had what the kids call “ a day “ Sunday hitting a grand-slam in the top of the fifth and a two run triple in the seventh for a six RBI afternoon as the Sox took the third game against the north siders 11-5 and the series two games to one.
All Star Lefty Justin Steel took the L for the Cubs as the Sox shook off his (9-2) 2.56 ERA record and five game winning streak like it didn't mean a thing. The Sox bats were hot up and down the lineup. All told, Boston put up 14 hits on the day. Devers homered and doubled, Chang and Wong hit two-baggers, Casas stayed hot with a pinch hit home run. All told, Boston was 6-13 with RISP and left just 5 men on base. Only Adam Duval and Christian Arroyo went hitless on the day.
After Devers got the scoring started in the first inning with a solo shot then the Sox watched Kutter Crawford work his way in and out of “ issues “ in the first four innings. But never letting a run cross home plate. While it wasn't always pretty, it was still good looking. Crawford went six full. while only giving up one hit striking out nine and walking four batters. All five of the Cubs' runs would come in the eighth and ninth off right hander Jake Faria who spilled the bucket in mop-up duty . five earned off four hits and four walks. He did strike out three in his two innings of work.
The Sox have spent the vast majority of this season looking up at the rest of the AL East. Most of this shame has been self-inflicted. Poor situational hitting and even worse defense mired them in the cellar. The concerning thing was. They were doing this against teams we all know they should have been beating. With four straight series wins, including sweeps of both the Blue Jays and A’s. Is this trend over ? Red Sox Nation certainly hopes so. Lets see if the Old Town Team can keep riding this wave into it's next three game set in Oakland.
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