Finally, it’s throughout.
The Red Sox accomplished an emotional Game No. 162 at Fenway Park on Wednesday afternoon, as J.D. Martinez homered twice to raise them to a 6-3 win over the Rays.
It accomplished one other disappointing season because the Sox completed 78-84 and in fifth place within the American League East for the fifth time within the final 11 years.
The theme of the day was goodbye, and the Sox might have mentioned a couple of of them for the final time.
Dennis Eckersley, the Hall of Famer who was broadcasting his final sport for NESN earlier than retirement, waved goodbye to the group after a heartfelt tribute on the center-field video board earlier than the fifth inning. Manager Alex Cora and the gamers stood up and saluted Eckersley, who held his coronary heart and wiped away tears.
And all eyes have been on Xander Bogaerts, who would possibly’ve performed in his final sport in a Red Sox uniform.
The 30-year-old Bogaerts has performed extra video games at shortstop than every other participant in franchise historical past, however is anticipated to opt-out of his team-friendly contract and check free company after the Sox did not signal him to a long-term extension this spring.
Bogaerts made his one hundred and fiftieth look of the season whereas hitting third and taking part in shortstop for maybe the ultimate time. He collected a pair of singles and made some good performs at brief earlier than he was lifted.
Cora despatched Bogaerts out to begin the seventh inning, however after a quick warm-up, Bogaerts was pulled to a standing ovation from the Fenway Faithful. Bogaerts tipped his cap to the followers and met Rafael Devers on the prime step of the dugout as the 2 shared a hug, then he hugged each member of the crew and training workers within the dugout.
Bogaerts completed his season with a .307 common, third within the A.L., and is anticipated to command a hefty sum in free company after finishing arguably one of the best defensive season of his profession.
It was additionally an enormous day for Martinez, who can even be eligible without spending a dime company after the season. Signed to a five-year, $110-million deal earlier than the 2018 season, he was a principal contributor on the 2018 World Series crew and had a pleasant run in Boston, hitting .291 with 130 house runs over 5 seasons.
The 34-year-old Martinez had one in every of his worst profession seasons this yr, however completed on a excessive word as he went 2-for-3 with two house runs and 4 RBIs.
Most spectacular was his first lengthy ball, a three-run shot within the first inning. Martinez hammered one into the bullpen in right-center, an opposite-field shot that had lengthy been a calling card for the slugger. But his energy dipped drastically this yr and, regardless of including a solo shot to left-center within the fourth inning, completed the yr hitting .274 with simply 16 homers and 62 RBIs.
Nick Pivetta made his thirty third begin of the yr however continued to battle, as he’s gotten rocked over the past two months. He wanted 103 pitches to get via 4 innings, permitting two runs. He completed the yr with a 4.56 ERA and has two extra years underneath crew management.
The Rays almost mounted a comeback after Vidal Brujan homered off Ryan Brasier within the seventh. Alex Verdugo made a leaping effort over the wall in proper discipline and appeared to rob Brujan with a sensational catch, however the ball fell out of his glove as he began to drag it again over the fence.
Breakout reliever John Schreiber struggled within the eighth, however labored round two baserunners to get the ball to Matt Barnes within the ninth.
After the Sox added two runs within the backside of the eighth,Barnes, who had a horrible season however bounced again properly over the season’s ultimate two months, recorded the save as he appears to show that he may be relied upon within the ninth inning in 2023.
Source: www.bostonherald.com