Big Papi did it again.
David Ortiz continues to prove age is just a number as the 40-year-old’s two-run home run in the fifth inning – combined with a strong start from Clay Buchholz – lifted the Red Sox to a 5-2 win over the White Sox on Wednesday night.
Top Play (WPA): The Sox trailed 2-1 with one on and two out in the top of fifth when Chicago starter Carlos Rodon gifted Ortiz a slider over the middle of the plate that he drove to right-center field for a two-run blast (+.279), giving Boston a 3-2 lead it would not relinquish. Rodon clearly missed location on the 1-1 pitch and the result was Ortiz’s sixth homer of the year. In fact, according to ESPN Stats & Info, Ortiz is the first left-handed hitter to homer off Rodon.
Ortiz also drove in a run in the seventh, scoring Mookie Betts on a single to left to extend the lead to 4-2 (+109).
Bottom Play (WPA): The Red Sox had a chance to tie it in the fourth when Josh Rutledge beat out a grounder for an infield single that loaded the bases with one out, but Christian Vazquez followed with an inning-ending double play to end the threat (-.191). Austin Jackson grounded into an inning-ending double play of his own to give the White Sox their worst play of the night, according to WPA (-.060).
Key Moment: Is that even a question? Ortiz’s go-ahead homer broke the Red Sox out of their offensive funk from the previous night, oh, and put them ahead for good against the top team in the American League. Ortiz’s homer was set up by a four-pitch walk drawn by Xander Bogaerts with two outs. Rodon seemingly lost control at the end of the match-up, feeding Bogaerts a pair of ugly pitches nowhere near the strike zone.
Bogaerts had a nice night of his own, collecting three hits, walking, scoring once and driving in Vazquez in the third to cut the White Sox’s early lead in half.
Trend to Watch: April was a forgettable month for Buchholz. The righty was coming off a month in which he posted a 5.01 FIP and was arguably the Red Sox’s least dependable pitcher. The struggles weren’t too surprising given his career 4.91 ERA in April, but things needed to change for Buchholz soon. Wednesday offered a fresh start for Buchholz, and he took advantage with a strong outing in which he gave up two runs, three hits and struck out six over seven innings. Buchholz’s night got off to a rough start when he left a fastball up that Jose Abreu crushed for a two-run home run, but he settled down after that and cruised the rest of the way. The key to his success? Buchholz employed a good mix on Wednesday. According to PITCHf/x, Buchholz threw his two-seamer 41 times, but also worked in his changeup, curveball and cutter a combined 50 times. He had a whiff rate of 17.6 percent on his changeup and 13.3 percent on his curve.
Coming Next: The Red Sox start Henry Owens for the third time this season in Thursday’s series finale in Chicago. Righty Erik Johnson will make his first start of the season for the White Sox after John Danks was designated for assignment on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Johnson has a 5.32 FIP in 16 career starts, and a 4.49 FIP in four starts in Triple-A Charlotte this season.
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