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Ortiz Highlights, Presence Only Attraction in Loss

July 26

Fresh off the COVID list, Winckowski pitches for the Sox. Also, the Sox get a weapon back in the lineup in J.D. Martinez. Phillips Valdez is designated for assignment, while Darwinzon Hernandez has been sent to Triple-A Worcester. Winckowski’s opponent is Shaw. The Guardians put two on with two out in the top of the first for Miller, who singles in Ramírez to make it 1-0. A groundout keeps them from scoring again. With the score now 2-0 in the top of the third, a double puts a man at second with one out. He moves to third on a groundout that starts as a line drive and hits Winckowski’s hip. All the fans hold their breath after what happened to Chris Sale not too long ago. He stays in the game, a huge relief in Boston. A hit batter puts runners at the corners for Jones, who homers to right to open it up at 5-0.

To lead off the bottom of the inning, though, Davis leads off with a ground-rule double to the right-field corner, followed by a hit batter. After a failed double play, there are runners at the corners with one out for Bogaerts, who singles to left to score Davis and put Boston on the board at 5-1. This results in an immediate pitching change. A hit batter loads the bases for Vázquez, who singles to left to drive in a man and make it 5-2. Bogaerts tries to score on a sac fly and is thrown out to end the inning. Boston challenges, but the call stands, probably because the angles are inconclusive. The Guardians load the bases with one out in the top of the fourth. What should have been at worst a force out turns into two runs when the throw misses second, thus allowing two men to score as things open up at 7-2. Cleveland then executes a double steal to avoid a double play before a fly out ends the inning. A runner is at second with one out in the top of the eighth for Rosario, who singles to right to score Kwan and make it 8-2. He moves to second on the throw home and to third on a groundout before a strikeout ends the inning. Bogaerts leads off the bottom of the eighth with a double that nearly gets over the Monster. He moves to third on a groundout and scores on a Plawiecki double to left that makes it 8-3. That is the final.