Red Sox 7, Mariners 4
(This game resulted from a simulation done through What If Sports. It matched the Seattle Mariners All-Time Team against the Boston Red Sox All-Time Team. This game did not actually happen.)
Behind 15 strikeouts from Pedro Martinez and a three-run seventh inning, the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners, 7-4, at Fenway Park. In addition, Mookie Betts had two hits, driving in a pair.
Red Sox Strike Fast
The first inning started fast for the Red Sox as two of their seven runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the first. Leadoff man Tris Speaker slapped a triple to centerfield to get things started. Wade Boggs was able to drive in the first run via sacrifice fly, therefore allowing Speaker to score.
After Ted Williams grounded into a double play, slugger Jimmie Foxx went yard over the left-center wall as the score went to 2-0. Betts followed Foxx with a hard line-drive single. The Red Sox lineup took an aggressive approach against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.
Pedro Dominates
From the first batter he faced, it was apparent that Pedro Martinez was on a mission to be dominant. Martinez sat down two Mariners on strikes in his first inning. Both Ichiro Suzuki and Ken Griffey Jr. struck out in the top of the first.
Martinez was able to keep the heart of the Mariners order in check for the most part. Griffey and Jay Buhner were both three-time strike out victims. Alex Rodriguez was sat down twice on strikes. Altogether Martinez accumulated an impressive 15 strikeouts, walking none in 8 2/3 innings. All nine batters for the Mariners struck out at least once.
However, the Mariners were able to break through a bit. In the top of the fifth, they tied the game at three behind a two-run single from Ichiro. After that, Martinez held the Mariners scoreless until the ninth.
In that ninth inning, Martinez started to show signs of wear and tear. Rodriguez and Kyle Seager both doubled, and Dan Wilson’s single was the final batter for Martinez. Jonathan Papelbon was called in to finish off the last out. He struck out Edgar Martinez to slam the door.
Late-Inning Rallies
Entering the bottom of the sixth, the score was deadlocked at three. The Mariners appeared to have taken control of momentum. That was thwarted by one run in the sixth off a Bobby Doerr single that scored Foxx, who had led off the inning with a single of his own.
In the bottom of the seventh, the potent Red Sox lineup started to flex their muscle a bit, creating separation that the Mariners were never able to come back from. In that seventh inning, Boggs and Williams hit back-to-back singles. That paved the way for a huge Betts double that drove home the aforementioned Boggs and Williams.
With the lead up to three, Nomar Garciaparra entered the hit column with a line-drive single that scored Betts. After the seventh, the Red Sox had created a comfortable four-run lead. The Red Sox needed no more runs to secure the victory over a very game Mariners squad.
The Red Sox advance in the All-Time Team Tournament to face the Houston Astros, whose ATT topped the ATT of the Tampa Bay Rays, 3–2. The game will be at Fenway Park.
Main Photo:
Players mentioned:
Pedro Martinez, Mookie Betts, Tris Speaker, Wade Boggs, Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx, Felix Hernandez, Ichiro Suzuki, Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner, Alex Rodriguez, Kyle Seager, Dan Wilson, Jonathan Papelbon, Edgar Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra
