Game #6 – that’s a (mini) sweep

By Mark Paulette,

After 50 days and 50 nights in Florida, the Red Sox are finally heading back to Boston and bringing with them a 5-game win streak.

It took 13 innings in last night’s series finale at Marlins Park, but after 4-hours and 27-minutes, Hanley Ramirez’s bare chest made another appearance, which in 2018 is apparently the new international signal for a Sox victory.

And when you win a game in the 13th with a 2-run double, why not flash a nip or two? That’s just what Hanley did, lacing the eventual game-winning hit over Marlins’ left fielder, Derek Dietrich’s head. Hanley, who starred in Miami from 2006-2012 and makes his off-season home in the city, finished the 2-game series 4-11 with a home run and 4-rbi.

Chris Sale started the 13-inning marathon, lasting just five innings while allowing one run and fanning five. It certainly wasn’t Sale’s best stuff, but to be fair the one run he allowed would’ve been charged to J.D. Martinez in a perfect world, as the Sox $125-million dollar man misplayed a fly ball in right field, allowing the fish to cross the plate.

Sale’s outing was good enough to extend Boston’s staff’s historic start to the season, which has now seen Sox starters pitch the first six games of the season allowing one or zero runs. It’s the first time in 110 years a Major League staff has accomplished such a feat to begin the season.

If there’s one thing to complain about from the successful 6-game start to the season, it’s Boston’s sleepy lineup, which is averaging just over three runs per game. J.D. Martinez, who failed to knock one out of the park in Spring Training, is off to a .200/0/2 start to the season. But hey, if the Sox keep their current winning pace, I’m perfectly okay with Martinez hitting .260 with seven homers and 70 RBI.

Up next: Boston returns home to play the Rays (1-5) for the second time in three series to begin the season.

Side Note: The Sox were an incredible 15-3 in extra-inning affairs last season. They’re now 1-0 in 2018.

Mark Paulette is the executive producer of The Drive, weekdays 4pm to 6pm on 92.9fm The Ticket and streaming live at DriveShowMaine.com. Follow us on Twitter, @DriveShowMaine and “Like Us” on Facebook, Drive Show