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It Was Ugly

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FENWAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The skies over Fenway Park were dark. There was a steady rain all day long, reminding many of a cold, March gray day. It was even worse once the game started. Seattle rookie Lazaro Montes homered in his major league debut for the visiting Mariners, who scored in each of the first five innings en route to a 9-6 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.

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All nine starters produced at least one hit for Seattle (65-74), which snapped a five-game skid with the 14-hit attack. Randy Arozarena contributed a three-run homer, and Dominic Canzone also went deep.

Montes, a 21-year-old who was promoted from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, served as Seattle’s designated hitter. He was one of five Mariners with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs.

The early run support was more than enough for Bryan Woo (10-9), who struck out seven in a six-inning start. Woo allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk.

The Red Sox (75-64) trailed 9-1 before scoring a run in the sixth and two more in both the seventh and ninth. Mickey Gasper hit his seventh homer in his past 13 major league games. Jahmai Jones crushed a pinch-hit, two-run shot in the ninth, forcing Seattle closer Andres Munoz into the game to record the last two outs.

Jedixson Paez (0-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to make his first major league start and Red Sox debut, was tagged for eight runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked two and fanned three as the Red Sox took their fifth loss in seven games.

Solo homers by each team’s second batter made it 1-1. Canzone got Seattle started with a blast over the bullpens in right-center field before Gasper ripped a game-tying shot to virtually the same location.

The Mariners used a five-run second inning to blow the game open, headlined by Arozarena’s towering three-run homer down the left field line. Back-to-back hits and a walk loaded the bases before Paez recorded the first out on J.P. Crawford’s sacrifice fly. Brock Rodden chopped an RBI single over first baseman Gasper to drive in a run before Arozarena went deep for the second straight night.

In the third, back-to-back-to-back singles brought home a seventh Seattle run. Montes drove in Josh Naylor on a base knock through the right side.

In the fourth, Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh joined the hit parade with back-to-back doubles, increasing the Mariners’ lead to 8-1 before Paez exited.

Montes socked a solo homer to deep center leading off the fifth.

Wyatt Olds, who relieved Paez, finally held Seattle scoreless in a 1-2-3 sixth. The Red Sox got back on the board in their half of the inning, as Abreu smacked a double off the left field wall and scored as Caleb Durbin reached base on an errant throw.

The Red Sox drew closer on Eli White’s two-run double into the left field corner in the seventh.

–Field Level Media

Adley Out of Sox Lineup

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FENWAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman is dealing with a lingering elbow injury that kept him out of the starting lineup on Tuesday against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

Rutschman, 28, missed his second consecutive start because of discomfort from a hyperextended right elbow, which likely will be an issue for the rest of the season, interim manager Chad Tracy said Tuesday afternoon on WEEI.

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The three-time All-Star has been in and out of the lineup since initially hurting himself on a swing during an Aug. 24 game against the Miami Marlins. Rutschman last played on Sunday, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout in a 16-1 road loss to the New York Yankees.

Rutschman is batting .170 (9-for-53) in 15 games for Boston with one home run and four RBIs. He has a .254 on-base percentage and a .245 slugging percentage for a .500 OPS.

He was acquired at the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3 from the Baltimore Orioles in a seven-player swap. Rutschman had been placed on the injured list on July 20 with inflammation in his left wrist and, after a rehab assignment, was added to the Boston roster on Aug. 11.

An All-Star this year, Rutschman batted .254 with 69 home runs and 277 RBIs in five seasons and 572 games for the Orioles.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox: A Bronx Fail

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BRONX – (Wire Service Report) – Heliot Ramos delivered his biggest hit for his new team when his three-run homer capped a five-run fifth inning and helped the New York Yankees roll to a 16-1 victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon.

The Yankees won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved four games ahead of the Red Sox for the AL’s top-wild card spot. New York also won seven of the 13 meetings to secure the season series and the tiebreaker should the rivals finish tied at the end of the regular season.

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Austin Wells hit a pair of two-run homers in a nine-run eighth after entering the game as a pinch hitter for the Yankees. Jose Caballero hit a three-run homer in the eighth off infielder Andruw Monasterio, who also served up Wells’ second homer of the inning.

Ramos staked New York to a 5-0 lead when he lifted a 1-2 curveball from Boston starter Ranger Suarez (5-4) into the left field seats for his first homer since being obtained from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline. Ramos’ 416-foot drive was his first homer since July 20, and the outfielder had his first multi-hit game as a Yankee while also drawing a pair of walks.

Paul Goldschmidt started that inning with a two-run single that got by Suarez and past Boston’s drawn-in infielders.

Goldschmidt’s clutch hit occurred after Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela could not complete a running catch on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s sinking liner. Rafaela caught the ball, but umpires determined his glove was touching the grass and the original call was upheld after Boston challenged.

Wells lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Amed Rosario contributed an RBI single in the seventh as the Yankees totaled 25 runs on 31 hits in the final two games of the four-game series. Goldschmidt added a solo homer for New York’s 10th run in the eighth.

New York’s Will Warren (9-6) allowed one run on six hits in seven-plus innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked one before exiting to a nice ovation from the crowd after allowing an RBI single to Nick Sogard.

Suarez was tagged for season highs of six runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Reload with Story and Anthony

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox activated outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story in advance of their game Sunday against the rival New York Yankees.

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Anthony has not played since May 4 due to a wrist injury, while Story has missed over three months with a sports hernia.

The Red Sox also optioned designated hitter Mickey Gasper, second baseman Anthony Seigler and left-hander Raymond Burgos to Triple-A Worcester. Burgos was added as the 27th man for Saturday’s doubleheader against the Yankees and gave up five runs in 2 1/3 innings of Game 2, a 9-2 loss for Boston.

Anthony, 22, was batting .229 with one home run and five RBIs in 30 games this season. Third in American League Rookie of the Year voting last season, Anthony is a career .273 hitter with nine home runs and 37 RBIs in 101 games for Boston over the past two seasons.

Story, 33, was batting .206 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 41 games this season. A veteran of 11 major league seasons, he is a career .262 hitter with 207 home runs and 655 RBIs in 1,106 games for the Colorado Rockies (2016-21) and Red Sox. He is a two-time All-Star.

Story has not appeared in the lineup since May 14.Baseball

Gasper was batting .278 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 45 games this season, while Seigler hit.250 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 48 games.

The Red Sox entered Sunday’s play 10-11 since Aug. 8 as they search for the form that carried them to a 32-5 record over both sides of the All-Star break.

Yankees and Red Sox Face-Off in Bronx

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BRONX – The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are trying to catch the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East race.

In the event neither team can win the division, the preferred alternative would be home-field advantage in the wild-card series.

Holding a three-game lead over their rivals for the top wild card, the host Yankees attempt to clinch the season series from the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a four-game series.

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The season series is tied at six games apiece after a split of the doubleheader on Saturday. The Red Sox earned a 6-0 win in the first game before the Yankees pulled away for a 9-2 victory on Saturday night.

“Very important,” New York’s Luis Garcia Jr. said through a translator about winning the season series. “We’re battling. We have a clear objective. So every victory is going to be very important for us.”

New York trails the Rays by 4 1/2 games and hosts them in a four-game series next month. The Red Sox are 7 1/2 out and visit the Rays in the prior series from Sept. 18-20.

The Yankees scored once and had seven hits in the first two games of the series before erupting for 13 hits — all singles — in the nightcap.

Ben Rice drove in three runs and is hitting .310 (13-for-42) in his past 11 games.

Garcia, who had three hits in the win, is hitting .429 (15-for-35) with four homers and nine RBIs in his past 10 games.

New York’s offense has scored at least seven runs in four of its past seven games and totaled double-digit hits in four of the last six. The lineup may be without rookie George Lombard Jr., who is day-to-day with right knee discomfort.

The Red Sox are 10-11 in their past 21 games after their 32-5 run got them into a playoff spot.

Boston may be getting some reinforcements to its offense as Roman Anthony and Trevor Story could return from the injured list following lengthy absences.

Anthony has not played since May 4 due to a wrist injury, while Story has missed over three months with a sports hernia.

“I think it’s really important for us to get those guys back — we need them — but it’s also important to recognize the work that the whole lineup has put in the last three months,” Boston’s Willson Contreras said.

“I think those are tough decisions to make, I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but we do have to recognize the job that the guys are doing for this team. We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without them.”

Ranger Suarez (5-3, 3.35 ERA) is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in six starts since returning from a groin strain on July 26. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits in five innings during a no-decision in Monday’s 4-2 win at Miami.

“I think it’s really important for us to get those guys back — we need them — but it’s also important to recognize the work that the whole lineup has put in the last three months,” Boston’s Willson Contreras said.

“I think those are tough decisions to make, I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but we do have to recognize the job that the guys are doing for this team. We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without them.”

Ranger Suarez (5-3, 3.35 ERA) is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in six starts since returning from a groin strain on July 26. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits in five innings during a no-decision in Monday’s 4-2 win at Miami.

Yanks Rely on Pitching vs Red Sox

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox offered a glimpse at what a postseason encounter might look like on Friday night.

After widening their lead in the race for the American League’s top wild-card spot, the Yankees hope to see standout showings from Carlos Rodon and Max Fried when they host the Red Sox in a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.

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New York moved three games ahead of the Red Sox when Cam Schlittler and three relievers combined on a five-hitter in Friday’s 1-0 victory. Cody Bellinger threw out Ceddanne Rafaela at the plate as the potential tying run in the seventh inning.

New York enters its third doubleheader since the All-Star break with a major league-best 3.22 ERA despite spending time without Gerrit Cole, Rodon and Fried.

In the opener, Rodon (4-2, 3.15 ERA) will make his third start since returning from a second injured list stint due to elbow inflammation. He likely will see his pitch count gradually increase.

Rodon threw 66 pitches in his return on Aug. 18 at Baltimore and increased to 76 Sunday when he allowed two runs on two hits in four innings during New York’s 8-3 win over Toronto.

The left-hander is 5-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 13 career starts against Boston.

In the nightcap, Fried (4-4, 2.81) will return from a second but much shorter injured list stint due to a bone bruise in his left elbow.

Fried last pitched Aug. 13 and allowed a solo homer to Weston Wilson among five hits in five innings in 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. Fried was 0-1 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts after returning from his initial two-month absence before being placed on the injured list Aug. 17.

The left-hander is 4-1 with a 1.88 ERA in six career starts against Boston.

“He has responded well,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Fried. “Actually, similar to how he responded the first time when he left Baltimore and missed more time. He has kind of responded well to that time and then the buildup. Like, he’s never really been shut down.”

The Red Sox are 9-10 in their past 19 games following a 32-5 stretch that included a 15-game winning streak. Boston has not scored since Jarren Duran hit a grand slam in the 11th inning of Tuesday’s 7-3 win over the host Miami Marlins.

Rafaela had two hits Friday but was doubled off first base once and later thrown out at home plate in a game in which the Red Sox had six walks, went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10.

“We just didn’t probably execute when we needed to,” Rafaela said after Boston was blanked in consecutive games for the first time this season. “I made some dumb decisions. We come back tomorrow, and win two and win the other one, we win the series. That’s the plan – win the series and go home.”

Rookie left-hander Jake Bennett (8-6, 3.49), who limited the Yankees to one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings June 27 while opposing Cole, starts the opener. Since facing New York, Bennett is 6-3 with a 4.61 ERA in his past nine starts and earned the win when he allowed four runs in seven innings against San Francisco on Sunday.

The Red Sox did not announce their pitching plans for the second game and may use an opener followed by Brayan Bello as a bulk reliever.

–Field Level Media

Marlins’ Gusto Downs the Red Sox

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MIAMI – (Wire Service Report) – Single runs in the first two innings and Ryan Gusto’s 5 2/3 shutout frames propelled the Miami Marlins to a 4-0 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

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The Marlins tagged Boston starter Sonny Gray (16-4) for two hits in each of the first two frames, but four Red Sox errors had a major impact on all of the scoring.

Javier Sanoja went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three stolen bases, while Otto Lopez (2-for-4, two stolen bases, two runs scored) and Heriberto Hernandez (2-for-4, RBI) also had multi-hit games to help the Marlins salvage the three-game series.

Gusto (1-3) struck out two while working around four hits and three walks en route to his first victory of the season. Victor Vodnik, Janson Junk and Dax Fulton all worked in relief to preserve the shutout.

The Red Sox managed only five hits. Caleb Durbin was 2-for-4.

Three batters in, Hernandez’s RBI single past diving shortstop Andruw Monasterio brought Kyle Stowers home. Stowers lined a leadoff single to right before advancing to third on Boston first baseman Nick Sogard’s throwing error while attempting to turn a 3-6 double play.

After Gusto stranded the bases loaded on only one Anthony Seigler hit in the top of the second, Lopez generated Miami’s second run after starting the inning with a knock to left. Following Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela’s diving catch on an Owen Caissie liner into the gap, Lopez stole second and scored on catcher Connor Wong’s off-targer throw.

Gray did his part to keep the Red Sox in the game, stranding two runners in scoring position in back-to-back frames. The righty capped the second with two strikeouts before left fielder Jarren Duran’s sliding catch near the foul line robbed Caissie in the third.

Meanwhile, Gusto turned aside the Red Sox in 1-2-3 fashion in both the fourth and fifth innings before Vodnik helped him through a two-on, two-out jam by catching Seigler looking to end the sixth.

The Marlins tacked on crucial insurance runs in the eighth. Lopez’s single, stolen base and advancement on another Wong misfire set up Caissie, who brought the run home on a hard grounder that Sogard misplayed. Two batters later, Sanoja lined an RBI single up the middle.

–Field Level Media

 

Duran’s Slam Beats Marlins in 10

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MIAMI – (Wire Service Report) – Jarren Duran slugged a grand slam in the 11th inning as the Boston Red Sox defeated the host Miami Marlins 7-3 on Tuesday night.

Mickey Gasper homered twice for the Red Sox, who have won five straight games.

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Gasper, waived by the Nationals in January and demoted by the Red Sox to the minors in late May, has five homers in his past eight games. Prior to that, he had no homers in 109 at-bats in the majors this season.

Boston, leading 3-2, nearly won the game in the 10th inning. Rookie reliever Wyatt Olds, pitching with two outs and runners on second and third, struck out Javier Sanoja. However, catcher Connor Wong couldn’t corral the wild pitch, and Brian Navaretto scored from third.

Boston scored in the top of the 10th inning on a cross-up passed ball.

The Marlins, who have lost two straight, were led by Heriberto Hernandez, who slugged a solo home run. It was his team-high 20th homer of the season.

Neither starter earned a decision. Boston’s Payton Tolle struck out seven and allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Miami’s Tyler Phillips lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run and tying his career high with seven strikeouts.

In fact, Phillips struck out the side in the first inning before allowing Gasper’s first homer in the second inning. Phillips didn’t throw a bad pitch — 96 mph at the bottom of the zone — but Gasper slugged it 394 feet to center.

Miami loaded the bases with one out in the fifth as Xavier Edwards doubled, Griffin Conine singled and Esteury Ruiz walked. Navarreto, Miami’s third-string catcher, then fouled off six pitches before lofting a sacrifice fly to cap a 10-pitch plate appearance, tying the score 1-1.

Both teams scored a run in the sixth as Gasper homered on a 418-foot bomb off reliever Tyler Zuber and Hernandez went deep on a 3-2 cutter from Tolle. That blast was measured at 403 feet.

Miami nearly went ahead in the seventh as pinch hitter Jakob Marsee singled and advanced on Navarreto’s sacrifice bunt, but was thrown out at home by first baseman Willson Contreras on Otto Lopez’s infield single.

–Field Level Media

Playoffs On Line for Sox and Marlins

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MIAMI – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With the regular season winding down, the Miami Marlins’ road to a playoff spot already looked to be a perilous one.

Now they may be without their closer.

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After starting the ninth inning of Monday night’s eventual 4-2 loss to the visiting Boston Red Sox, Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks threw only five pitches before leaving the game with an injury. He walked the one batter he faced and ultimately took the loss.

“He has some nerve irritation,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said of Fairbanks, who leads the team with 18 saves. “There’s some concern. We will get it looked at, and we’ll wait to see the results.”

The Marlins are not currently in playoff position but still have a shot at a wild-card berth. They sit four games behind San Diego for the final playoff spot in the National League. Miami also saw its three-game winning streak end. The Marlins did get first baseman Kyle Stowers off the injured list on Monday but now have to deal with the Fairbanks situation.

“We’ve had a number of individuals go down for periods of time this year,” McCullough said. “We’ll go with what we have available. A number of our (relievers) have experience pitching in different spots, and we will lean on that.”

Stowers, an All-Star last year, went 1-for-4 with a double and two strikeouts on Monday. He also failed to get to a ball that ended up being an RBI single in the ninth inning, perhaps due to his hamstring injury.

McCullough, though, said he was pleased with Stowers.

“The swing he had on the double — staying on a breaking ball like that from Ranger Suarez — was very impressive. (Stowers) seemed confident in the box. It was nice to have him in there.”

Meanwhile, the Red Sox are rolling. They had a brief slump following their historic 27-3 run, but they have now recovered, winning four straight games.

Chad Tracy, Boston’s interim manager, said he’s happy with his offense, and it showed on Monday as the Red Sox rallied after trailing 1-0 and 2-1.

“We’re able to fight back,” Tracy said, “and then our pitchers put up zeroes.”

Red Sox shortstop Nick Sogard, who hit leadoff on Monday and went 1-for-5 with a ninth-inning RBI, also earned praise from Tracy.

“The cool thing is that Nick has shown the ability, for an extended time, to drive the ball for extra-base hits,” Tracy said. “You’re seeing some big-time production, power side.”

Indeed, Sogard has 12 extra-base hits in 36 games this season, posting an .812 OPS.

“His game is that he doesn’t swing at balls,” Tracy said. “He drags out at-bats, and he finds his way to first base. Regardless of where he’s hitting in the lineup, he’s giving us good at-bats.”

As for Tuesday’s pitching matchup, Boston is starting lefty Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.08 ERA), who is nearing the one-year anniversary of his major league debut (Aug. 29, 2025). He has yet to face the Marlins.

Tolle has won four straight decisions and is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts this month.

The Marlins will hand the ball to Tyler Phillips (3-6, 3.67), who has made 31 appearances this season, 14 as a starter. He made 12 straight starts from June 11-Aug. 13 (4.88 ERA in 55 1/3 innings) but worked out of the bullpen his last time out on Aug. 18, when he pitched two innings and allowed one run on two hits against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Phillips has faced the Red Sox once in his career, serving as a reliever and getting credited for the win with one hitless, scoreless inning in August 2025.

–Field Level Media

Seigler Powers Sox to Win Over Miami

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MIAMI – (Wire Service Report) – Anthony Seigler hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the top of the ninth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied to defeat the Marlins 4-2 on Monday night in Miami.

In a game where “Let’s Go Red Sox” chants could be heard into the ninth inning, Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 30th save.

It was the fourth straight win for the Red Sox, who threw out two Marlins runners at the plate — by first baseman Willson Contreras in the seventh and by reliever Erik Miller in the eighth. Miller (3-0) earned the win.

Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks (4-5) left the game in the ninth inning after just five pitches due to an unspecified injury. The only batter he faced, Mickey Gasper, walked. After Eli White replaced Gasper as a pinch runner, White scored on Seigler’s triple off Tyler Zuber.

Neither Miami’s Sandy Alcantara nor Boston’s Ranger Suarez earned a decision, each allowing one run while working around frequent trouble.

Alcantara, who threw 102 pitches, achieved his sixth straight quality start, going seven innings and allowing just six hits and two walks.

Suarez went five innings and needed 93 pitches after allowing four hits, four walks and two hit batters. He allowed a baserunner in every inning and at least two baserunners in four of his five frames.

In the second, the Marlins loaded the bases with no outs on a walk and two hit batters. But Suarez minimized the damage, allowing only Otto Lopez’s sacrifice fly.

Boston finally got to Alcantara in the fifth as Gasper slugged a 394-foot RBI double off the center field fence, scoring Jarren Duran from first. Miami’s Jakob Marsee almost caught the drive, but the ball ticked off his glove as he crashed into the wall.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the seventh as Duran hit a hustle double and Alcantara walked a pair. But Alcantara struck out Nick Sogard and got Ceddanne Rafaela on a fly out to end his night on a high note.

Miami took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, scoring off reliever Brayan Bello. Miami loaded the bases with one out on Lopez’s double and two walks. Xavier Edwards cashed in with an RBI single past a drawn-in infield.

But Boston got that run back in the eighth as Wilyer Abreu lined a leadoff double off the right field wall before eventually scoring on a wild pitch by reliever Josh Ekness.

In the ninth, Seigler’s line drive down the line in right made it 3-2, and Sogard added an RBI single.

–Field Level Media