The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Settling for a split
Boston falls in 10 innings, drops series finale with Angels
BOSTON — Anthony Bemboom finally lived his dream after a long day and a longer journey back to the Los Angeles Angels.
Bemboom hit a goahead single in the 10th inning after Kole Calhoun’s solo homer tied it in the eighth, leading the Angels past the Boston Red Sox 54 Sunday for a split of their fourgame series.
Called up earlier in the day from TripleA Salt Lake, Bemboom flew into Boston from Des Moines, Iowa, arrived around noon and showed up at Fenway Park about 20 minutes before the first pitch.
A little less than 41⁄2 hours later, he grounded his hit to right.
“That’s something you dream about — think about when you get drafted with the team. In a way it happened,” said Bemboom, standing in front of his black and gold Salt Lake Bees’ equipment bag lying on the floor.
He was drafted by Los Angeles in the 22nd round of the 2012 amateur draft. After being taken by Colorado in the 2016 Rule 5 draft, he became a free agent and signed with Tampa Bay.
The 29yearold catcher was up with the Rays earlier this year before Los Angeles purchased him from the Rays on July 16.
“We wouldn’t have won it without him,” Angels manager Brad Ausmus said.
Shohei Ohtani had three hits with a tworun single for Los Angeles, which won for only the second time in 10 games. The Angels had halted an eightgame losing streak Saturday and finished a ninegame trip 27.
Christian Vazquez hit a tworun homer for Boston, which rallied from an early 30 hole. Rafael Devers added two hits and started the front end of nifty 543 double play, making a backhanded stab on Albert Pujols’ hard grounder.
“It’s something we’ve been doing the whole season. We’ve been talking about it, been inconsistent,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of the split. “That way, it’s tough to make it to the playoffs.”
The defending World Series champion Red Sox have blown 22
saves, tied for most in the majors, and are currently out a playoff spot.
Calhoun hit his leadoff homer off reliever Matt Barnes after Boston’s bullpen held the Angels scoreless on two hits over 51⁄3 innings following a rough start by Andrew Cashner.
Bemboom hit his single off Ryan Weber (12) after Calhoun had a leadoff walk and advanced on a ground out and fly out.
Hansel Robles (40) got four outs for the victory.
Making his second big league start, Angels lefthander Patrick Sandoval gave up four runs in 4 2⁄3 innings. He was lifted with the bases loaded before Boston took a 43 lead on Max Stassi’s passed ball on Ty Buttrey’s pitch.
Los Angeles had built their edge with a run in the first on Pujols’ doubleplay and Ohtani’s single in the second before the Red Sox tied it.
Jackie Bradley Jr. drew a baseloaded walk in the second and Vazquez’s shot — that completely left Fenway Park over the Green Monster — tied it in the fourth.
NICE GIFT
After Red Sox lefty Chris Sale finished his offday throwing in the outfield and signed some autographs for fans in the stands along the rightfield line about an hour before the game, he noticed a young boy in a wheelchair off in the distance with his mom and dad.
Sale approached the 6yearold — named Joey — chatted for a while and gave him his glove before heading back into the clubhouse.
WILD THING
Cashner got just five outs, giving up three runs and three hits, walking five and left to loud boos when he was pulled.
“It was tough. I didn’t really command my fastball,” he said. “Five walks is never good. Didn’t give us really a chance to win, but amazing job by the bullpen