Just two days removed from an embarrassing 16-1 loss to open their series with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox needed just one run to beat Tampa Bay and win the series.
Boston won Wednesday’s game, which ended with a 1-0 final score. It’s the second straight victory over Tampa in response to its Monday loss.
And an unlikely hero proved to be the only real difference in the box score.
Infielder David Hamilton, who entered the game hitting a pedestrian .048, hit a laser just over the right field fence. Hamilton’s home run was a solo shot, his first of the season and only the eighth of his MLB career. Hamilton’s game-winning home run produced just his second RBI of the year as well.
No one knew it at the time, but no one else would touch home base and that one blast would be all the Red Sox needed to secure their 10th win of the season.
Of course, a 1-0 win often means a duel between starting pitchers.
However, Boston used four pitchers in the game, as starter Sean Newcomb only lasted 4.2 innings. Newcomb pitched a shutout but did give up four of the Rays’ five hits from the game.
But after Newcomb left the game, Greg Weissert came in and struck out three batters, receiving the credit for the official win in just over one inning of work. Garrett Whitlock added four strikeouts of his own, granted he did surrender Tampa’s fifth hit in his two innings.
With literally no room for error at all, Justin Slaten overpowered everyone he faced as he locked up the win for Boston by accomplishing his third save of the season.