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PHOENIX – With the scoreless match to start the sixth inning, Alex Cora put the stick in the hands of Marcus Walden and let him bang for himself.
Walden, a reliever who did not form the team in the spring and was called Saturday to replace injured Brian Johnson, was eliminated in a non-competitive game.
Again in the eighth round, Cora sent another reliever, Matt Barnes, to take himself. Again, he hit easily.
But the manager's confidence in these two bullies to keep the game aimless rather than playing for an extra point says a lot about how the Red Sox are playing right now. And the unusual strategy actually worked.
Mitch Moreland scored a solo goal in the seventh inning and the Red Sox on Sunday won a crucial victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-0) to send them back to Boston with a well deserved record and a 3-8 record.
The plan for this 11th game of the season has always been to call on a sixth starter, but Hector Velazquez is not exactly up to his sleeve share. So, Cora got three good runs from Velazquez in an opening approach, then trusted four substitutes to pitch six innings of work.
Despite the use of five pitchers in a National League match, Cora has never been to his bench. Not once, he was not hit, not even with the MVP title Mookie Betts off the training for a day of rest routine (Betts was then used as a defensive substitute). And although the three attackers from the throwers pulled out, giving them only eight innings of the Red Sox offensive, the Sox got a well-deserved win.
Velazquez may have presented the best game of a Red Sox starter this year, allowing only one hit and no walk while eliminating three.
Brandon Workman had another strong run in the fourth inning – he started five scoreless innings to start the year – and then Cora turned to Walden for a quick fifth run.
While the offense was struggling against right-hand rookie Merrill Kelly, aged 30, and a variety of options on the bench, Cora chose not to use one. Instead, Walden hit for himself in front of the sixth goal, was eliminated on four shots and the Sox went to the bottom of the tie still tied, 0-0.
Walden, also 30 and still rookie despite throwing in 14 innings with an average of 3.68 points last season, shot a solid sixth and returned the game to Barnes seventh.
Making only his third appearance of the season, Barnes brilliantly pitched again, and Cora trusted him for two innings while letting him hit for himself (scratched on three throws, all in pursuit) to keep him in the match .
Moreland barely crossed the barrier for a circuit in seventh position and the Sox escaped their unusual strategy.
Ryan Brasier took ninth place for his second save of the season.
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