SEATTLE — Chris Sale pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, top prospect Rafael Devers became the youngest Boston player to hit a home run in more than 50 years, and the Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 4-0 on Wednesday to salvage the final game of the series.
Barely 12 hours after the clubs wrapped up a five-hour, 13-inning marathon, the Red Sox got exactly what they needed from their ace to avoid being swept. The left-hander was masterful, striking out 11, the 14th time this season he had at least 10 strikeouts in a game. He allowed doubles to Jean Segura and Guillermo Heredia, and a broken-bat single to Ben Gamel, but none of the three to reach base via hit ever advanced.
Sale (13-4) has struck out at least nine batters in each of his 12 road starts this season, the longest streak dating to 1913.
Sale has won five of his last six decisions and became the first pitcher in the American League with 13 wins. In two starts on Boston’s road trip, Sale allowed seven total hits in 13 innings and struck out 20.
The only way Sale could be overshadowed would be if the Red Sox’s top prospect, Devers, did something special. Which he did, leading off the third inning by sending a 2-1 fastball from starter Andrew Moore out to centre field for his first hit in the majors.
At 20 years and 275 days old, Devers was the youngest Red Sox player to homer since Tony Conigliaro in September 1965. He added a single in the seventh inning.
Moore (1-3) was solid, but the long ball was his problem. Along with Devers’ shot, Moore gave up a two-out, two-run homer to Sandy Leon in the fourth inning. Moore hung a 1-2 curveball and Leon hit his sixth homer of the season. Moore was able to save Seattle’s bullpen by lasting 6 2/3 innings.
DAYS OFF
Boston’s Mookie Betts and Seattle’s Robinson Cano, both All-Stars this year, got a break from the starting lineup with each team having a day off Thursday. Cano’s only duty was catching the ceremonial first pitch from Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Boston placed right-handed pitcher Ben Taylor on the 10-day disabled list with a strained muscle in his ribs. The move was retroactive to July 23. The Red Sox activated right-hander Blaine Boyer from the disabled list. Boyer had been out since July 16 with an elbow strain.
Mariners: OF Jarrod Dyson (toe) is expected back in the lineup on Friday. Dyson missed the previous three games after hyperextending his toe crashing into the wall last Saturday against the Yankees. Seattle manager Scott Servais wanted to give Dyson one more game off with an off day on Thursday.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: After a day off, Boston opens up a 10-game homestand against Kansas City. David Price (5-3) will start in the opener.
Mariners: Following an off day, the Mariners open a three-game series with the New York Mets. Ariel Miranda (7-4) will start the opener on Friday.
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