BoSox, Holt sink Seattle in the 11th
Holt drives in what ends up being the decisive tally as Boston beats M's
SEATTLE - Brock Holt's RBI single in the 11th inning lifted the Boston Red Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
Travis Shaw, who had a solo homer in the second, opened the 11th against Cody Martin (1-2) with an opposite-field single to left against the shift. Sandy Leon sacrificed Shaw to second and Holt then bounced an single up the middle off the glove of diving shortstop Sean O'Malley.
Craig Kimbrel (2-3) retired all four batters he faced - including striking out the side in the 10th - for the victory. Brad Ziegler pitched the 11th for his third save, stranding the tying run at third.
Seattle tied it with two runs in the fifth inning. O'Malley hit the first pitch into the left-field seats for his first homer of the season and second of his career. Guillermo Heredia followed with a bunt single and advanced to third on consecutive ground outs. After Nelson Cruz was walked intentionally, Dae-Ho Lee blooped an RBI single into shallow right-center.
Shaw opened the second with his 13th homer, driving a 2-0 pitch over the right-field wall to put Boston up 1-0.
The Red Sox made it 2-0 in the fifth when Bryce Brentz and Mookie Betts opened the inning with consecutive doubles.
Seattle starter Ariel Miranda, acquired from Baltimore on July 31 for left-hander Wade Miley, allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings in his major league debut after being called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Tacoma.
The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the first on singles by Xavier Bogaerts and David Ortiz and a walk to Dustin Pedroia, but Miranda escaped by striking out Jackie Bradley Jr. and getting Aaron Hill on a fly out to right.
Seattle loaded the bases in the fourth on three walks by Drew Pomerantz, but Leonys Martin bounced to first to end the inning. Pomerantz has yet to win in four starts since being acquired from San Diego.
