Napoli homer leads Red Sox to win

Ventura thinks his players can block out the distractions surrounding Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline.

“We had a busy few days”. Big, small, in between.

The Red Sox? They’re pretty much just hoping some passerby notices their “Free Napoli” sign at the end of the driveway and takes him off their hands.

If they do, it’ll come on the heels of just another day at the office, unlike last season. Got a lot of information.

The lack of activity will be of little use to Sox COO Sam Kennedy in drumming up business for the next two months and will do nothing to ease the aggravation of Sox fans braced for the team’s third last-place finish in the past four years.

“To be honest, I didn’t really worry about it”, the veteran first baseman said after launching a towering shot off left-hander Jake McGee that landed in the first row of the Monster Seats in left field.

He said he didn’t want to be traded – and even though the Red Sox are in last place in the AL East and miles away from even a wild-card spot – added, “We’re not giving up yet”.

After Alexi Ogando pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief of Rodriguez, Robbie Ross Jr. came in to start the seventh. Tampa Bay was a season-high 10 games above.

Since July 1, the Red Sox have won each of Eduardo Rodriguez’s three home starts, with Rodriguez going 2-0 and posting a 1.96 ERA in the process. Mike Napoli walked to load the bases, then Alejandro De Aza and Blake Swihart drove in the three runs with RBI singles. Those things matter.

They have also allowed the second fewest BB/9 in this span, and are fourth in HR/9. Brock Holt had a two-run single, and Rusney Castillo homered. The outfield is too crowded with De Aza, especially once Mookie Betts returns from his concussion. “And so we’ve got to figure out”, Cherington said. I’m not going to give up out there. I’m responsible. I’m more responsible than anyone. Melvin said he expects Doubront to join the team on Saturday.

There’s plenty of blame to be thrown around, but speaking following the trade deadline pasing Friday, general manager Ben Cherington said he’s the person who should be blamed the most. We have to find a way to get more out of some guys that are here. “Certainly, he is capable of doing that”.

Only time will tell here, what the White Sox need to do to prove that they are seriously pursuing the postseason is make a statement with whatever deadline move they chose to make, and show that the pitching dominance that was demonstrated this past week is here to stay.

The Sox added an insurance run in the eighth inning from the bottom of their lineup.

As recently as the beginning of June, principal owner John W. Henry still thought it could work. “And we’ve got to fix it and play better baseball”. But the rest of the damage done to him wasn’t exactly convincing.

But Sale struggled with his location, while Wright (4-4) struck out a career-high eight after a suspect start. Many people were disappointed when Napoli was not dealt and remained in Boston.

“This game appeared to be decided the way it was going early on”, Cash said. If everyone at Fenway could just stop barfing all over each other – literally and figuratively – we’d have to consider it progress.

This team might not be in contention, but it remains obligated to play hard.

“We’re not good enough, and I don’t know of any teams that are, to give up extra outs and that’s what we did tonight”, said Cash, whose starter was the victim of three unearned runs in the first inning. “It’s quickly fixable, but not easy”.