Rick Porcello had a horrible 2015.  Despite giving up two minor homers to Edwin Encarnacion, Porcello kept control otherwise today, giving up no other hits besides those two and striking out 8.  The Red Sox went on to win 5-3 last night.  Porcello and the bullpen that backed him up had most of the control over the game for once, even though the entire lineup thrived.

In the 1st inning, the Red Sox already began to stockpile runs.  With two outs, Xander Bogaerts got a clean single up the middle.  David Ortiz drove him in with a bomb off the monster.  Man on 2nd, 1-0 Red Sox. It looked as if Papi was swinging for a home run, but it didn’t go high enough.  Hanley Ramirez then struck out, but reached first on a Josh Thole passed ball.  Travis Shaw then drove Big Papi and Ramirez in on an RBI double of his own. Shaw got out attempting to run to 3rd.

On the first at bat of the 2nd inning, Edwin Encarnacion hit his first of two homers, this one his solo bomb over the monster.  Porcello then hit Troy Tulowitzki, but he didn’t end up going anywhere.  In the bottom of the inning, after a challenge, the call stood for a Christian Vazquez double off the monster. It was right after an amazing throw to first, as my dad said, good defense sparks good offense.  Mookie Betts singled Vazquez in after advancing to third on JBJ’s ground out.

Pitching took control the next couple of innings.  Rick Porcello even had a period when he had 11 straight batters retired.  With a JBJ single and throwing error that made it first and third in the 4th though, R.A. Dickey was starting to get a bit tired out.  Pedey ended the inning on a double play.

Pat Venditte, the switch pitcher, came in.  Christian Vazquez and JBJ both singled, 1st and 2nd.  Then Mookie Betts grounded into a double play, but Vazquez was on third with two down.  Dustin Pedroia drove him in on an RBI single.  That’s an 8-game hitting streak 45 game 0n base streak against division rivals.  Porcello got pulled after 6.1 innings and giving up a two-run bomb to Edwin Encarnacion.  Jose Bautista was walked to get on base for him.

Pitching was back in control in the 7th and 8th inning after the homer, there were some walks, but no hits.  Craig Kimbrel got to first and second in the ninth on Edwin Encarnacion’s bloop single followed by a walk, but finished the game without another run. The Red Sox took down the Blue Jays, 5-3.  Sure, Rick Porcello has homer issues, but besides that, he pretty much had a perfect track record.

The Red Sox played again this afternoon.  That article should be out tomorrow morning.