Red Sox Defeat College Teams In Doubleheader

The Boston Red Sox won both games of an exhibition doubleheader on Tuesday at jetBlue Park.

The Red Sox defeated Northeastern University in eight innings (of a scheduled seven inning game ) 2-1 in the first contest.

Boston scored first off Huskies pitcher Mike Driscoll in the bottom of the 5th when an RBI single by Henry Ramos scored Brock Holt who had walked. Northeastern tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the 7th on a throwing error by second baseman Jeff Bianchi.

In the bottom of the 8th, Boston’s Luke Montz scored the winning run, also on a throwing error.

Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz started and pitched one perfect inning, striking out one. Rick Porcello followed and pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts. Anthony Varvaro, Eduardo Rodriguez and Zeke Spruill pitched scoreless innings as well.

Winning pitcher Mitchell Boggs pitched the 8th and struck out two. Huskies pitcher Zach Perry suffered the loss allowing the unearned run to end the game.

Game two between the Red Sox and Boston College featured a pregame ceremony honoring BC’s Director of Baseball Operations Pete Frates, catalyst behind last summers ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Both teams wore jerseys featuring Frates name and number 3 on the back, which was the number he wore when he played for the Eagles between 2004 and 2007.

The second game was scoreless until the bottom of the 6th, when Red Sox second baseman Jemile Weeks tripled and scored on an RBI single by catcher Blake Swihart, who has been mentioned often in trade rumors throughout the offseason, including the proposed Cole Hamels deal with Philadelphia. It was the only run in the game as the Sox won 1-0.

Weeks was the big offensive force on the day with a double in addition to his triple and run scored.

Centerfielder Rusney Castillo was 1 for 3 and shortstop Deven Marrero was 1 for 2.

Wade Miley started the nightcap for Boston pitching two scoreless innings , followed by relief work from Craig Breslow, Brandon Workman, Steven Wright, Edwin Escobar, and Dalier Hinojosa.

Escobar was credited with the win with BC’s Geoffrey Murphy taking the loss. Hinojosa pitched the 7th to pick up the save.

After an off day tomorrow in which the Red Sox players will work out as a normal camp day, they open their 2015 Grapefruit League season on the road at the Minnesota Twins on Thursday at 7:05 PM, at the Twins newly renovated complex. Righthander Joe Kelly is expected to start for Boston followed by Matt Barnes, Brian Johnson, Junichi Tazawa, Edward Mujica, Alexi Ogando, Robbie Ross Jr, and Tommy Layne.