What’s up, West Coast friends? It’s late, and I’m a little bit tired, so we’re going to do a good old-fashioned live blog today where I type my delirious thoughts in real time and publish them unfiltered. The rest of this piece will be those thoughts. Enjoy.
10:06 PM: There are children next door screaming. It’s after 10, they’re far too young to be outside this late. They should be in bed. Is this what being old is?
10:07 PM: My girlfriend is asking me to make her a sundae. I’m “letting the ice cream
thaw” to delay the sundae construction so I can type this.
10:09 PM: Emerson Hancock is good now? Looks like he’s spotted his fastball really well, but when it’s hit, it’s been hit hard. A quick scan of the peripherals tells me he might be getting a little bit fortunate. Hopefully, that luck flips tonight.
10:13 PM: I missed the first hitter. My girlfriend narrated it from the next room over. She did an okay job. I’ll give it a C+.
10:20 PM: The Mariners immediately have two runners on with nobody out. This is fun.
10:23 PM: Remind me to come back to the first pitch breaking ball to Josh Naylor. It’s a really great pitch that will largely go unnoticed because it was just a called strike. We’ll break that down on Tuesday.
10:26 PM: Josh Naylor singles on a pretty good fastball. 1-0 Mariners.
10:27 PM: Rob Refsnyder has had a horrible year, so coming through with a big hit here would be the most 2026 Red Sox thing imaginable.
10:27 PM: Narvaez with an absolute dot to get Julio trying to steal third, and a nice play by Mayer to end the inning. That could have been A LOT worse.
10:32 PM: The Red Sox make three outs on six pitches. Golly.
10:36 PM: Early is throwing really hard tonight. He also has no clue where the ball is going. I guess that’s better than throwing really soft and having no idea where the ball is going.
10:39 PM: Early’s sequencing against Mitch Garver was the best I’ve seen so far tonight. Keep it rolling.
10:43 PM: Much better second inning for Early. Keeping the fastball high is key, and he did it in the 2nd.
10:47 PM: Carlos Narvaez fouling off a fastball right down the middle is probably a direct result of him playing once every six games or whatever. Gotta get his bat going.
10:50 PM: Nine up, nine down for the Red Sox the first time through the order. Fun!
10:56 PM: Just five of 13 first pitch strikes for Early so far, but he’s worked around it. 1-0 Mariners after three innings.
10:58 PM: Considering cracking a beer, but that increases the likelihood of me falling asleep by about 10%.
11:00 PM: Anthony Seigler gets a hit. The no-hitter is over.
11:02 PM: Hancock throws the ball away, but the umpire isn’t an athlete, gets hit, and prevents the ball from getting away. Show some agility, blue.
11:03 PM: The umpire’s cement feet do not end up mattering. Wilyer Abreu homers to straightaway center field. 2-1, Red Sox.
11:11 PM: Back-to-back strikeouts to finish a quick fourth inning for Early. 96 mph on the fastball after four innings is a great sign.
11:12 PM: I’m gonna do some stretches on the floor.
11:13 PM: Caleb Durbin with a line drive single. Is he good again?
11:15 PM: Golly, what a play by JP Crawford.
11:17 PM: Early’s fastball is up 1.5 mph and an inch of IVB. That’s exciting.
11:22 PM: Nasty curveball to strike out Connor Joe. Looking sharp after a rocky first inning.
11:23 PM: Nasty sweeper to strike out Colt Emerson.
11:25 PM: We’re through five, and the Red Sox still lead, 2-1.
11:30 PM: Yoshida steals second base with his perfect running form. Now 15 for 15 in his career. He might be the fastest man alive.
11:35 PM: We’ve got our first pitching change with the bases loaded and one out. I’m beginning to fall asleep, so it’s not a great sign that this game has ground to a halt. Ground? Grinded? I don’t know. What I do know is that it’s a good thing I didn’t have that beer.
11:38 PM: Jarren Duran grounds out but does a good job hustling to beat out the throw to first and break up a double play. Caleb Durbin gets a chance with the bases loaded and two down.
11:41 PM: A super wild pitch scores a run. 3-1, Red Sox.
11:43 PM: Infield single by Durbin scores another. 4-1, Red Sox. Ferrer can’t throw anything but a fastball for a strike. There’s a chance for some real damage here.
11:44 PM: Another infield single! 5-1, Red Sox. This is fun. Unfortunately, you can’t score five runs relying on infield hits and walks every day.
11:46 PM: Silly baserunning play by Durbin. He tried to score from third on a pickoff at first and was gunned down at home. I like being aggressive, but that felt reckless, especially with a pitcher struggling to find the zone.
11:49 PM: Gotta have a shut down bottom half of the inning against the top of the Mariners’ lineup.
11:55 PM: What’s going on? Josh Naylor thinks he didn’t strike out, but he definitely struck out. Weird sequence there, but a great two-strike pitch by Early nonetheless.
11:56 PM: Velocity starting to dip for Early. I’d really love for him to get out of this inning and finish a full six. Tyron Guerrero warming up with two outs.
12:00 AM: Early escapes a jam, and that will be his night. After 6, it’s 5-1 Red Sox.
12:01 AM: That was a long inning. I’m tired.
12:13 AM: The Red Sox strand two runners in the top of the seventh. Looks like Guerrero coming on?
12:15 AM: It is Guerrero.
12:18 AM: 102 mph with 16 inches of horizontal break to strike out the first hitter he sees.
12:19 AM: Pew Pew Pew. Lasers. Three up, three down.
12:20 AM: Do you keep Guerrero around for next year? He costs nothing, but he’s 35 and might get you a good prospect at the deadline. I’d be inclined to trade him if there’s interest, but I could go either way.
12:24 AM: Willson Contreras is hit by a pitch. The sun is down, but I’m pretty sure the sky is blue as well.
12:27 AM: My tummy kinda hurts.
12:28 AM: Mayer strikes out to strand Durbin at second base. Onto the bottom of the eighth.
12:31 AM: Garrett Whitlock on the for the eighth. I’m lying on the floor to prevent falling asleep.
12:32 AM: Don’t forget to call your father tomorrow. It’s Father’s Day. Also the first day of summer, I think?
12:35 AM: Whitlock mows down the Mariners. Onto the ninth. We’re almost there. 5-1 Red Sox, after eight.
12:42 AM: I just dozed off through the top of the inning. Lying on the floor is not working. Close the door, Chappy.
12:43 AM: Is it Chapman? They didn’t show him, I just assumed it was. It’s not technically a save situation and everyone knows closers only pitch in save situations. Lots of motorcycles or something passing by outside. I’m losing touch with reality. I can’t wait for my dog to wake me up at 5:30 AM.
12:45 AM: Oh, it’s Danny Coulombe. He got the first hitter out on one pitch.
12:46 AM: Two quick outs.
12:47 AM: Ballgame! 5-1, Red Sox win. Eight no-hit innings after allowing two singles in the first.
That’s all I’ve got for tonight. See you all tomorrow afternoon for Tolle day.
