When making your MLB debut as a starting pitcher, the last team you would wish to face would be the Boston Red Sox, the major-league leaders in average and runs scored.
Adrian Sampson struggles in first start
This is just the issue that Seattle Mariners right-hander Adrian Sampson (0-1) found himself in on Saturday afternoon, unable to protect the two-run cushion that he received from his offense as the Red Sox potent bats ruined his inaugural appearance in the majors, mashing their way to a 6-2 win, just their sixth in 15 games thus far in June.
After limiting Boston to just three hits in three innings of shutout ball to begin the game, Sampson was hampered by the Red Sox offense in the following two innings, concluding his first MLB performance having yielded four runs on eight hits and a walk in 4.2 innings, striking out two batters.
Rick Porcello impresses on home mound
For the Red Sox, starter Rick Porcello (8-2) improved to 6-0 at Fenway Park this season with yet another stellar showing in front of a crowd which witnessed its team keep pace with the Baltimore Orioles on the day, sitting just a game behind in the AL East with the victory.
Porcello lasted six innings on the hill, escaping multiple jams to allow just two runs on eight hits, striking out six Mariners on the afternoon for the quality start.
Red Sox offense mashes their way to win
As per usual, the Red Sox offensive attack was pioneered by their trio of budding superstars. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts fared 2-for-4 with a solo home run to increase his American League-leading batting average to .352 while right fielder Mookie Betts went 2-for-4 with an RBI and center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. homered.
First baseman Hanley Ramirez continued his impressive play as of late with a 2-for-4, two-run outing while catcher Christian Vazquez went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for Boston.
Designated hitter David Ortiz fared 1-for-4 as he chases the historic 522nd home run of his career, a blast which would catapult him past Red Sox legend Ted Williams on the all-time home run list.
For Seattle, who fell to 7.5 games behind the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West after the surging Rangers trumped the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3, right fielder Seth Smith went 3-for-3 while center fielder Leonys Martin went 2-for-4 as the Mariners went just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Boston secures come-from-behind win
However, Seattle did pose troubled for Porcello at the beginning of the game. After both Martin and Smith singled to kick off the contest, second baseman Robinson Cano singled to load the bases for dangerous designated hitter Nelson Cruz.
Cruz murdered the rally with a run-scoring double play, however, allowing Porcello to escape from the inning having allowed just one run once Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager flied out.
Despite stranding a runner at third base in the first inning, Seattle touched Porcello yet again in the following inning as first baseman Adam Lind lifted a 449-foot leadoff shot to center for his ninth home run of the season, doubling the Mariners advantage.
Seattle threatened in the third inning, as well, with Martin hitting a single to precede a double by Smith to begin the stanza, putting two runners in scoring position with none out and the heart of the lineup awaiting.
However, Porcello managed to strike out both Cano and Cruz before forcing Seager to ground out, evading even more trouble on the mound.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Bradley Jr. made the Seattle bats regret their woes with runners in scoring position, smoking a 413-foot solo shot to center for his 12th homer of the year to slice the deficit to 2-1.
The long ball rattled Sampson, who began to crumble in the bottom of the fifth inning. Boston left fielder Chris Young and Vazquez both reached with consecutive singles to begin the frame, and Betts answered the call with a game-tying RBI single.
Then, a double-play ball hit into by second baseman Dustin Pedroia brought home the go-ahead run in Vazquez, which preceded a towering solo home run over the Green Monster in left field by Bogaerts on the ensuing at-bat, the 23-year-old's ninth of 2016.
Facing Seattle reliever Mike Montgomery in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Red Sox increased their lead to 5-2. Ramirez began the stanza with an infield hit, moving to second on a one-out base knock by third baseman Travis Shaw.
Following a strikeout by Young, Vazquez hammered a double to left, plating Ramirez to advance the Boston advantage.
Ramirez also displayed his improved baserunning in the bottom of the eighth inning after hitting a one-out double down the left field line. Bradley Jr. smoked a line drive to second on the subsequent at-bat, with Ramirez nearly being doubled up at second base.
However, Seattle shortstop Ketel Marte dropped the throw from Cano, allowing Ramirez to hustle from second to home plate as the ball trickled into left field, pushing the Red Sox' lead to 6-2, where it would remain as closer Craig Kimbrel finished off the game in the following inning with minimal trouble.