When Boston Red Sox ace David Price's ERA hovered at 6.75 following a tumultuous loss to the New York Yankees on May 7, the Beantown faithful clamored that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had committed a tremendously costly error in signing the pricey left-hander.
Eight starts later in which the 30-year-old has garnered a 2.47 ERA, not a single member of the Greater Boston populace is uttering a similar phrase.
David Price impressive in first victory of June
Price became the first Boston starter to throw at least eight innings and allow no greater than three runs in three consecutive starts since knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in 2005 on a beautiful Father's Day at Fenway Park, allowing just one run on eight hits in eight stellar frames while striking out seven to lead the Red Sox to a 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Sporting a fanciful pair of powder blue Jordan cleats, Price was wicked on the hill, lowering his ERA to 4.24 while recording his first victory since May 24.
A solo home run over the Green Monster to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning by right fielder Mookie Betts (3-for-5) proved to be the difference for Boston, who emerged victorious from a series for just the second time in June.
With the victory, the Red Sox kept pace a single game behind the Baltimore Orioles, who defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 11-6, for first place in the AL East.
Red Sox struggle with RISP
On the other side of the mound, Mariners starter Taijuan Walker was stellar as well, pitching a six-hit shutout in five innings of work while striking out three and walking one.
The Red Sox offense was a horrendous 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position, leaving 11 runners on base while Betts endured his first failed stolen base attempt of the season in the first inning.
Catcher Christian Vazquez fared 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position while both designated hitter David Ortiz and first baseman Hanley Ramirez went 0-for-2 with runners on second or third base on the day, with the Big Papi striking out with a runner on second in the first inning before grounding into a double play with runners on first and third in the third inning.
With Walker escaping a multitude of jams, Seattle right fielder Franklin Gutierrez continued his success at Fenway Park in the top of the fourth inning, wrapping his third home run of the series around the Pesky Pole in right field to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.
Walker was able to retire the final six batters that he faced, however, the Mariners bullpen was unable to keep the lead intact.
Boston completes second consecutive comeback win
Leading off the bottom of the sixth inning against Seattle reliever Vidal Nuño, Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts singled before advancing to third on the subsequent single by Ortiz.
Ramirez then garnered his 39th RBI of the season, grounding into an RBI fielder's choice to bring home Bogaerts, tying the game at one.
One inning later, Betts handed Seattle reliever Edwin Diaz (0-1) his first loss of the season, pelting an offering from the 22-year-old bullpen arm 370 feet to left field for his 15th home run of the season to give Boston the deciding 2-1 advantage.
Price proceeded to retire the side with ease in the eighth inning, and closer Craig Kimbrel acquired his 16th save of the season with three consecutive punch outs in the ninth inning to seal the victory for the Red Sox.