Jose Quintana got the start for Chicago and the slumping Jacoby Ellsbury lined out to center to start. Jonny Gomes and Dustin Pedroia both whiffed to end the inning. Felix Doubront got the start for the BoSox and got Alejando De Aza to ground back to the mound to begin the bottom of the first. Alexei Ramirez beat out an infield single to third but Alex Rios banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Bostonoffense failed to produce in the top of the second inning. David Ortiz popped up to third and Mike Napoli whiffed. Daniel Nava drew a walk but Will Middlebrooks grounded into a force to end the inning. Doubront kept pace in the bottom of the second as Paul Konerko grounded out to third to begin. Adam Dunn and Dayan Viciedo both struck out to end the inning.
The BoSox mustered nothing in the top of the third as Stephen "PU" Drew flied out to right to begin. Jarrod Saltalamacchia flied out to left and Ellsbury popped up to short to end the inning. Doubront brought the fire in the bottom of the third as Jeff Keppinger grounded out to short, Tyler Flowers whiffed and Tyler Greene flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fourth inning. Gomes and Pedroia grounded out to third and Ortiz grounded out to second to end the inning. Doubront matched Quintana in the bottom of the fourth as De Aza drew a leadoff walk, but Ramirez grounded into a double play. Rios grounded out to short to end the inning. Both pitchers were pitching very well.
The BoSox failed to get a hit in the top of the fifth inning as Napoli flied out to right to begin. Nava lined out to the right field wall but Middlebrooks flied out to center to end the inning. 5 innings and no hits allowed for Quintana. The ChiSox struck first in the bottom of the fifth inning although Konerko popped up to first to begin. Dunn grounded out to first but Viciedo singled. Keppinger had the lowest slugging percentage of anyone that qualified in the majors. Think of Jose Iglesias playing for Chicago. Well for some reason lady luck was not shining on the Red Sox as Keppinger hit his first homer of the year to give the Chisox a commanding lead. Flowers doubled but Greene grounded out to third to end the inning but Chicago was up 2-0.
The BoSox remained hitless in the top of the sixth inning as Drew popped up to short to begin. Saltalamacchia whiffed but Ellsbury worked a walk. Gomes struck out to end the inning. What a garbage performance by the BoSox offense. Doubront came back for one last inning in the bottom of the sixth. De Aza and Ramirez both grounded out to second but Rios singled. Konerko walked but Doubront got Adam Dunn to fly out to end the inning. 6 innings and 2 runs allowed is a huge improvement for Felix, its too bad he got zero run support
The Sox blew their biggest chance to get back in the game in the top of the seventh. Just as it seemed Quintana was going to throw a no-hitter, Ortiz, Napoli and Nava worked 3 straight hits to load the bases and chase the pitcher. In came unhittable Jesse Crain who punched out both Middlebrooks and PU Drew to end the threat.
Rookie Alex Wilson relieved Doubront and continued his hot streak by pitching a clean bottom of the 7th. Viciedo and Keppinger flied out to right before Flowers grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox finally got on the board in the top of the eighth. Matt Thornton relieved Crain and Saltalamacchia greeted him with a walk. Ellsbury singled to once again put the tying runs on. Matt Lindstrom relieved Thornton and Red Sox manager John Farrell sent in Mike Carp to pinch hit for Gomes. If there was ever a situation to call for a bunt, this was it. Unfortunately Farrell was too conservative and let Carp hit away.....only he flied out without advancing either runner. Ironically a wild pitch during the next at bat with Pedroia up moved the runners. Pedroia then hit a ground ball to Ramirez at short who shockingly played hot potato with it, allowing Saltalamacchia to score and Ellsbury reach third. With the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on first.....all Ortiz had to do was hit a fly ball and the game was tied. Instead, Ortiz banged into a double play thus killing the rally. Still, the Sox had cut the lead and trailed 2-1
All Wilson had to do was hold the fort in the bottom of the eighth and the Sox would have a chance to tie it in the ninth with one swing of the bat. He did manage to whiff Greene and get De Aza to line out to first, but Ramirez singled. Rios doubled home the insurance run and Konerko walked to chase Wilson from the game. Andrew Miller came in and struck out Dunn to end the inning but it was 3-1 Chicago.
ChiSox closer Addison Reed came in to finish off the game in the top of the ninth. Napoli whiffed, Nava flied out to left and Middlebrooks flied out to center to end the game. The ChiSox had taken the game with a 3-1 win.
Jackass of the Night is David Ortiz. His double play in the top of the eighth inning was the difference in the game.
THE GOOD:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Daniel Nava was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Felix Doubront was the hard luck loser but hardly pitched like a loser. He threw 6 solid innings and gave up just a 2 run jack to Keppinger, unfortunately the Sox couldn't generate any offense.
Andrew Miller struck out the one batter he faced.
THE BAD:
Jonny Gomes who was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts
Mike Carp was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Will Middlebrooks was 0 for 4 with a strikeout
Stephen Drew was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
THE UGLY
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but did drive in a run.
Mike Napoli was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 0 for 2 but walked and scored Boston's only run.
Alex Wilson was headed for 2 more perfect innings but was chased with a single, double and a walk.
Final Thoughts:
One of the worst fears about this team is becoming true, the lack of offense on this team is killing them right now. They've had the tying runs on base the past 2 games but couldn't get over the hump. They have guys that get can get on base but with Ortiz slowing down, they really don't have the guys to drive them in anymore. That's the main problem this team has is other than Ortiz and Napoli they don't have a legitimate rbi man. Middlebrooks was supposed to be but he's fallen flat on his face, hitting just .208. The good news is the situation is fixable. A trade can be made by either dumping one of their position players or one of their prospects to get a reliable rbi man. The loss drops the Sox to 27-19, 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees. Clay Buchholz hopes to avoid getting pounded like Jon Lester or become a hard luck loser by Doubront in the finale against spot starter Hector Santiago tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM at Commiskey Park.
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