It was a bad day for Boston sports. The Boston Bruins lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Boston Red Sox. Poor Ryan Dempster, he just can't catch a break. For the third consecutive game the Sox scored under 5 runs and it killed them as the Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of Boston's uncharacteristically leaky pen to come away with a 6-2 series salvaging win at Fenway.
Zobrist scored on the sac fly by James Loney and Will Myers grounded out to end the inning. Could the Sox counter against the league leader in runs allowed, Jeremy Hellickson in the bottom of the first? NO! Jacoby Ellsbury, Daniel Nava and Dustin Pedroia all failed to reach in the bottom of the first. Kelly Johnson struck out to open the second but Jose Molina and Yunel Escobar hit back to back singles. Dempster got some defensive help when Joyce grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second. David Ortiz doubled to lead off and advanced to third on a ground out by Mike Napoli. Things looked bleak when Jarrod Saltalamacchia struck out but Jonny Gomes lashed a single to third to cut the lead 2-1. PU Drew singled but Iglesias grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Dempster worked a clean top of the third and Ellsbury singled to lead off the bottom of the third...but Nava banged into a double play and Pedroia grounded out to end that threat. Dempster pitched a clean top of the 4th and the Sox looked to strike again in the bottom half. Salty stroked a 2 out double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored to tie the game on another Gomes single to third. Drew grounded out but the game was tied.
It wasn't tied for long. Molina singled but Escobar flied out. Jennings walked and Zobrist lined a single to center, Ellsbury's throw home was too late and Molina scored, the runners advancing on the throw. The slowest guy on the team and STILL Ellsbury can't throw him out. The Rays now led 3-2.
Longoria popped up but the damage was done. Could the Sox answer in the bottom of the 5th? Ellsbury stroked a one out single and advanced to second on a strikeout to Nava that got away from Molina. Ellsbury advanced to third on a balk and with the tying run 90 feet away.....Pedroia grounded out.
The Rays threatened again in the top of the 6th. Johnson worked a 2 out walk and Molina singled for the third time tonight. It seems the only team he can hit against is Boston. Escobar flied out but that was it for Dempster after 108 pitches. Hellickson finished strong by striking out the final 2 batters of the bottom of the 6th. The Sox scored just 2 runs on the man who has allowed the most runs in the majors...BAWFUL!
Craig Breslow took the mound for the top of the 7th and proceeded to drop a turd in his pants. Jennings laced a one out single but Zobrist flied out. All Breslow needed was one more out but he wouldn't get it. Jennings scored all the way from first on a single by Longoria and Loney doubled Evan to third. Sox manager John Farrell pulled Breslow for rookie Alex Wilson who allowed a double to Myers that scored both baserunners and put the game out of reach, 6-2. Wilson got the next out but that was basically the game. Jake McGee took over for Hellickson in the bottom of the 7th and worked around a 2 out walk to Iglesias to retire the side. The Iglesias walk would be the last baserunner for Boston.
Franklin Morales relieved Wilson in the top of the 8th and finally struck out Molina. Escobar grounded out but Sean Rodriguez pinch hit for Joyce and singled. Jennings struck out to end the inning. Joel Peralta worked the bottom of the 8th and pitched a clean inning.
Pedro Beato showed his face for the top of the 9th and gave up back to back one out singles to Longoria and Loney. He got the next 2 batters to end the inning, all in all the Rays pounded out 15 hits over the course of the game. Jamey Wright got the first two batters of the 9th and Rays manager Joe Maddon lifted him for closer Fernando Rodney to pitch to Gomes for some reason. Gomes struck out and the Rays won 6-2.
THE GOOD
Not much here. Jacoby Ellsbury was 2 for 4. PU Drew was 1 for 3 and Jonny Gomes was 2 for 4 and drove in the only 2 runs they scored. Franklin Morales and Pedro Beato both pitched scoreless innings.
THE BAD:
Jackass of the Night is a tough one but I'll go with.....*drumroll* Craig Breslow. Breslow turned a 3-2 deficit into 6-2 by allowing 3 hits in just 2/3's of an inning.
Alex Wilson misses jackass only because he didn't put the 3 runners on, he just allowed 2 of them to score. Daniel Nava, Mike Napoli and Dustin Pedroia were all 0 for 4 with a strikeout. Jose Iglesias was 0 for 2 with an error that compounded a walk.
THE UGLY:
Jarrod Saltalamacchia and David Ortiz were both just 1 for 4 but scored when they reached. Jarrod also got the hat trick with 3 strikeouts.
Final Thoughts:
Not the way the Sox wanted to go into Detroit for a 4 game showdown at all. Their ace is struggling, their best starter is on the DL and they're having trouble scoring again. This was another one of those games where if the bullpen didn't crap themselves, maybe they could have pulled out another win in the 9th. The loss drops the team to 43-30, 1 1/2 game in front of the Baltimore Orioles who smoked the Tigers 13-3 after knocking around Justin Verlander the night before. The Tigers will not be happy going into the series. It looks like Alan Webster will make the start on Saturday, nice to see him again, hope he bounces back after his last start a month ago. As for this game, pfft. Dempster deserved a better fate.
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