Clay Buchholz got the ball in his season debut in the top of the first inning and Carlos Gomez greeted him by popping up to a running Dustin Pedroia in shallow center. Jean Segura lined one off the leg of Buchholz for an infield single. Segura took off for second as Jonathan Lucroy grounded out to first, Jean eventually taking third on the head's up play. Aramis Ramirez put the Brewers on top by lining one off the glove of Xander Bogaerts, scoring Segura to give Milwaukee the lead. Khris Davis blooped a single to left but Logan Schafer grounded out to third to end the inning with the Brewers up 1-0.
Wily Peralta got the start for the Brewers and cruised in the bottom of the first inning. Grady Sizemore flied out to center, Pedroia grounded out to second and Daniel Nava popped up to short to end the inning.
Buchholz crapped his pants in the top of the second as Mark Reynolds smashed a line drive home run into the Monster Seats to increase the lead. Scooter Gennett whiffed on a fastball down the middle and Martin Maldonado popped up to first in foul territory, but Gomez blasted a home run off the light tower in left to increase the lead. Segura grounded out to short to end the inning but Buchholz looked like poo and the Brewers had the lead 3-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second although Mike Napoli froze on a 2-2 pitch on the outside corner to begin the inning. Bogaerts lined a single by the diving Reynolds and Jonny Gomes doubled to left field to put runners in scoring position. AJ Pierzynski grounded out to first but Bogaerts scored to put the Sox on the board. Jonathan Herrera hit a ground ball to Segura who kicked it, allowing Gomes to score. Herrera was somehow credited with a hit but he was thrown out at second base trying to steal to end the inning. The Sox had Peralta on the ropes when Herrera let him off the hook with the Sox down 3-2.
Unfortunately Clay continued to suck in the top of the third. Lucroy doubled to center and Ramirez singled in the hole at short to put runners at the corners. Davis singled home Lucroy to increase the lead. Schafer grounded out to first but both runners moved into scoring position. Buchholz got Reynolds swinging on a 2-2 change but Gennett doubled home both runners to give the Brewers a commanding lead. Maldonado grounded out to second to end the inning but the Sox were down 6-2.
The Sox roared back in the bottom of the third although Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed on a slider in the dirt to start. Sizemore drew a walk and Pedroia lofted a picture perfect double play ball to Ramirez...right through his legs and everyone was safe. Nava hit a picture perfect double play ball to Segura who bobbled it but still was able to throw Nava out at first. Napoli made the Brewers pay for the errors by swatting a 3 run home run to dead center to bring the Sox to within one. Bogaerts walked but Gomes grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox now down 6-5.
Buchholz got bailed out by his defense in the top of the fourth inning. Gomez singled to left and Segura dropped a bunt down that Herrera fielded but Nava couldn't scoop for a base hit. Clay recovered to strike out Lucroy and then got Ramirez to fly out to the centerfield wall. For some reason Gomez tagged and tried to come all the way around from second base, but was thrown out at home to end the inning. What was he thinking?
The Sox failed to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Pierzynski grounded out to second, Herrera struck out swinging and JBJ popped up to left to end the inning.
Clay returned for the top of the fifth but didn't last long. Davis grounded out but Schafer doubled over the head of Sizemore in center. Reynolds blooped a single to right to advance Schafer to third and Sox manager John Farrell had seen enough. He took Buchholz out after the incompetent starter allowed 6 runs on a whopping 13 hits in just 4 1/3 innings.
The Springfield Massachusetts native Chris Capuano came in and stopped the bleeding, getting Gennett on a short fly ball to shallow left then striking out Maldonado to end the inning. The Sox failed to score in the bottom of the fifth. Sizemore watched strike three go by but Pedroia singled in the hole at second. Nava and Napoli whiffed to end the inning.
Capuano returned for the top of the sixth inning and struck out Gomez to begin the inning. Segura grounded out to short on a bang bang play and Lucroy whiffed to end the inning. Not a bad Fenway debut for Capuano.
Jim Henderson relieved Peralta in the bottom of the sixth and the Sox rallied. Bogaerts doubled off the Monster and Gomes worked a walk to chase Henderson. Zach Duke came in and got Pierzynski to bang into a double play, although Bogaerts moved to third. Herrera lofted a ground ball to Segura who booted another one, allowing Bogaerts to score the tying run. Bawful defense by Milwaukee tonight. JBJ looked at strike three to end the inning but the Sox had tied it 6-6.
Capuano returned for the top of the seventh inning and Ramirez greeted him with a base hit to left. Davis singled to left but Gomes kicked the ball back to the infield screaming "GOALLLLL!!!!" for an error to put runners on the corners. Schafer froze on a strike three pitch and that was it for Capuano. Brandon Workman came in and punched out both Reynolds and Gennett to end the inning. Sizemore flied out to left begin the bottom of the seventh and that was it from Duke. Brandon Kintzler replaced him and got Pedroia to ground out to short. Nava lined out to center to end the inning.
Workman returned for the top of the eighth and got Maldonado to fly out to left. Gomez struck out swinging but Segura singled. Segura stole second but Lucroy lined out to Nava to end the inning. The Sox failed to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning although Napoli singled to right to lead off. Bogaerts struck out swinging but Gomes hit into a double play to end the inning.
Koji Uehara came in to pitch the top of the ninth and turned up the dial. He struck out Ramirez, Davis and Schafer all swinging to begin and end in short order.
Could the Sox win the game in the bottom of the ninth against Will Smith? NO! Pierzynski struck out swinging and Herrera grounded out to short. A roar came over the crowd as David Ortiz lumbered out of the dug-out to pinch hit for JBJ. Unfortunately all he did was ground out to short to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.
Junichi Tazawa came in to pitch the top of the 10th as Mike Carp came in to play first with Nava moving to right. Reynolds struck out swinging but Gennett doubled to center. Maldonado whiffed but Gomez walked. Segura struck out but the ball got away from Pierzynski and everyone was safe. With the winning run at third, Lucroy flied out to right to end the inning. Now could the Sox win the game? NO! Tyler Thornburg relieved Smith and struck out Sizemore swinging to start the bottom of the teneth. Pedroia grounded back to the mound and Nava flied out to center to end the inning.
The Brewers took command in the top of the 11th off Burke Badenhop. Ramirez grounded out to first but Davis hit a ground rule double to right. Schafer then gave the Brewers the lead with a double to center as the boo's rained down. Reynolds struck out swinging and that was it for Badenhop. Andrew Miller came in and Schafer moved to third on a wild pitch. Miller struck out Gennett looking to end the inning but the Brewers had a 7-6 lead.
Brewers closer Fransisco Rodriguez got the ball in the bottom of the 11th inning and cruised. Napoli, Bogaerts and Gomes all whiffed to end the game in short order. The Brewers had won it 7-6 in 11.
Jackass of the Night is Burke Badenhop for coughing up the game in the top of the 11th inning.
The Good:
Mike Napoli was 2 for 5 including his 3 run home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Chris Capuano tossed 2 innings of scoreless relief.
Brandon Workman pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless 10th inning.
Andrew Miller got the final out of the 11th inning.
The Bad:
Clay Buchholz was rocked for 6 runs on THIRTEEN hits in just 4 1/3 innings.
Daniel Nava was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts
David Ortiz pinch hit for JBJ and grounded out.
The Ugly:
Grady Sizemore was 0 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Jonny Gomes was just 1 for 4 with an error but walked and scored a run.
AJ Pierzynski was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Jonathan Herrera was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Honorable Mention:
Mike Carp played first base in the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
This was a very tough loss considering this was the kind of game they won last season with frequency. Fall behind, come back, win......well not tonight. Tonight the Brewers were able to hang on to win this one. The pre-game losses of Mike Carp and Will Middlebrooks thinned the bench in terms of pinch hitting options toward the end but if Buchholz didn't pitch like complete crap, none of that would have mattered. Still, it was his first start and he was more than rusty, maybe it was a temporary setback after how well he pitched the first 2 1/2 months last year. Hopefully there will be better times ahead. The Sox look to avert a sweep tomorrow against the Brewers at 1:30 PM tomorrow afternoon. Jon Lester takes on Yovani Gallardo in the finale.
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