The Dirty Birds wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first inning. Everth Cabrera grounded out to second to start but Jimmy Paredes singled to center. Adam Jones launched one OVER the monster seats for a quick lead three batters into the game. Chris Davis struck out looking and Delmon Young popped up to short to end the inning with the O's ahead 2-0.
The Sox wasted no time getting back in the game in the bottom of the first. Brock "The Hitman" Holt continued his torrid streak with a single to center but Mookie Betts was robbed of a home run at the wall in right. Ortiz walked to put the tying run at first. Last night Ramirez couldn't do anything right, today he made up for it by blasting a towering 3 run home run off the monster seats to give the Sox the lead. Mike Napoli struck out looking and Sox commentator Don Orsillo says Nap couldn't believe it....neither can I. Pablo Sandoval and Shane Victorino both walked to load the bases but Xander Bogaerts whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.
The O's wasted no time tying the game in the top of the second. Travis Snider struck out swinginvg on a full count to begin and Manny Machado struck out looking on a questionable pitch. Ryan Flaherty blasted one to dead center to tie the game. Everything from Porcello is up today, not good. Caleb Joseph singled but Cabrera struck out on Rick's 45th pitch to end the inning. Neither pitcher was going to last long at this rate and the game was tied 3-3.
Sandy Leon whiffed to begin the bottom of the second. Holt followed with a swinging strikeout and Betts grounded out to short to end the inning.
Porcello calmed down in the top of the third as Paredes flied out to right to begin, Jones struck out swinging but Davis doubled to right. Young grounded out to second to end the inning. Ortiz grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third and Ramirez grounded out to third. Napoli singled to right but Sandoval grounded out to first to end the inning.
Porcello ran into trouble in the top of the fourth. Snider struck out looking but Machado singled to short and stole second. Flaherty and Jones both walked to load the bases but Cabrera grounded into a double play to end the threat. Victorino singled and took second on the throwing error by Cabrera to start the bottom of the fourth. Bogaerts failed to move Shane over by grounding out to short. Leon walked but Holt lined out to left. Betts flied out to right to end the inning.
The O's struck back in the top of the fifth as Paredes singled to right to start. and Jones singled but Jones was erased on the force by Davis. Young walked to load the bases and Snider hit one in the hole at second to give the O's the lead and reload the bases. Machado scored Davis with a sac fly and Flaherty flied out to left to end the inning with the O's up 5-3.
Ortiz did the team no favors by getting ejected arguing balls and strikes to begin the bottom of the fifth, having to be replaced by Daniel Nava. Nava grounded out to third but Hanley singled to center. Napoli whiffed and Sandoval grounded back to the mound to end the inning. That was foolish of Ortiz to take it that far and now the Sox were without their best hitter.
With Ortiz gone, Porcello fell apart in the top of the sixth. Joseph was hit by a pitch and Cabrera caught the defense asleep with a bunt single. Paredes singled to load the bases. Sox manager John Farrell didn't want to go his bullpen early so he left Rick in. Jones made Farrell pay by clearing the bases with a double to put the game out of reach. Finally....Porcello was pulled for Craig Breslow. Porcello ended up allowing 12 total hits and 8 total runs, pathetic.
Craig struck out Davis swinging, got Young to fly out to center and Snider to pop up to short. Nice going Farrell to bring in Breslow one batter too late. Could the Sox rally off new pitcher Tommy Hunter? Victorino hit one up the elevator shaft, Bogaerts grounded out to short and Leon grounded out to second to end the inning. So much for a comeback.
Breslow returned for the top of the seventh and Machado struck out swinging to start. Flaherty doubled to center but Joseph popped up to second. Cabrera struck out swinging to end the inning. Holt grounded out to short to begin the bottom of the seventh. Betts struck out looking and Nava grounded out to second to end the inning.
Breslow returned for his third inning of work and got Paredes to line out to left to start the top of the eighth. Jones singled to left but Davis flied out to right. Young popped up to second to end the inning, a hell of an effort by Breslow. The Sox should still be in the game if Farrell had him open the sixth or at least pitch to Jones. Kevin Gausman replaced Hunter as Lough replaced Davis and Snider moved over, just like yesterday. Ramirez grounded out to first and Napoli lined out to right to begin the bottom of the eighth. Sandoval got his first extra base hit of the season with a double (how pathetic is that?) to left but Victorino struck out swinging to end the inning.
Edward Mujica had mop up duty in the top of the ninth. Snider grounded out to second but Machado singled to left. Flaherty grounded into a double play to end the inning. Gausman returned to close out the bottom of the ninth as Bogaerts popped up to first to start. Leon flied out to left and Holt grounded back to the mound to end the game. The O's had won it 8-3.
Jackass of the Night is Rick Porcello. He gave up TWELVE HITS, 3 walks, 8 earned runs.....terrible.
Porcello: Jackass of the Night
The Good:
David Ortiz was 0 for 1 with a walk and a run scored before getting the heave-ho.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 4 including the 3 run home run.
Pablo Sandoval was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Shane Victorino was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Craig Breslow tossed 3 scoreless innings.
Edward Mujica pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Daniel Nava was 0 for 2 after replacing Ortiz.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Brock Holt was just 1 for 5 with a run scored.
Mike Napoli was just 1 for 4.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Final Thoughts:
Well it was a nice start to the season, but this is where reality sets in. The Sox have the WORST rotation in baseball and everyone outside of general manager Ben Cherrington seems to know it. Fans are getting restless with the lack of productivity from Allen Craig, Victorino and Sandoval. First place appears to be going by the wayside, it was fun while it lasted. Craig Breslow looked great with 3 solid innings. Between him and The Orient Express, if the Sox had a good rotation they'd be where they were two years ago. As it is, the Sox are gonna have to outslug everyone if they hope to compete this season. The Sox look to salvage the series tomorrow morning with Justin Masterson going against Wei-Yin Chen. The special Patriots Day matinee begins at 11:00 AM at Fenway Park.
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