As for the game, what a frustrating day that was for the Boston Red Sox. The Sox broke out to a 2-0 lead over Alfredo Simon with rbis from Travis Shaw and Rusney Castillo. Then Rajai Davis hit a 2 run home run off Wade Miley to tie the game in the fifth. David Ortiz put the Sox on top with a home run in the sixth but the Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the frame. The Sox rallied for three runs of their own in the top of the seventh but old pal Victor Martinez hit a two run shot off Junichi Tazawa (2-5, 3.26 ERA) in the bottom of the frame. The Sox got the tying run on in the eighth and the ninth innings but Bruce Rodon slammed the door. The Tigers had beaten the Sox 7-6 at Comerica Park.
Simon got the ball in the top of the first inning and Brock "The Hitman" Holt led off with a grounder to second. Rusney Castillo flied out to the right field warning track and Xander Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning. Miley got the ball in the bottom of the first and Rajai Davis struck out swinging to start. Jose Iglesias got a base hit to left but was picked off by the alert Miley. Ian Kinsler grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second as David Ortiz doubled off the centerfield wall to start. Pablo Sandoval grounded out to first to move David to third and Ortiz scored on the Travis Shaw sac fly to center. Alejandro De Aza flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Victor Martinez grounded out to first to start the bottom of the second and JD Martinez flied out to right. Nick Castellanos took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the third as Blake Swihart got a seeing eye single into right to start. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second to move Blake to second and Holt beat out a grounder to first to put runners at the corners. Castillo just barely beat out a double play ball to score Swihart with another run. Bogaerts flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
James McCann got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the third then moved to second on a grounder to the mound by Jefry Marte. Anthony Gose walked but Davis took strike three. Iglesias flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fourth as Ortiz grounded out to first to start. Sandoval also grounded out to first and Shaw grounded out to second to end the inning. Kinsler got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the fourth but Victor Martinez struck out swinging. JD Martinez lined out to center and Castellanos struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the fifth as De Aza walked to start. Swihart got a base hit to left but JBJ popped up to third. It looked like Holt had a base hit to left but Davis caught it an inch off the ground. Sox manager John Farrell challenged that it was a trap but the replays showed it was a clean catch....barely. Castillo struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Tigers struck back in the bottom of the fifth as McCann grounded out to second to start. Marte singled to center but Gose forced him at second. Suddenly Davis hit a home run all the way to California to tie the game. Iglesias' bunt attempt was snuffed out by Miley to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Davis ties it up
The Sox answered in the top of the sixth as Bogaerts grounded out to third to start. Ortiz belted his 23rd home run of the season to put the Sox back on top but Sandoval grounded out to third. Shaw grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.
Miley fell apart in the bottom of the sixth as Kinsler singled to center to start. Sandoval made a great catch on a JD Martinez liner but Victor Martinez doubled past Pablo left to score Kinsler. Castellanos singled in the hole at short to put runners at the corners and a wild pitch scored Martinez with the go-ahead run. McCann doubled to left to score Castellanos but Marte grounded out to third. Gose took strike three to end the inning but the Tigers were up 5-3. That was it for Miley who got rocked for 5 runs in 6 innings of work off 9 hits and a walk.
Miley wasn't good enough
The Sox rallied in the top of the seventh as De Aza got a base hit to right to start. Swihart hit a roller to first and Marte bobbled it for a "single". JBJ flied out to right to move De Aza to third but Holt popped up to third. Castillo beat out a grounder to third to score De Aza and Bogaerts got a base hit to right to load the bases. Blaine Hardy came in to face Ortiz and David ripped a base hit to center to score both Swihart and Castillo. Sandoval struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 6-5.
Junichi Tazawa came in to crap his pants in the bottom of the seventh as Davis flied out to right to start. Iglesias flied out to right but Kinsler got a base hit to left. Sox analyst Dennis Eckersley said to throw a splitter away and groaned when Tazawa threw an inside fastball that Victor Martinez crushed for a two run home run to put the Tigers up for good. Eck "Oh that's terrible!" JD Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the eighth as Shaw struck out swinging to start. De Aza got a base hit to right and and it looked like Swihart grounded into a double play, but Sox manager John Farrell challenged Swihart was safe. Sure enough, Swihart was ruled safe and JBJ walked to put the tying run at second. Holt grounded out to second to end the inning. Alexi Ogando came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Castellanos walked to start. Andrew Romine ran for him and McCann got a base hit to right. Marte dropped down a bunt to move the runners over but instead Romine was out at third by a hair. Gose sand Davis both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Alex Avila took over at first with Bruce Rondon now in to close out the top of the ninth. Castillo struck out swinging and Bogaerts flied out to right. Ortiz walked to put the tying run on and Deven Marrero ran for him. Sandoval took strike three to end the game. The Tigers had won the game 7-6.
Tigers win
Jackass Tazawa
David Ortiz was 3 for 4 with a walk, a 2 run homer, 3 total rbis and 2 total runs scored.
Jackass of The Night is Junichi Tazawa. He gave up the two run home run to V-Mart in the seventh to lose the game.
The Good:
David Ortiz was 3 for 4 with a walk, a 2 run homer, 3 total rbis and 2 total runs scored.
Alejandro De Aza was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Blake Swihart was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Alexi Ogando pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 5.
Wade Miley got pounded for 5 runs in 6 innings off 9 hits and a walk.
The Ugly:
Brock Holt was just 1 for 5.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5.
Travis Shaw was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Deven Marrero ran for Ortiz in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Its been that kind of season for the Boston Red Sox. Bad pitching, bad pitching and more bad pitching. Miley and Tazawa allowed five runs in just two innings and the Sox couldn't bop their way back in the later innings. One day after losing Koji Uehara, his tag team partner blows the game. Still, the Sox had their chances all game to drive in runs but failed every time. Pablo Sandoval not getting the bat off his shoulders with the tying run at first was just a microcosm of his below average season. There's still 51 games left in the season and what can you do besides play the kids at this point? At least Swihart looked good in this one. The loss dropped the Sox to 49-62, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow when Henry Owens makes his second major league start against Tigers ace Justin Verlander. Good luck with that! The game begins at 2:05 PM eastern time at Comerica Park.
