Boston Red Sox spot starter Alfredo "The Vulture" Aceves wasn't that bad and he got the ball in the top of the first. Naate McLouth led the game off with a fly out. Manny Machado doubled but was thrown out at third trying to stretch by Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia. Nick Markakis flied out to end the inning. Chris Tillman got the ball for the O's in the bottom of the first. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a single but was erased on the force by Victorino. Pedroia whiffed and Mike Napoli grounded out to end the inning.
The O's struck first in the top of the second inning. Adam Jones grounded out but Chris Davis blasted a mammoth home run to center to give the O's a quick 1-0 lead. Matt Wieters walked but Aceves recovered to strike out both JJ Hardy and Chris Dickerson. The Sox failed to answer in the bottom of the second. Will Middlebrooks lined out, Daniel Nava struck out and Jarrod Saltlamacchia grounded out to end the inning.
Aceves ran into trouble in the top of the third. Alexi Casilla tried to catch the Sox asleep with a bunt but it failed. McLouth singled but was erased on the force by Machado. Markakis also grounded out to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Stephen Drew walked but both Jackie Bradley Jr and Ellsbury struck out. Victorino singled to send Drew to third and Pedroia singled home Drew to tie the game. Napoli then singled in Victorino to give the Sox a 2-1 lead. Middlebrooks grounded out but the Sox showed some life.
Aceves ran into more trouble in the top of the fourth. Jones struck out but Davis walked. Wieters flied out but Hardy singled Davis to third. Dickerson walked to load the bases but Casilla looked at strike three to end the inning. Tillman settled down in the bottom of the fourth. Nava flied out and Saltalamacchia struck out. Drew worked a walk but JBJ grounded out to end the inning. Guess the bloom is off the rose with Bradley.
The O's fought back in the top of the fifth. McLouth grounded out but Machado caught the Sox defense asleep with a bunt single. Markakis grounded out but it moved Machado to second...where he scored on the single by Jones to tie the game. Davis grounded out to end the inning with the game tied. Could the Sox retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth? NO! Ellsbury flied out, Victorino popped up and Pedroia flied out to end the inning.
It was up to the Boston bullpen to hold the fort but that didn't last long. Clayton "Vigo" Mortensen got the ball in the top of the 6th. Wieters flied out, Hardy grounded out and Dickerson popped up to end the inning. Tillman returned for the bottom of the sixth but Napoli greeted him with a single. Middlebrooks flied out but Nava singled to chase Tillman. Brian Matusz got the call to face Saltalamacchia and he struck him out. Drew looked at strike three to end the inning.
Mortensen returned for the top of the seventh and got Casilla to strike out and McLouth to pop up. Machado singled to chase Vigo and Sox manager John Farrell brought in lefty Andrew Miller to face Markakis....and walked him. Thanks for nothing Miller. Koji Uehara came in to face Jones and Adam doubled home Machado to give the O's a 3-2 lead. Davis was intentionally walked but Wieters flied out to end the inning. The sad part was the O's did all that with two outs.
Could the Sox answer in the bottom of the seventh against Pedro Strop? Jonny Gomes pinch hit for Bradley and lined out....yeah big help Gomes. Ellsbury grounded out but Victorino singled. With the tying run on...Pedroia grounded out to end the inning.
Gomes stayed in left as Junichi Tazawa came in to pitch the top of the eighth. Hardy struck out but Dickerson singled. Chris was erased at second on the force by Casilla and a wild pitch moved Alexi to second. McLouth grounded out to end the inning. Darren O'Day came on for the bottom of the eighth and cruised. Napoli popped up, Middlebrooks lined out and Nava flied out to end the inning.
Rookie Alex Wilson, making his major league debut, came in to pitch the top of the ninth. Machado walked but Markakis banged into a double play. Wilson whiffed Jones to notch his first major league strikeout. Welcome to the big leagues kid.
O's closer Jim Johnson was waiting in the bottom of the ninth. Saltalamacchia looked at strike three but Drew singled to put the tying run on. Gomes whiffed and Ellsbury lined out to end the game. The O's had taken it 3-2.
Jackass of the Night is Koji Uehara. The double by Adam Jones cost the Sox the game.
The Good:
Shane Victorino was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Mike Napoli was 2 for 4 with an rbi. Stephen Drew was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and a run scored. Alfredo Aceves was solid in a spot start, allowing just 2 runs in 5 innings. He allowed 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4. Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Alex Wilson got his first strikeout in his major league debut, tossing a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Will Middlebrooks was 0 for 4. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 0 for 4 with a hat trick. Jackie Bradley Jr and Jonny Gomes were both 0 for 2 with a strikeout. Andrew Miller walked the only guy he faced.
The Ugly:
Jacoby Ellsbury was just 1 for 5. Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4 with an rbi. Daniel Nava was just 1 for 4. Clayton Mortensen took the loss but left after tossing 1 2/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
This team misses David Ortiz in a big way. This is the kind of game his presence was missed whether it be the clutch hitting or being walked to put a man on base for someone else to succeed. Luckily he'll be back soon and its only April, no time to panic. The bullpen didn't exactly melt down but that was pretty lousy relief the way Miller and Uehara left Mortensen out to dry. There will be better days I'm sure. Victorino is swinging a hot bat but Jackie Bradley Jr is not. It may be time to sit him down for now. The Red Sox start a 3 game series with the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow with Felix Doubront on the hill.
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