Cano Homer Stuns Sox Late (8/2/16)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some shocking roster moves. Michael Martinez and Tommy Layne were designated for assignment as the Sox activated left handed pitcher Fernando Abad and called up last year's first round pick, outfielder Andrew Benintendi directly from the Portland Sea Dogs. Martinez was expendable with the rise of Benintendi but choosing to cut Layne was a head scratcher as he posted a respectable 3.77 ERA. Guess they figure Robbie Ross Jr was more valuable moving forward.

                                                             OUT

                                                                           IN

As for the game, after snatching victory from the jaws of defeat the past two games, tonight it was the Red Sox turn to get burned late. The Sox broke out to a 4-0 lead over Wade LeBlanc and the Seattle Mariners. David Price was cruising tossing seven shutout innings as David Ortiz drove in two runs, Aaron Hill drove in a run and Hanley Ramirez hit a home run. All of a sudden the Mariners rallied in the bottom of the eighth to chase Price down 4-2. Robinson Cano hit a 3 run bomb off new addition Fernando Abad (1-5, 2.86 ERA) to put the Mariners up 5-4. The Sox failed to rally in the top of the ninth as Edwin Diaz slammed the door. The Mariners served the Sox back from the previous night with a 5-4 victory at Safeco Field.

                                                 Lurch's reaction to the 8th inning

LeBlanc got the ball in the top of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts popped up to third to start. Dustin Pedroia walked but Xander Bogaerts popped up to short. David Ortiz doubled into the left field corner to score Pedroia with the game's first run. Hanley Ramirez flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.

                                                         Sox take the lead

Price got the ball in the bottom of the first and Guillermo Heredia flied out to right to start. Franklin Gutierrez grounded out to third and Robinson Cano grounded out to second to end the inning.

Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to third to start the top of the second and Aaron Hill popped up to second. Sox analyst Dave O'Brien says that "Psycho" Steve Lyons brings cookies into the booth but they always seem to be gone when Dave reaches for one. Sandy Leon flied out to left to end the inning. Nelson Cruz grounded out to short to start the bottom of the second and Dae-ho Lee grounded out to second. Kyle Seager doubled to left but Mike Zunino took strike three to end the inning.

Bryce Brentz flied out to center to start the top of the third and Mr. Mookie struck out swinging. Pedroia flied out to left to end the inning. Leonys Martin flied out to left to start the bottom of the third and Luis Sardinas struck out swinging. Heredia popped up to short to end the inning.

The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth as Bogaerts struck out swinging to start. Ortiz also went down hacking but Ramirez launched his 14th home run of the season to increase the lead. JBJ doubled to center and Hill drilled a base hit to left to score Bradley. Leon grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 3-0.

                                                        Home Run Hanley

Gutierrez took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth but Cano got a base hit to right. Cruz struck out swinging and Lee forced Cano at second to end the inning. 

Brentz grounded out to second to open the top of the fifth and Mr. Mookie flied out to center. Pedroia struck out swinging to end the inning. Seager grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the fifth and Zunino struck out swinging. Martin popped up to short to end the inning.

Bogaerts took strike three to start the top of the sixth and Ortiz lined out to center. Ramirez hit a ground rule double down the left field line but JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning. Sardinas lined a ball off Price but right to Hill, who threw to first for the out. Price was okay and Heredia lined out to third. Gutierrez got a base hit to left but Cano grounded out to first to end the inning.

Dan Roach came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Hill grounded out to second to start. Sandy Leon grounded out to first and Andrew Benintendi made his Major League debut by pinch hitting for Brentz. Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning. Cruz grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the seventh and Lee grounded out to third. Seager flied out to right to end the inning.

The Sox struck again in the top of the eighth and Mr. Mookie doubled down the left field line and moved to third on a grounder to second by Pedroia. Bogaerts was plunked but Ortiz hit a sac fly to left to score Mr. Mookie. Ramirez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.

                                                             Betts scores a run

Things fell apart in the bottom of the eighth as Zunino hit a home run into the Pacific Ocean to start. Martin blooped a base hit to center, Sardinas got a base hit to right and Heredia singled over the head of Ramirez to score Martin. That was it for Price who ran out of the gas in the eighth inning. He would be charged with 4 runs in 7 plus innings.

                                                         Price is knocked out

Matt Barnes came in to face pinch hitter Seth Smith and struck him out swinging. Then Sox manager John Farrell brought in new addition Fernando Abad to pitch to Cano. The move backfired as Cruz, who was 1 for 11 against Abad, crushed a home run all the way to Brazil to put the Mariners on top. Cruz flied out to center and Lee grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Mariners up 5-4.

                                                        Cano with the dagger

Edwin Diaz came in to close out the top of the ninth and JBJ struck out swinging to start. Travis Shaw pinch hit for Hill and drew a walk but Leon struck out swinging. Benintendi took strike three right down the middle to end the game. The Mariners had stunned the Sox 5-4.

                                                          Mariners win

Jackass of The Night is Fernando Abad. He gave up the backbreaking 3 run home run to Cano.

                                                               Jackass Abad

The Good:

David Ortiz was 1 for 3 with 2 rbis.

Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 4 with a home run.

Aaron Hill was 1 for 3 with an rbi.

Travis Shaw walked as a pinch hitter.

Matt Barnes struck out the only man he faced.

The Bad:

Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Bryce Brentz was 0 for 2

Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

The Ugly:

Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.

Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but was hit with a pitch.

Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

David Price pitched 7 outstanding innings but fell apart in the 8th to be charged with 4 runs off 7 hits.

Final Thoughts:

That game was karma for the previous two were the Sox snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Tonight it went the other way. For 7 1/2 innings this was headed to a 4-0 shutout and then it was gone in the blink of an eye. Can't really blame John Farrell because Price was cruising until the 8th inning and Cano was 1 for 11 against Abad. Sometimes things happen that you can't help. The Sox still have 47 games in the season so this is no time to panic because Abad gave up a home run and Benintendi went 0 for 2. Still, a victory tonight would have kept the pressure on the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. The Sox should put this game behind them and concentrate on winning the next one. The loss dropped the Sox to 58-47, 2 games behind the Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night when "Slick" Rick Porcello (14-2) takes on Hisashi Iwakuma of Seattle. The game begins 10:10 PM eastern time at Safeco Field.