As for the game, the depleted Red Sox bullpen couldn't get the job done against the Detroit Tigers. The Sox rallied to take a 5-4 lead in the 8th inning due to a clutch home run by Pablo Sandoval only to blow it and drop the game 6-5 in Comerica Park.
Michael Fulmer got the ball in the top of the first inning and whiffed Brock “Hitman” Holt in short order. Dustin Pedroia also struck out but Andrew Benintendi worked a walk. Mitch Moreland flied out to end the inning. Steven Wright made his first start of the season by immediately crapped his pants. Ian Kinsler singled and Nicholas Castellanos walked. Sox commentator Jerry Remy pointed out that the howling wind and cold conditions are going to make it tough on Wright. Chris Young made a leaping catch on a Miguel Cabrera pop up but Kinsler moved to third. Old friend Victor Martinez scored Kinsler with a sac fly to make it 1-0. Justin Upton walked but Wright recovered to strike out Tyler Collins to end the inning.
The Sox went in short order in the top
of the second. Young flied out to right, Jackie Bradley Jr was robbed
at the wall and Sandy Leon grounded out meekly to end the inning.
Wright recovered in the bottom of the second. James McCann grounded
out but JaCoby Jones singled. Old pal Jose Iglesias grounded into a
double play to end the inning.
The Sox had a chance in the top of the
third but their new rally killer ended that. Pablo Sandoval struck
out and Marco Hernandez grounded out, but Hitman Holt singled.
Pedroia singled and Benny The Kid was hit with a pitch to load the
bases....but Moreland struck out to end the inning. He's 0-11 with 6
strikeouts so far this year. Wright kept the Sox in the game in the
bottom of the third. Kinsler was hit with a pitch to open the bottom
of the third but Castellanos banged into a double play. Cabrera gave
one a ride but JBJ ran it down to end the inning.
Sandoval redeemed himself by doubling down the right field line to begin the top of the fifth. Unfortunately he was stranded as Hernandez popped up. Hitman Holt worked a walk but was erased on the force by Pedroia. With runners at the corners, Benny The Kid popped up to end the inning. Another chance wasted. Wright tried to keep the Sox in the game by getting McCann to ground out to begin the bottom of the fifth inning. Steven froze Jones with an 85 mph fastball and Iglesias flied out to end the inning.
Moreland continued his cold streak by flying out to right to open the top of the 6th inning. Young grounded out and JBJ lined out softly to end the inning. The Tigers struck again in the bottom of the sixth. Kinsler popped up but Castellanos tripled to the wall. Sox manager John Farrell ordered Cabrera intentionally walked to set up the double play. The plan backfired as Martinez singled in Castellanos to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Wright did manage to get Upton to ground into a double play to end the inning but the damage was done.
It may as well have been 200-0 against the flu riddled Sox in the top of the seventh. Justin Wilson replaced Fullmer who tossed 6 shut-out innings. Leon grounded out but Collins dropped an easy pop-up, allowing Sandoval to reach second. It didn't matter as Hernandez popped up meekly to short and Steve Selsky made his season debut by pinch hitting for Hitman Holt. A wild pitch moved Sandoval to third but Selsky whiffed on a 3-2 fastball to end the inning. Wright returned for the bottom of the seventh inning and the Tigers stomped him. Collins singled and McCann blasted a 2 run bomb to make it 4-0. Jones popped up and Iglesias flied out before John Farrell pulled the plug on Wright, lifting him for rookie Ben Taylor. Wright battled but left with a 4-0 deficit, not the best we've seen from him.
Subpar effort from Wright today
Taylor punched out Kinsler to end the inning but the game looked out of reach.
From Greenville to Boston in just 2 years
Taylor punched out Kinsler to end the inning but the game looked out of reach.
Bruce Rondon took over in the top of the 8th and the Sox suddenly sprang to life. Pedroia flied out to begin the inning but Benny The Kid walked. Benintendi swiped second and Moreland got his first Sox hit by slamming a single to right, moving Andrew to third. Young smashed a double down the left field line on a 3-2 curveball to score Benintendi to put the Sox on the board. That was it for Rondon as old friend Alex Wilson came on to stop the bleeding for Detroit. JBJ greeted him with a single that scored Moreland and moved Young to third. Leon whiffed on a 3-2 count and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus pulled Wilson for ageless closer Fransisco Rodriguez. The move backfired as Pablo Sandoval gave the middle finger to critics by launching an opposite field 3 run bomb to put the Red Sox on top 5-4. Somehow the Sox were now just 6 outs from victory in a game they were dead in the water in an inning earlier. Hernandez popped up to end the inning.
Sandoval sticks it to the haters with a 3 run bomb
Just as soon as the Sox took the lead, they coughed it up. Heath Hembree (0-1) took the mound and immediately struck out both Castellanos and Cabrera. Then it all went to hell as Hembree started nibbling, walking both Martinez and Upton. Austin Romine pinch ran for Martinez as lefty specialist Robbie Scott came in to pitch to Collins. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus countered by pinch hitting Collins with righty Mike Mahtook. Rather than bring in Joe Kelly to counter, Sox manager John Farrell left Scott in. Bad idea....Mahtook doubled home Romine to tie the game. Farrell brought in Kelly to keep the game tied and he couldn't even do that. Kelly walked both He walked both McCann and Jones to give the Tigers a 6-5 lead. Iglesias grounded out but the damage was done.
"Next time, THROW STRIKES!!!" - Leon
Could the Sox rally again in the top of the 9th? Mahtook remained in the game in right field as K-Rod came back for the bottom of the ninth. The lack of bench strength cost the Sox again as Selsky had to hit to begin the inning and as expected he grounded out. Pedroia legged out an infield single but Benny The Kid flied out. Moreland stepped up with a big double to put the go-ahead run at second base....but Young popped up to end the game. The Tigers had won it 6-5.
Just as soon as the Sox took the lead, they coughed it up. Heath Hembree (0-1) took the mound and immediately struck out both Castellanos and Cabrera. Then it all went to hell as Hembree started nibbling, walking both Martinez and Upton. Austin Romine pinch ran for Martinez as lefty specialist Robbie Scott came in to pitch to Collins. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus countered by pinch hitting Collins with righty Mike Mahtook. Rather than bring in Joe Kelly to counter, Sox manager John Farrell left Scott in. Bad idea....Mahtook doubled home Romine to tie the game. Farrell brought in Kelly to keep the game tied and he couldn't even do that. Kelly walked both He walked both McCann and Jones to give the Tigers a 6-5 lead. Iglesias grounded out but the damage was done.
Could the Sox rally again in the top of the 9th? Mahtook remained in the game in right field as K-Rod came back for the bottom of the ninth. The lack of bench strength cost the Sox again as Selsky had to hit to begin the inning and as expected he grounded out. Pedroia legged out an infield single but Benny The Kid flied out. Moreland stepped up with a big double to put the go-ahead run at second base....but Young popped up to end the game. The Tigers had won it 6-5.
Jackass of the night is Heath Hembree. He had the bases empty with two outs in the 8th and decided to nibble against Martinez and Upton. Both runs came around to score to give him the loss.
Throw strikes...Jackass
The Good:
Brock Holt was 1 for 2 with a walk.
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 5 with a run scored
Pablo Sandoval was 2 for 4 with the big 3 run home run. Had the Sox won, he would have been Hero.
Ben Taylor made his major league debut with a strikeout of the only man he faced and would have ended up with the win.
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 5 with a run scored
Pablo Sandoval was 2 for 4 with the big 3 run home run. Had the Sox won, he would have been Hero.
Ben Taylor made his major league debut with a strikeout of the only man he faced and would have ended up with the win.
The Bad:
Steve Selsky was 0 for 2 as a pinch hitter.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 4
Steven Wright gave up 4 runs in 6 innings that would have earned him the loss had the Sox not rallied.
Robbie Scott gave up a double to the only man he faced.
Joe Kelly walked in the go-ahead run.
Steve Selsky was 0 for 2 as a pinch hitter.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 4
Steven Wright gave up 4 runs in 6 innings that would have earned him the loss had the Sox not rallied.
Robbie Scott gave up a double to the only man he faced.
Joe Kelly walked in the go-ahead run.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 2 but walked twice and scored a run.
Chris Young was 2 for 5 with a run scored and rbi but made the final out of the game with the tying run at third base.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 2 but walked twice and scored a run.
Chris Young was 2 for 5 with a run scored and rbi but made the final out of the game with the tying run at third base.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
In 18 years of covering baseball I've never seen a team get wiped out by the flu, bereavement and injuries this badly and so early before. David Price, Tyler Thornburg, Carson Smith, Josh Rutledge, Matt Barnes, Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez and Robbie Ross Jr are all out....that's 9 of your original 25 man roster. Still, if Joe Kelly or Heath Hembree had thrown strikes, they could have actually won the game regardless of who was missing. The fact the Sox showed some balls is a good sign moving forward. When the Sox are at full strength, they are going to be very tough to beat. They just have to hold the fort until they start getting some guys back. Tomorrow at 1:00 PM Eduardo Rodriguez makes his season debut against Jordan Zimmerman in Game 2 of the four game series.
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