As for the game, the lack of depth from all the injuries, bereavement and flu caught up with the Sox in this one. They couldn't generate any offense and Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1) didn't have it, leading to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
Brock "Hitman" Holt led the game off in the top of the first by striking out. Dustin Pedroia and Andrew Benintendi grounded out to end the inning. Eduardo Rodriguez made his season debut by getting Ian Kinsler to pop up to right field. Nicholas Castellanos grounded out to short and Miguel Cabrera struck out to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second. Mitch Moreland doubled and moved to third on the Pablo Sandoval fly out. Jackie Bradley Jr scored Moreland with a 400 foot out in center field to make it 1-0 Boston. Chris Young popped up to end the inning. Old buddy Victor Martinez walked to lead off the bottom of the second but was erased on the Upton fielder's choice. Some moron ran onto the field to delay the game before the alert security team seized the intruder and wrestled him to the ground. Upton then made the mistake of running on Christian Vazquez and Vaz gunned him down at second base. It was good he was out because Rodriguez walked Mike Mahtook. James McCann popped up to end the inning.
Marco Hernandez led off the top of the third with a ground out. Vazquez followed up his good throw with a long at bat that ended with a double to the wall in left. Hitman Holt also had a good at-bat to draw a walk. Pedroia poked a single to shallow center to load the bases. Unfortunately Benny The Kid bounced into a double play to end the inning. Right on cue the Tigers struck. JaCoby Jones led off the bottom of the third with a strikeout but old pal Jose Iglesias swatted a home run to left to tie the game. Hernandez made a great running catch to rob Kinsler of a hit. Not to be out-done, JBJ made a great diving catch to rob Castellanos of a hit to end the inning.
Moreland singled off the right field wall to begin the top of the fourth inning. Sandoval popped up and JBJ struck out. Young grounded out to end the inning. Rodriguez got some help in the bottom of the fourth as Cabrera worked a leadoff walk but was erased on the Martinez double play. Upton took a borderline pitch for strike to end the inning.
Hernandez whiffed to open the top of the fifth inning but Vazquez was drilled in the shoulder. Hitman Holt popped up and Pedroia was robbed at the wall to end the inning. Both teams are playing great defense. The Tigers blasted Rodriguez in the bottom of the fifth. Mahtook struck out, but McCann blasted a solo home run to left to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Jones doubled and moved to third on the wild pitch by Rodriguez. Iglesias doubled home Jones and Kinsler singled in Jones before being tagged out in a run-down. Castellanos struck out to end the inning but the Tigers now led 4-1.
Could the Sox rally in the top of the sixth? NO! Benny The Kid flied out to left, Moreland grounded out to first and Sandoval popped up to end the inning. Even Sox commentator Dave O'Brien wasn't immune to the flu as he had to leave the booth Tom Caron took over for him as Ben Taylor took over for the ineffective Rodriguez in the bottom of the sixth. Taylor whiffed Cabrera and Martinez before getting Upton to fly out to end the inning.
Shane Greene took over for Zimmerman in the top of the seventh. Another fan ran out onto the field as Jerry Remy scoffed with disgust. JBJ struck out, Young flied out to the wall but Hernandez got his first hit of the season and Vazquez was plunked again. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch but Hitman Holt took strike 3 to end the inning. The Red Sox had scored in just 4 out of 37 innings so far this season. Ben Taylor returned for the bottom of the seventh and struck out Mahtook to open the frame but walked both McCann and Jones. That was it for Taylor as Sox manager John Farrell brought in Noe Ramirez. Iglesias popped up to Moreland and Kinsler flied out to end the inning. Good job Ramirez.
Kyle Ryan as brought in to pitch the top of the eighth inning. Pedroia worked a leadoff walk and Benny The Kid singled to right. Benintendi was forced at second by Moreland's grounder as Pedroia moved to third. The rally was killed dead by a Sandoval double play to end the inning. Ramirez returned for the bottom of the 8th and JBJ nearly killed himself running into the wall to rob a double from Castellanos. Cabrera whiffed and Martinez flied out to end the inning.
Justin Wilson came in to close the game with a 3 run lead. The Sox got a scare when JBJ collapsed in a heap after rounding first during a fly out. Luckily he walked off under his own power. Young whiffed and Steve Selsky pinch hit for Hernandez. Selsky looked at strike 3 to end the game. A tough loss for a depleted team, 4-1.
Jackass of the Night is Eduardo Rodriguez. Needing a long outing, he took the loss and got smacked around for 4 runs. Not what the team needed.
The Good:
Marco Hernandez was 1 for 3.
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 4 with a run scored
Christian Vazquez was hit twice, doubled and gunned down a runner trying to steal.
Ben Taylor tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Noe Ramirez tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 4.
Chris Young was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Steve Selsky struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Brock Holt was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but drove in the team's only run.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox have been shut out in 35 of 39 innings so far this season and the losses of Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Hanley Ramirez to flu and bereavement certainly explains a lot of it. Still, guys like Pedroia, Benintendi and JBJ have got to step up in their absence. Guys like Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright can't be expected to throw 7 innings of shut out ball like Porcello and Sale can. Still, with so many key members of the team out, better to have these losses in April than September. Tomorrow afternoon Rick Porcello (1-0) goes for the Sox opposite Daniel Norris.
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