As for the game, another terrible offensive performance that ruined yet another Chris Sale (0-1) start. This time the Sox ran into Tigers ace Justin Verlander and even though the Sox dropped the game 2-1 to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, it still was a heck of a pitcher's duel.
Dustin Pedroia led off the game with a routine fly out to left field. Andrew Benintendi popped up to short and Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to end the inning. Sale was good through the first inning as he got Ian Kinsler to ground out. Nick Castellanos popped up to first and Miguel Cabrera grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox wasted a golden chance in the top of the second. Mitch Moreland continued his hot streak by doubling down the right field line. Pablo Sandoval worked a great at-bat against Verlander to work a walk. Chris Young hit a double play ball but Castellanos booted it and the bases were loaded. Brock "Hitman" Holt banged into a double play by slipping coming out of the batter's box but Moreland scored to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Sandy Leon popped up to third to end the inning. Victor Martinez led off the bottom of the second by striking out swinging. Mike Mahtook waived at strike three and James McCann popped up to end the inning.
Marco Hernandez flied out to center to open the top of the third inning. Pedroia singled past Kinsler at second but Benny The Kid flied out to right. Mr. Mookie popped up to end the inning. Jose Iglesias popped up to begin the bottom of the third. JaCoby Jones whiffed but Austin Romine stroked a ground rule double. Kinsler whiffed on a 3-2 count to end the inning.
The Sox wasted another chance as Moreland stroked another lead-off double in the top of the fourth. Sandoval whiffed on a 3-2 count, Young flied out to left and Holt flied out to center to end the inning. Sale struck out Castellanos to open the bottom of the fourth. Cabrera took Benintendi to the wall but Andrew ran it down for out number two. That was probably gone at Fenway Park. Martinez struck out on a nasty slider to end the inning.
Verlander whiffed Leon to open the top of the fifth inning. Hernandez grounded out and Pedroia flied out to end the inning. Sale got Mahtook to pop up to open the bottom of the fifth inning. McCann and Iglesias both popped up to end the inning. Sale was working on a one hitter.
Verlander remained hot in the top of the sixth inning. Benny The Kid and Mr. Mookie both flied out before Moreland struck out to end the inning. The Tigers finally got to Sale in the bottom of the sith inning. He got Jones swinging to begin the frame then Romine swung at strike 3 in the dirt for Sale's 8th strikeout. Kinsler then launched a solo home run to tie the game. Castellanos looked at strike three to end the inning but the Tigers had tied it.
Verlander returned for the top of the seventh and Sandoval was robbed at the wall to open the frame. Young looked at a 3-2 pitch for out number 2 but Hitman Holt worked a walk and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus came out to talk to Verlander. Justin told him to get lost and he stayed in to pitch to Leon. Leon popped up to end the inning. Sale came back for the bottom of the seventh and got Cabrera to line out to Betts to start. Martinez singled but Mahtook popped up. McCann grounded out to end the inning.
Verlander was gone, replaced by Justin Wilson in the top of the eighth inning. The Sox offense continued to scuffle. Hernandez struck out and Pedroia lined out, but Benny The Kid walked. Mr. Mookie flied out to end the inning. A tiring Sale came back for the bottom of the eighth. Iglesias flied out and Jones struck out, Sale was just one out away from sending it to the ninth. He failed as Romin doubled and Kinsler walked. Rather than bring in Heath Hembree, Sox manager John Farrell left in Sale to face Castellanos. The gamble failed as Nick singled home Romine to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Finally Hembree came in to retire Cabrera but the damage was done. Sale did the best he could and deserved a better fate.
Could the Sox rally in the top of the ninth against Fransisco Rodriguez? Moreland got it started with a base hit and was replaced by pinch-runner Steve Selsky. Sandoval whiffed and Mitch was erased on the force by Young. Hitman Holt struck out to end the game, the Tigers had won 2-1.
Jackass of the Night is a tough one since nobody on the Sox could generate much offense, so I'm going with Mookie Betts. He's supposed to be the MVP candidate and the one to take the Sox into the next generation and he's been useless lately. A bloop or a blast could have won the game or turn the tide in favor of the Sox.
The Good:
Mitch Moreland was 3 for 4 with a run scored.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher is on the good list. Chris Sale tossed 7 2/3 innings of 2 run bll which would have been a win 9 times out of 10. He scattered 5 hits and a walk while striking out 10.
Heath Hembree retired the only man he faced.
The Bad:
Chris Young was 0 for 4.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 with a strikeout
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 but walked.
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 3 but walked.
Brock Holt was 0 for 3 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Steve Selsky pinch ran in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
This damn flu bug is ruining everything. The Sox just couldn't generate much offense against Verlander and Sale did the best he could. Sox manager John Farrell took some heat for leaving Sale in but most anyone would rather have Sale on the mound instead of Matt Barnes, Joe Kelly, etc. Still, the Sox are getting some guys back tomorrow and as the others recover from the effects of the flu, they'll start hitting again. Not to mention all 3 losses to Detroit came down to the final at-bat so the Sox have been battling the whole time. The Sox return to action tomorrow night at home against Baltimore. Drew Pomeranz makes his season debut against Dylan Bundy.
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