The damn Baltimore Orioles ruined what should have been a great night in Boston sports. The Boston Celtics won an emotional Game 3 of their NBA playoff first round series against the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Bruins stayed alive with a double overtime Game 5 win over the Ottawa Senators in their first round NHL playoff series. It was bad enough the Boston Red Sox offense evaporated against Orioles starter Dylan Bundy, but to add insult to injury Dustin Pedroia had to be helped off the field after getting spiked at second base by Manny Machado. Tempers flared as the Sox thought it was a late slide and they were quite angry by the end of the game. In the end the O's blanked the Sox 2-0 at Camden Yards. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?
Things went south right from the start in the top of the first inning. Dustin Pedroia singled to right but Andrew Benintendi bounced into a double play. JJ Hardy decided to throw a ground ball hit by Mookie Betts into the O's radio booth allowing Betts to reach first. Mr. Mookie swiped second but Mitch Moreland struck out to end the inning. Sox starter Drew Pomeranz (1-1) was game in the bottom of the first inning. Chris Gentry looked at strike 3, Adam Jones lined out and Machado popped up to end the inning.
The Sox had one of their only chances in the top of the second inning. Hanley Ramirez and the returning Jackie Bradley Jr stroked back to back singles. The rally ended abruptly when Pablo Sandoval whiffed and Christian Vazquez banged into a double play to end the inning. Pomeranz ran into trouble in the bottom of the second inning. Mark Trumbo singled but Chris Davis struck out. Wellington Castillo flied out but Pablo Sandoval decided to do a cannonball on a ground ball rather than field it, allowing Trey Mancini to reach first. Jonathan Schoop flied out to end the inning.
The Sox made another boo-boo in the top of the third inning. Marco Hernandez got the start for Xander Bogaerts and he singled. He was erased on the Pedroia force play and the inning ended when Benny The Kid banged into yet another double play. The O's struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Hardy popped up but Gentry doubled and took third on a passed ball by Vazquez. Jones slammed a single to score Gentry to give the O's the lead. Machado lined out and Trumbo popped up to end the inning with the O's up 1-0.
Bundy settled down in the top of the fourth inning. Mr, Mookie flied out, Moreland lined out and Ramirez whiffed to end the inning. The O's threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning. Davis singled and moved to second on the force by Castillo. Mancini struck out but Schoop walked. Hardy grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox still failed to hit Bundy in the top of the fifth inning. JBJ flied out, Sandoval lined out and Hernandez was robbed on a liner to second to end the inning. The O's struck again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gentry walked but Jones grounded into a double play. Unfortunately Machado launched a solo home run to left to increase the lead. Trumbo struck out to end the inning.
The Sox threatened again in the top of the sixth inning but once again failed. Hernandez singled and Pedroia walked, but Benny The Kid lined out without advancing anyone. Mr. Mookie and Moreland popped up to end the inning, what a waste. Pomeranz returned briefly to pitch to Davis in the bottom of the sixth inning. Davis grounded out and that was it for Pomeranz, done after 5 1/3 although he only allowed 2 runs. Joe Kelly relieved him and got Castillo and Mancini to line out to end the inning.
Bundy returned for the top of the seventh inning and cruised. Ramirez lined out, JBJ grounded out and Sandoval popped up to end the inning. Kelly returned for the bottom of the seventh and got Schoop to ground out. Hardy lined out but Gentry walked again. Jones grounded out to end the inning.
Bundy returned for the top of the eighth but Vazquez quickly chased him with a single. Donnie Hart replaced Bundy as Chris Young pinch hit for Hernandez and walked. Pedroia flied out but advanced Vazquez to third. Coming up with men on base for the fourth time, Benny The Kid failed for the fourth time by striking out. Mychael Givens replaced Hart and Mr. Mookie popped up to end the inning. Another waste.
Things got intense in the bottom of the eighth with Xander Bogaerts taking over at short. Machado singled and slid hard into second base on the force by Trumbo, spiking Pedroia and injuring him. Sox manager John Farrell and especially 3rd base coach Brian Butterfield were incredibly angry and demanded a double play penalty called on Baltimore. The umpires refused as Pablo Sandoval took over at second with Steve Selsky coming in to play third. Fernando Abad came in to pitch and got Davis to line out. Castillo flied out to end the inning.
Pedroia gets spiked
Brad Bach got the call to close in the top of the ninth as Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield was tossed for chirping at the umpires, still mad over Pedroia. The Sox went quietly as Moreland grounded out, Ramirez lined out and JBJ grounded out to end the game, The O's had shut out the Sox 2-0.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk before leaving injured.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3
Marco Hernandez was 2 for 2
Chris Young walked in his only plate appearance
Joe Kelly tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Fernando Abad retired the only two men he faced.
The Bad:
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Pablo Sandoval was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 but stole a base.
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 4.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4.
Drew Pomeranz took the loss but pitched reasonably well, allowing 2 runs in 5 1/3 innings. More run support would have been nice.
Honorable Mention:
Steve Selsky played third base in the bottom of the eighth.
Xander Bogaerts played shortstop in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
Heads are gonna roll after this one. It was bad enough getting blanked, the boys are miffed at Machado for spiking Pedroia. It looked like an accident but it could have been avoided. If it wasn't Steven Wright going tomorrow, you could have bet that Machado eats a fastball under the chin at one point. Still, Bundy has been pitching much better this year and he proved it in this one. Benintendi stunk the joint out but that's part of adjusting in the majors. Gotta have the bad days with the good if you hope to improve. Once again the Sox allowed 2 or fewer runs but couldn't score. Tomorrow night Wright takes the ball opposite Jayson Aquino who is making his major league debut. The Sox look to make it a rude awakening at 7:05 PM.
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