It was a bad day for Boston sports. The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their NBA East Finals series and the Boston Red Sox lost the mediocre Oakland A's. The A's managed to spoil not only an outstanding Chris Sale start but a tremendous, game saving catch by Jackie Bradley Jr. For the second game in a row the A's pitching shut down the Sox and walked off with a hard fought 3-2 win at Oakland Coliseum.
Kendall Graveman got the start for Oakland and Mr. Mookie Betts took strike three right down the middle to begin the top of the first. Dustin Pedroia meekly grounded out to first and Xander Bogaerts whiffed badly to end the inning. Sale took the hill in the bottom of the first and whiffed Rajai Davis to start. Adam Rosales grounded back to Sale and Jed Lowrie flied out to right to end the inning.
Andrew Benintendi snapped an 0 for 26 skid in the top of the second with an inside out double down the left field line. Hanley Ramirez advanced Andrew to third on a ground out, but Mitch Moreland whiffed. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out meekly to end the inning. Khris Davis popped up to Moreland to start the bottom of the second inning. Trevor Plouffe singled to left but Ryon Healy lollygagged down the bases, grounding into a double play to end the inning.
Sandy Leon singled to start the top of the third but Deven Marrero banged into a double play. Mr. Mookie doubled down the left field line but Pedroia grounded out to end the inning. Mark Canha doubled to lead off the bottom of the third but Sale recovered to strike out both Chad Pinder and Josh Plegley. Davis looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the fourth. Bogaerts plugged a double off the wall to left in the but was nearly stranded as Benny The Kid struck out and Ramirez looked at strike three. Moreland took advantage of a cutter that didn't cut and blasted a 2 run bomb that just missed the upper deck. JBJ took advantage of a terrible throw by Plouffe to reach on an error. Leon grounded out to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Sale cruised in the bottom of the fourth. Rosales whiffed, Lowrie grounded out and Davis grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox wasted a golden chance to ice the game in the top of the fifth. Marrro lined out and Mr. Mookie grounded out but Pedroia beat out an infield single. Bogaerts and Benny The Kid worked back to back walks to load the bases. Ramirez then ran with a load in his pants and was thrown out at first on a bang bang play to end the inning. Right on cue the A's struck back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Plouffe lined out to center but Healy singled up the middle and scored on the inside out triple by Canha. Sale held the lead by striking out Pinder and getting Plegley to fly out to end the inning, but the A's were on the board 2-1.
The Sox mustered nothing against Graveman in the top of the sixth inning. Moreland lined out to second but JBJ walked. Leon banged into a double play to end the inning. Graveman had tossed 6 innings of 2 run ball....just pathetic offense by the Sox. The A's tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as Davis singled up the middle but Rosales popped up. Lowrie singled and the other Davis doubled home the original Davis. Somehow Sale struck out Plouffe and froze Healy to end the inning with the score 2-2.
Ryan Madson came on to pitch the top of the seventh inning. Marrero worked a leadoff walk but was erased on the fielder's choice by Mr. Mookie. Betts then took off for second and was called out....but wait! Sox manager John Farrell challenged the call and even though the replay showed he was safe, he was still called out. Its not their year. Pedroia flied out harmlessly to right to end the inning. With nothing else going right, Sale finished the bottom of the seventh with a flurry. Canha popped up to right, Pinder whiffed and Plegley struck out to end the inning. Sale was outstanding, tossing 7 innings of 2 run ball while striking out ten....but once again got almost no run support.
The Sox failed to make a winner out of Sale in the top of the eighth inning. Liam Hendriks shut down the Sox by getting Bogaerts to pop up and Benny The Kid to strike out, but somehow Ramirez singled. Moreland grounded out to end the inning. Joe Kelly got the call in the bottom of the eighth inning and crapped his pants. Davis flied out, Rosales whiffed and Lowrie struck out to end the inning.
Santiago Casilla took the mound in the top of the ninth and JBJ naturally whiffed. Leon shockingly singled and Sox manager John Farrell pinch ran him with Christian Vazquez. Josh Rutledge pinch hit for Marrero and singled Vaz to third. Could the Sox bring the run in? HELL NO! Mr. Mookie lined out right to Plouffe and Pedroia grounded out to end the inning. Too many men left on that led to the Sox demise. The game almost came to an end in the bottom of the ninth against Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel. Davis whiffed and Plouffe lined out but Healy hit a walkoff home run over the wall....BUT WAIT! Yes the ball went over the wall but JBJ climbed the thing and robbed Healy of the walkoff, sending the game to extras. Unreal.
Ryan Dull took the mound in the top of the 10th and kept the Sox off the board. Bogaerts looked at strike three but Benny The Kid somehow singled. Ramirez whiffed badly but Benintendi swiped second. Moreland flied out to end the inning with yet another runner left in scoring position. The game ended in the bottom of the 10th against Heath Hembree. Canha had tripled and doubled in the game and now he added a walkoff home run to end the game 3-2.
Jackass of the Night is Heath Hembree for allowing the walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10th.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 4.
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4.
Josh Rutledge singled in his pinch hit appearance.
Chris Sale was once again outstanding. He tossed 7 innings of 2 run ball and struck out 10 batters. On any other team he'd have 6 or 7 wins right now.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Craig Kimbrel (thanks to JBJ) pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5.
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 5.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Hanley Ramirez was just 1 for 5.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 5 but made the hit count as it was a towering 2 run home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked and made the game saving catch in the ninth.
Deven Marrero was 0 for 2 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Christian Vazquez caught the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
This season can't end fast enough. The Sox aren't hitting in the clutch at all and when they are losing to the likes of the Oakland A's, that's when you know things are spiraling out of control. Sale pitched his ass off but once again had no run support. Its becoming a recurring theme that could easily sink the Sox before the All-Star break. The only thing keeping the Sox afloat is the New York Yankees lost Aroldis Chapman for a while and the Baltimore Orioles are coming back to earth. The loss dropped the Sox to 21-20, 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow afternoon Drew Pomeranz takes the hill opposite Sean Manaea in Game 3 of the 4 game set in Oakland at 4 PM.
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