Jackie Bradley Jr had been in a huge slump lately but not today as he blasted a solo home run off Anderson to cut the lead in half during the top of the second inning. Josh Rutledge lined out but Christian Vazquez singled. Kendrick laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Christian into scoring position but Mr. Mookie popped up to end the inning with the Sox back in it 2-1.
Kendrick didn't get tagged but was still humiliated in the bottom of the second. Orlando Arcia grounded out but Anderson the pitcher singled off Kendrick, wow. Broxton lined out and Thames whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox wasted another chance in the top of the third inning when Dustin Pedroia hit a ground rule double to start. Bogaerts whiffed but Benny The Kid worked a walk. That was it as Ramirez and JBJ both whiffed to end the inning. 3 innings in a row a man was left on second base. Kendrick got some help from the D in the bottom of the third although he did strike out Braun to start. Shaw singled but Santana banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox tied it up in the top of the fourth inning although Rutledge grounded out to start. Vazquez doubled but Kendrick struck out after a failed bunt attempt. Mr. Mookie singled home Vaz and took second on the throw to tie the game. Pedroia lined out to end the inning with a man on the second left stranded for the fourth straight inning, but the game was tied 2-2. Hanley Ramirez left the game with "soreness" and was replaced by Mitch Moreland in the bottom of the fourth. He never wanted to play first base and decided to shut it down after 3 innings, Mitch can't get a day off to save his life. Perez flied out but Bandy doubled and moved to third on the Arcia ground out. Anderson the pitcher popped up to end the inning.
The Sox wasted ANOTHER chance in the top of the fifth inning. Bogaerts singled but Benny The Kid flied out. Moreland singled but JBJ flied out, chasing Anderson from the game, Brewers manager Craig Counsell brought in Rob Scahill to pitch to Rutledge. Josh grounded out to end the inning with a man stranded on second for the 5th consecutive inning. Things all went to hell in the bottom of the fifth inning. Broxton doubled then Thames and Braun stroked back to back singles to give the Brewers a 3-2 lead. Braun pulled up lame and had to be lifted for Jonathan Villar as Shaw scored Thames with a ground-out. Santana singled to chase Kendrick as Sox manager John Farrell brought in Heath Hembree to pitch and Deven Marrero to play third on a double switch. Kendrick once again failed to impress in his second straight stinkbomb.
Right on cue the Brewers pulled off a double steal and Vazquez compounded by things by throwing the ball 400 feet over the center-field wall to score Shaw and advance Santana to third. Perez slammed a single to score Santana but Bandy lined out. Arcia whiffed to end the inning but the Brewers now had a commanding 6-2 lead. Woof!
Vazquez walked to lead off the top of the sixth but was erased on the Marrero double play. Mr. Mookie flied out to end the inning. Hembre returned for the bottom of the sixth to strike out Scahill the pitcher but Broxton singled to chase him. Fernando Abad came in and Thames singled off him. The Brewers pulled off another double steal and another throwing error by Vazquez scored Broxton to increase the lead. Villar grounded out and Shaw struck out to end the inning but more incompetence had the Sox trailing 7-2.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Pedroia flied out although Bogaerts walked. As usual Benny The Kid bounced into a double play to end the inning. Matt Barnes came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh and got Santana to fly out, Perez to ground out and Bandy on strikes to end the inning.
Oliver Drake came on to pitch the top of the eighth and the Sox tried to rally. Moreland walked and JBJ singled, bringing up pinch hitter Chris Young. Young singled to load the bases and that was it for Drake. Jared Hughes came in to pitch to Vazquez and got exactly what he needed, a double play. Moreland scored but now there were 2 outs and Marrero lined out to end the inning with the Sox trailing 7-3. A hit would have made the game far more interesting. Robby Scott came on to pitch the bottom of the eighth and got Arcia to ground out. Jesus Aguilar pinch hit for Hughes and struck out. Broxton flied out to end the inning.
Neftali Feliz came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Mr. Mookie greeted him by working a walk. Mookie took second on defensive indifference and then to third on the Pedroia fly out. Bogaerts grounded out but Betts scored to cut the lead. Benny The Kid flied out to end the game, the Brewers had won it 7-4.
Jackass of the Night is Christian Vazquez. Yes Kendrick got pounded but Vaz made two critical errors and grounded into a huge double play in the eighth when a hit would have extended the big rally.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with a walk and an rbi.
Mitch Moreland singled, walked and scored a run after coming in for Ramirez.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 including a solo home run.
Chris Young singled in his pinch hit appearance.
Matt Barnes pitched a full scoreless inning.
Robby Scott pitched a full scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 2 before leaving with a "sore back."
Josh Rutledge was 0 for 3.
Kyle Kendrick was pounded for 10 hits and 6 runs to take the loss. He also went 0 for 2 at the plate.
Deven Marrero was 0 for 2.
Heath Hembree allowed an inherited runner to score and one of his own in an inning of work.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with a walk but drove in a run and scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4 but drew a walk.
Fernando Abad let an inherited runner score in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
Another disaster in the field. The Red Sox are second in the league in double plays and first in the league in errors....that's terrible. Bad pitching, bad defense and lack of clutch hitting will sink any team and the Sox are sinking fast. Kendrick just isn't going to cut it and Sox manager John Farrell knows it. With the Sox having 3 consecutive Monday's off, the Sox don't need a 5th starter until June so the rumor is Kendrick will be sent down for bullpen help. The logical choice is Robbie Ross Jr but you never know. The Sox can't survive like this, they need to be better with men on base and defensively. The Loss dropped the Sox to 17-16, 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Eduardo Rodriguez goes for the Sox up against Jimmy Nelson to avoid a sweep.
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