As for the game, another tough loss for the Boston Red Sox but this one was a true sucker punch to the gonads as they were done in by just one man. The washed up, juiceless, Melky Cabrera hit a 3 run home run and drove in the winning run for 4 total rbi's, spoiling David Price's season debut and guiding the Chicago White Sox to a 5-4 come from behind win at Commiskey Park. On top of that, the Sox lost Dustin Pedroia to a sprained wrist, possibly for weeks.
David Holmberg got the ball in the top of the first inning and Mr. Mookie Betts greeted him with a lead-off double off the left field wall. Dustin Pedroia grounded out to first and cleaned out Jose Abreu who had to slide to get Dustin at first, advancing Betts to third. Luckily both men were ok. Xander Bogaerts popped up to Abreu who had to run and dive to catch it, allowing Betts to scamper home to give the Sox a quick 1-0 lead. Hanley Ramirez worked a full count walk but Chris Young also popped up to Abreu to end the inning with the Sox ahead.
On to the mound was Price making his season debut in the bottom of the first. Tm Anderson whiffed to begin then Melky Cabrera grounded out to first. Abreu grounded out to short to end the inning, good start for Price.
Sam Travis led off the top of the second by whiffing on a 2-2 count. Christian Vazquez lined out to left but Jackie Bradley Jr was hit with a pitch. Deven Marrero grounded out to end the inning. Turns out Dustin Pedroia was NOT okay and he was replaced by Josh Rutledge in the bottom of the second inning. Todd Frazier struck out, Avisail Garcia lined out to Travis but Matt Davidson blooped a single to center. It was revealed Pedroia sprained his wrist as Yolmer Sanchez popped up to end the inning. It was great to see Price have his command and velocity, but disheartening to lose Pedroia.
Mr. Mookie popped up to begin the top of the third, Rutledge grounded out and Bogaerts was retired on a swinging bunt to end the inning. The White Sox roared back in the bottom of the third. Kevan Smith grounded out to third but Adam Engel walked and stole second on a botched pickoff by Travis. Anderson walked and Cabrera cleared the bases with a 3 run bomb to left to give Chicago the lead. Abreu lined out to a jumping Betts and Frazier flied out to center but the damage was done, 3-1 White Sox.
The Sox struck back against Holmberg in the top of the fourth. Ramirez worked a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth but Young flied out. Travis walked and that brought out Chicago pitching coach Don Cooper to waddle to the mound to tell Holmberg to switch to Geico. Vazquez then doubled into the left field corner to score Ramirez to cut the lead to 1. JBJ grounded out to first but it was enough to score Travis to tie the game and advance Vaz to third. Marrero whiffed on a full count but the Sox had tied it 3-3.
Could Price have a bounceback inning in the bottom of the fourth? YES! He took forever but he struck out Garcia with a 3-2 pitch that bounced in front of home plate. Davidson whiffed and Sanchez popped up to end the inning.
That was it for Holmberg as Gregory Infante took over in the top of the fifth inning and Mr. Mookie hit a line drive home run just over the left field wall to give the Sox the lead. Rutledge singled up the middle and Bogaerts was robbed of a hit by Frazier, snaring the line drive. Ramirez jacked one deep to right but it died at the wall. Young flied out to center to end the inning but the Sox were up 4-3 lead.
Could Price pitch with the lead? YES! He hit Smith on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth and plunked Engel as well. Anderson hit a ground ball to Bogaerts but they could only get Engel at second. Price got a huge double play ball after Bogaerts stabbed a ground ball by Cabrera, flipped to second, on to first to end the inning. It helped that Cabrera foolishly tried to slide into first base. That was it for Price who was on a 90 pitch, pitch count. He made one mistake to Cabrera but otherwise pitched reasonably well.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the sixth as Travis grounded out, Vazquez struck out and JBJ popped up on a 3-2 pitch right down the middle to end the inning. Joe Kelly came on to pitch the top of the sixth as Mitch Moreland took over at first base for Travis. Abreu grounded out to second on a full count and Kelly froze Frazier. Sox analyst Dave O'Brien brought up how someone in the Red Sox bullpen put up everyone's senior year high school pictures. The main suspect was *drumroll*....Joe Kelly. There was no pranks as Kelly walked Garcia but he recovered to whiff Davidson to end the inning with the lead intact.
Juan Minaya got the call to pitch the top of the seventh and he nearly took Marrero's head off with a fastball. Marrero eventually struck out and so did Mr. Mookie. Rutledge walked but Bogaerts looked at strike three to end the inning,
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the top of the seventh and crapped himself. Sanchez tripled and Smith doubled to tie the game just like that. Engel then foolishly bunted foul with 2 strikes for the strikeout. They don't even do that in little league. Anderson grounded out to third but Chicago took the lead on a single by Cabrera to Rutledge, who threw to first only for Vazquez to run away from the ball with his arms flailing over his head. Smith scored and Cabrera had put the ChiSox on top 5-4. Abreu looked at strike three but the White Sox had the lead 5-4.
The Sox offense gave up after that, going quietly in the top of the eighth against Tommy Kahnle. Ramirez just watched strike three go by as Andrew Benintendi pitch hit for Chris Young and flied out to the wall. Moreland crushed a ball just foul then looked at strike three to end the inning. Blaine Boyer got the call in the bottom of the eighth inning. Frazier and Garcia whiffed then Davidson flied out to end the inning.
David Robertson put the Sox out of their misery in the top of the ninth inning. Vazquez whiffed on 3 pitches, JBJ grounded out meekly and Sandy Leon pinch hit for Marrero. Leon struck out to end the game as the Sox didn't have a hit after the 5th inning. The White Sox had won 5-4.
Jackass of the Night is an easy one. Matt Barnes came in with a 4-3 lead and left losing 5-4 giving up a triple, double and single.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 total runs scored.
Josh Rutledge was 1 for 2 with a walk.
Hanley Ramirez walked twice in four plate appearances plus scored a run.
David Price was on a 90 pitch, pitch count but still put the Sox in position to win by tossing 5 innings of 3 run ball. He made one mistake to Cabrera but otherwise did well.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
Blaine Boyer pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Chris Young was 0 for 3.
Andrew Benintendi failed in his only plate appearance.
Mitch Moreland struck out in his only plate appearance.
Deven Marrero was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Sandy Leon struck out to end the game.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 1 but it was a productive out that led to the game's first run before he left with an injury.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Sam Travis was 0 for 2 but walked and scored a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked and was hit with a pitch.
Final Thoughts:
Another garbage loss to a garbage team in what's turning out to be a truly miserable season that started out with so much promise. The Sox are completely snakebit with injuries as Pedroia goes down just as Price comes back. So the Sox lost today's game to a host of relievers, not getting a hit after the 5th inning AND Pedroia. Dustin may miss time and the Sox can't afford to lose him. It was a tough loss but the good news is Chris Sale is pitching tomorrow night opposite Jose Quintana in Game 2 of this series at 8:10 PM at Commiskey Park.
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