The defending American League champion Cleveland Indians love playing at Fenway Park. Every time they come they pound Boston Red Sox pitchers into submission. Tonight was no different as they lit up Doug Fister (2-6, 5.56 ERA) and won this game at Fenway Park going away 7-3. The worst part about it is these are the guys the Sox are slated to face in the ALDS if nothing changes in a month and a half.
Sad Sox fans
The Indians pounded Fister in the top of the second inning. Jay Bruce walked and Carlos Santana singled him to third. Bradley Zimmer struck out but Abraham Almonte walked to load the bases. Roberto Perez singled in the hole to left to score Bruce with the first run. Lindor sliced a single down the left field line to score Santana and Almonte. Kipnis flied out to the left field wall. Ramirez walked to re-load the bases but Encarnarcion popped up to end the inning with the Indians up 3-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the second. Mitch Moreland flied out to the wall but Rafael Devers pounded an opposite field home run to put the Sox on the board. Xander Bogaerts lofted a routine pop up to Bruce in right.....AND HE DROPPED IT! Bogaerts took second on the error/double but Holt struck out. Christian Vazquez walked but Jackie Bradley Jr struck out to end the inning withe the Sox down 3-1.
Devers puts the Sox on the board
Fister settled down in the top of the third although Bruce singled off he glove of Holt to start. Santana flied out to left and Zimmer flied out to JBJ, then Almonte grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third although Nunez grounded out to second to start. Benny The Kid then absolutely crushed a home run over the right field bullpen to cut the lead. Betts and Moreland both whiffed badly but it was now 3-2 Cleveland.
Benintendi makes it 3-2
Fister began the top of the fourth by striking out Perez then Holt made a great jumping catch to rob Lindor of a hit. Kipnis flied out to the centerfield wall to end the inning. The Sox struck again when Devers...yes...AGAIN...hit a solo home run, this time to right field to tie the game. Bogaerts and Holt both whiffed badly and Vazquez grounded out to end the inning, but it was now 3-3.
Devers "Arrrrriba la razzzaaa" Mookie "What?"
Just as soon as the Sox tied the game, Cleveland re-took the lead as Ramirez doubled off the Monster to start the top of the fifth. Encarnarcion hit one completely out of Fenway for a 2 run bomb as fans pelted Fister with garbage. Bruce walked but Santana struck out. Sox manager John Farrell had seen enough and took out the incompetent Fister after he allowed 5 runs in just 4 1/3 innings.
Edwin ain't afraid of no Fister
Fernando Abad came in and walked Zimmer. Almonte flied out to right but Bruce tagged and moved to third. Perez hit a comebacker back to the mound but the Indians were up for good 5-3. As usual the Sox offense not named Devers did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as JBJ whiffed to begin. Nunez watched strike three go by and Benintendi grounded out to end the inning.
The Indians iced the game in the top of the 6th although Lindor popped up to Moreland to begin. Devers made a great play to rob Kipnis of a hit but then booted a routine grounder by Ramirez for an error. That was it for Abad as Heath Hembree came in to pitch and immediately served up another 2 run homer to Encarnarcion. Bruce hit a bullet.....right to Moreland for the third out but it was now 7-3 Indians.
Hembree serves up a meatball
The Sox offense was done for the night as Bauer cruised in the bottom of the sixth. Betts flied out to center but Moreland doubled. Devers struck out but Bogaerts walked. With a chance to get back in the game, Holt watched strike three go by to end the inning.
Hembree returned for the top of the seventh and he struck out Santana to start. Zimmer and Almonte grounded out to end the inning. Bauer returned for the bottom of the seventh and Vazquez flied out to left to start. JBJ lined out to left but Nunez singled up the middle to chase Bauer. Old pal Terry Francona replaced Bauer with Trevor Olsen who got Benintendi to fly out to right to end the inning.
"WHAT??? AHHHH, GO ON...SCRAMMM!!!!" - TB
Hembree returned briefly for the top of the eighth and struck out both Perez and Lindor. Kipnis hit a ground rule double and that was it for him. John Farrell pulled Heath for Brandon Workman. Giovanny Urshela ran for Kipnis as Ramirez flied out to end the inning. The Sox caught a lucky break when Urshela threw a routine grounder by Betts away to begin the bottom of the eighth. Moreland whiffed and Devers flied out to center to chase Olson. Bryan Shaw came in who struck out Bogaerts....but the ball got away and Xander reached first, shades of the last comeback against Cleveland. There would be no comeback this time as Holt grounded out to end the inning.
Workman returned for the top of the ninth and walked Encarnarcion, but Bruce banged into a double play. Santana singled but Zimmer flied out to left to end the inning. Joe Smith was brought in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Vazquez grounded out to start. JBJ struck out but Nunez singled. Benintendi struck out to end the game, the Indians had won 7-3.
Jackass of the Night is Doug Fister. He took the loss while giving up 5 runs on 4 walks and 7 hits in just 4 1/3 innings.
Jackass of the Night: Doug Fister
The Good:
Eduardo Nunez was 3 for 5.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with 2 solo home runs.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Brandon Workman tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Brock Holt was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a solo home run.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Fernando Abad gave up an unearned run in 1 1/3 inning.
Heath Hembree gave up a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
If there was ever a "scheduled loss" this was it. Coming home after a long road trip and an emotional win the night before, sometimes a loss could be expected. Fister didn't have it but neither did the Sox offense once again. Yet another game where they scored less than 4 runs. If it wasn't for the normally outstanding pitching, this team really should be in last place with that anemic offense. The Sox struck out 15 times tonight, much more glaring than the 3 home runs they hit. The loss dropped the Sox to 67-51, 4.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the St. Louis Cardinals are in town for a brief two game set. Rick Porcello (6-14, 4.63 ERA) takes on Mike Leake in Game 1 at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
Hembree returned for the top of the seventh and he struck out Santana to start. Zimmer and Almonte grounded out to end the inning. Bauer returned for the bottom of the seventh and Vazquez flied out to left to start. JBJ lined out to left but Nunez singled up the middle to chase Bauer. Old pal Terry Francona replaced Bauer with Trevor Olsen who got Benintendi to fly out to right to end the inning.
Hembree returned briefly for the top of the eighth and struck out both Perez and Lindor. Kipnis hit a ground rule double and that was it for him. John Farrell pulled Heath for Brandon Workman. Giovanny Urshela ran for Kipnis as Ramirez flied out to end the inning. The Sox caught a lucky break when Urshela threw a routine grounder by Betts away to begin the bottom of the eighth. Moreland whiffed and Devers flied out to center to chase Olson. Bryan Shaw came in who struck out Bogaerts....but the ball got away and Xander reached first, shades of the last comeback against Cleveland. There would be no comeback this time as Holt grounded out to end the inning.
Workman returned for the top of the ninth and walked Encarnarcion, but Bruce banged into a double play. Santana singled but Zimmer flied out to left to end the inning. Joe Smith was brought in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Vazquez grounded out to start. JBJ struck out but Nunez singled. Benintendi struck out to end the game, the Indians had won 7-3.
Jackass of the Night is Doug Fister. He took the loss while giving up 5 runs on 4 walks and 7 hits in just 4 1/3 innings.
The Good:
Eduardo Nunez was 3 for 5.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with 2 solo home runs.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Brandon Workman tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Brock Holt was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a solo home run.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Fernando Abad gave up an unearned run in 1 1/3 inning.
Heath Hembree gave up a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
If there was ever a "scheduled loss" this was it. Coming home after a long road trip and an emotional win the night before, sometimes a loss could be expected. Fister didn't have it but neither did the Sox offense once again. Yet another game where they scored less than 4 runs. If it wasn't for the normally outstanding pitching, this team really should be in last place with that anemic offense. The Sox struck out 15 times tonight, much more glaring than the 3 home runs they hit. The loss dropped the Sox to 67-51, 4.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the St. Louis Cardinals are in town for a brief two game set. Rick Porcello (6-14, 4.63 ERA) takes on Mike Leake in Game 1 at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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