As sad as it sounds, one of the only real Sox chances to take control happened in the top of the first inning against Daniel Mengden. Jackie Bradley Jr led off with a single to break up a no-hitter attempt before it could even begin. Andrew Benintendi lined out to left and JD Martinez whiffed. Mitch Moreland singled but Rafael Devers whiffed to end the inning. The A's wasted no time scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Marcus Semien doubled to lead off the game and moved to third on the ground out by Stephen Piscotty. "Glassbones" Jed Lowrie took strike three but Khris Davis singled home Semien to give the A's the lead. Matt Chapman hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the A's up 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second inning. Blake Swihart watched strike three go by, Brock Holt grounded out to third and Christian Vazquez whiffed to end the inning. Price settled down in the bottom of the second although Mark Canha singled to start. Chad Pinder took strike three and Jake Smolinski banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the third inning as Tzu-Wei Lin lined out to short, JBJ grounded out to second and Benintendi lined out to center to end the inning. Price had a quick bottom of the third inning as Bruce Maxwell grounded out to short, Semien lined out to right and Holt snared a Piscotty liner to end the inning.
The Sox still couldn't score in the top of the fourth inning as Martinez watched strike three go by, Moreland lined out to center and Devers lined out to left to end the inning. Price whiffed Lowrie to begin the bottom of the fourth before Davis popped up to first. Chapman walked but Canha grounded into a force to end the inning.
The Sox finally got a baserunner in the top of the fifth inning although Swihart lined out to left to begin. Holt grounded out to second but Vazquez doubled. Lin hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. Price stayed tough in the bottom of the fifth as Pinder whiffed to start. Smolinski doubled but Maxwell flied out to left. Semien lined out to right to end the inning.
More incompetence in the top of the sixth inning as JBJ flied out to right to start. Benintendi grounded out to first and Martinez grounded out to short to end the inning. Piscotty singled to open the bottom of the sixth but Lowrie banged into a double play. Davis grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Sox finally broke through in the top of the seventh inning as Moreland and Devers stroked back to back singled to start. Swihart got Moreland thrown out at third on a swinging bunt but Holt doubled home Devers to tie the game. That was it for Mengden as Yusmeiro Petit took over and got the biggest out of the game when Vazquez popped up to first. Lin whiffed to end the inning with the game tied
Price came back for the bottom of the seventh inning and froze Chapman to start. Canha flied out to right but Pinder singled. Smolinski grounded into a force to end the inning.
Matt Olson took over for Pinder with Ryan Buchter now on the mound. JBJ whiffed but Benintendi walked to chase Buchter. Blake Treinen replaced Buchter and whiffed Martinez. Benintendi swiped second but Moreland struck out to end the inning. The A's iced the game in the bottom of the eighth as Price returned. Maxwell grounded out to third but Semien and Piscotty singled. Cora came out to see if David could handle Lowrie and Price said sure. Price managed to strike out Lowrie...but Davis blasted a back-breaking 3 run bomb to left to put the A's up for good. You can say Price was left in one batter too many, but he still should have been able to get the last out. He lasted 7 2/3 innings and gave up 4 runs. Carson Smith came in to retire Chapman on a flyout to right to end the inning with the A's up 4-1.
Treinen returned for the top of the ninth and struck out Devers to start. Swihart grounded out to the mound but Holt reached when Semien booted a routine ground ball. Vazquez popped up to first to end the game. The Sox had lost 4-1.
Jackass of the Night is David Price. He had one more out to get and instead gave up the backbreaking home run to Davis.
The Good:
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 4.
Carson Smith got the final out of the bottom of the eighth.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of three strikeouts.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Brock Holt was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Well the Sox were due for a let-down after starting the season 17-2. Back to back losses to the 11-17 Oakland A's should erase any ideas of going after the 1984 Tigers hot streak. The offense only pushed across one measly run in the past two games but they were due for a letdown. A lot of criticism is being leveled at Alex Cora for leaving Price in but he had just one more out to get, if he got it, then its a tie game going into a ninth. It wasn't the biggest mistake ever made especially the way Price was pitching, oh well. After an off-day, the Red Sox travel to Toronto to play the Blue Jays. Tuesday night its a time warp back to 2016 as Rick Porcello (4-0, 1.40 ERA) takes on old rival JA Happy. The game begins at 7:07 PM at the Skydome.
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