JA Happ turned back the clock to 2016 as he dominated the Sox in the top of the first inning. Mookie Betts popped up to first, Andrew Benintendi whiffed badly and Hanley Ramirez grounded out to short to end the inning. Meanwhile Porcello struck out the side in the bottom of the first inning. Curtis Granderson whiffed but Teoscar Hernandez walked. Justin Smoak took strike three and Yangervis Solarte whiffed on a 93 mph fastball to end the inning.
The Sox continued their ineptitude in the top of the second inning as JD Martinez grounded out to second, Rafael Devers grounded out to first and Eduardo Nunez flied out to right to end the inning. The Jays wasted no time blasting Porcello in the bottom of the second as Steve Pearce walked and Russell Martin singled him to third. Kevin Pillar hit a ground ball to third and Devers foolishly tried to nail Pearce at home...he failed and the run scored. Aledmys Diaz beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners, but Devers got a second chance on a ground ball by Devon Travis. This time Devers nailed Martin at home before a wild pitch moved the remaining runners into scoring position. That proved the dagger as Granderson's hot shot liner ate up Devers and both runners scored to pad the lead early. Hernandez struck out to end the inning but it was 3-0 Jays.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the third although Jackie Bradley Jr got a lucky single when Travis misplayed a ground ball. Naturally Sandy Leon and Brock Holt both whiffed before Betts took a 3-2 meatball for strike three to end the inning. Porcello recovered to have a good bottom of the third as Smoak grounded out to second to begin. Solarte and Pearce both whiffed to end the inning.
The shut-out continued in the top of the fourth as Benintendi whiffed again to open the frame. Ramirez reached first on a dropped pop up by Diaz. but Martinez whiffed. Devers grounded out to short to end the inning. Porcello froze Martin for strike three to begin the bottom of the fourth before Pillar whiffed. Diaz froze for strike three to end the inning with Porcello at 9 k's through four.
The Sox continued to suck in the top of the fifth as Nunez lined out to center, JBJ flied out to center and Leon watched strike three go by to end the inning. Porcello did what he could in the bottom of the fifth as Travis grounded out to third to start. Granderson doubled but Betts made a great catch to rob Hernandez of an rbi double. Smoak walked but Solarte lined out to short to end the inning.
The Sox somehow broke through in the top of the sixth inning when Holt led off with a double. Betts flied out to center as Benintendi earned a hat trick with a strikeout. Ramirez somehow singled in Holt to get the run in. With a chance to tie the game, Martinez whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were down 3-1.
Porcello kept the Jays off the board in the bottom of the sixth inning as Pearce flied out to center to start. Martin hit one up the elevator shaft and Pillar grounded out to second to end the inning.
Happ ended his night with a flurry by getting Devers to fly out to left to start. Nunez grounded out to short and JBJ whiffed to end the inning. 7 innings of 1 run ball by Happ, shades of 2016. Also shades of 2016, Porcello finished the bottom of the seventh strong. Diaz grounded out to third, Travis grounded out to short and Granderson lined out to second to end the inning. Apart from Devers' miscues in the second inning, Porcello pitched well to toss 7 innings of 3 run ball.
Ryan Tepera took over for the top of the eighth with Mitch Moreland pinch hitting for Leon. Moreland grounded out to third but Holt singled. Betts whiffed and Benintendi earned a golden sombrero by striking out swinging to end the inning. Joe Kelly came in for Porcello with Christian Vazquez taking over at catcher for the bottom of the eighth. Hernandez flied out to right and Smoak struck out. Solarte popped up to second to end the inning.
The Sox somehow rallied against closer Roberto Osuna in the top of the ninth. Ramirez did get a lucky single to bring the tying run to the plate. Martinez earned a hat trick with his third strikeout but Devers somehow singled to right. Nunez singled home Ramirez and advanced Devers to third to put the tying run at third....but JBJ whiffed. Nunez swiped second to put the go-ahead run at second and Vazquez walked to load the bases. Holt got the clutch hit with a single to score Devers but Nunez was foolishly thrown out trying to score to end the inning. The Sox did manage to tie the game and send it to the bottom of the ninth 3-3.
Kelly came back for the bottom of the ninth with Kendrys Morales pinch hitting for Pearce to begin. Morales grounded out to short before Martin flied out to right. Pillar doubled to put the winning run on second but Diaz lined out to right to end the inning, on to extras we go.
Tyler Clippard got the call to pitch the top of the tenth inning and Betts drew a leadoff walk. Benintendi flied out to center and Ramirez banged into a double play to end the inning. Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel took over for the bottom of the 10th and froze Travis for strike three. He tried to sneak a fastball by Granderson but Granderson smashed the pitch all the way to Jupiter to give the Jays a 4-3 walkoff win.
Jackass of the Night is Craig Kimbrel. He served up the game winning home run to Granderson.
The Good:
Hanley Ramirez was 3 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez walked as a pinch hitter.
Brock Holt was 3 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Rick Porcello survived shaky defense to toss 7 innings of 3 run ball while striking out 9.
Joe Kelly pitched two scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 5 with a golden sombrero of 4 strikeouts.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with several defensive miscues but scored a run.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and stole a base.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Final Thoughts:
Welcome to the first losing streak of the 2018 season. Things are the pitts right now but it was bound to happen. Benintendi, Vazquez, Leon and Martinez look lost at the plate and the losses of Xander Bogaerts and Dustin Pedroia hurt when there are black holes in the lineup. The good news was Xander had a great game down in Pawtucket so he could be back any time now. I'm not too worried about Kimbrel serving up the home run. When you're a fastball closer, eventually someone is going to get a piece of one, it happens. You'd rather see that then him nibbling all the time like he did in 2016. Porcello once again pitched well and if he's turned back the clock two years, this team is going to be in good shape with him on the mound. Tomorrow night its Game 7 of the NHL Playoffs between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins at the Boston Garden. Also Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.45 ERA) takes on Aaron Sanchez in game 2 of this series at 7:07 PM at the Skydome.
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