It looks like Drew Pomeranz (0-1, 7.27 ERA) isn't ready for prime time yet. With diminished velocity Pomeranz served up one home run after another to the suddenly red hot Tampa Bay Rays. They bolted out to a 4-0 lead on the ineffective Pomeranz before hanging on for a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Looks like the stench of the 2017 offense is back.
The Rays wasted no time scoring in the top of the first inning as Matt Duffy lined out to third to begin. CJ Cron lashed a single to left but Carlos Gomez froze for strike three. Wilson Ramos crushed a 500,000 foot home run halfway to Bradford, New Hampshire to give the Rays the early lead. Daniel Robertson lined out to right to end the inning but it was 2-0.
The Sox failed to respond against Tampa starter Blake Snell in the bottom of the first inning. Mookie Betts grounded out to short, Hanley Ramirez popped up to first and JD Martinez whiffed to end the inning.
Pomeranz recovered in the top of the second inning as Brad Miller flied out to left to start. Adeiny Hechavarria singled but Mallex Smith banged into a double play to end the inning. Snell turned up the heat in the bottom of the second inning as Mitch Moreland, Xander Bogaerts and Eduardo Nunez all whiffed in short order.
The Rays struck again in the top of the third inning as Rob Refsnyder smashed a 6,000 foot home run to increase the lead. Duffy grounded out to third but Cron singled. Gomez froze for strike three again before Ramos grounded into a force to end the inning with the Rays up 3-0.
The Sox failed to reach base in the bottom of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed, Christian Vazquez lined out to left and Tzu-Wei Lin grounded out to short to end the inning.
Pomeranz with his diminished velocity served up another jack in the top of the fourth inning as Robertson belted a 950 foot home run to ice the game early. Miller flied out to left, Hechavarria flied out to right and Smith flied out to center to end the inning with the Rays up 4-0.
The Sox failed to capitalize on a break in the bottom of the fourth as Betts walked to start. Ramirez watched strike three go by but Snell dropped a routine pop up by Ramirez to put runners at the corners. Moreland banged into a double play to end the inning....damn.
Pomeranz gutted through the top of the fifth although he walked Refsnyder to start. The alert Vazquez gunned him down trying to steal after Duffy struck out. Cron walked as Gomez whiffed for the third time to end the inning. That was it for Pomeranz who was done after 5 innings and 4 runs allowed. His velocity isn't back yet.
Bogaerts got his first hit after coming off the DL in the bottom of the fifth but was erased on the Nunez force. JBJ grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez took the mound in the top of the sixth and Ramos grounded out to short to start. Robertson doubled but Miller lined out to center. Hechavarria grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox finally cracked Snell in the bottom of the sixth inning as Vazquez led off with a double. Lin grounded out to first but Betts doubled home Vazquez to put a run on the board. Ramirez whiffed but Martinez doubled in Betts to cut the deficit in half. With the tying run at the plate...Moreland whiffed to end the inning with the Sox down 4-2.
Velazquez did his part in the top of the seventh as Smith popped up a bunt to Vazquez to begin. Refsnyder and Duffy stroked back to back singles but Cron hit into a double play to end the inning. The Sox failed to cash in a leadoff double by Bogaerts to start the bottom of the seventh. That's because Nunez whiffed, JBJ grounded out and Vazquez flied out to right to end the inning.
Velazquez returned for the top of the eighth inning and got Gomez to ground out to third to begin. Ramos grounded out to short but Robertson was plunked. Miller singled to center but Hechavarria popped up to short to end the inning.
The Sox failed to crack Snell in the bottom of the eighth as pinch hitter Blake Swihart (for Lin) flied out to right to start. That was it for Blake as he tossed 7 1/3 innings of 2 run ball, much better than Pomeranz that's for sure. Chaz Roe came in and Betts greeted him with a double to bring the tying run to the plate. Ramirez popped up but Martinez singled home Betts to cut the lead to 1. With the tying run on first...Moreland grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Rafael Devers took over at third to start the top of the ninth and Smith lined out to left to start. Dernard Span pinch hit for Refsnyder and walked to chase Velazquez. Had the Sox won, Velazquez would have been the hero with his relief effort. Heath Hembree relieved Hector and Vazquez gunned down Span trying to steal before Duffy struck out to end the inning.
Rays closer Alex Colome took the mound in the bottom of the ninth and Bogaerts singled to put the tying run on. He never moved as Nunez hit one up the elevator shaft and JBJ whiffed. Andrew Benintendi pinch hit for Vazquez and....looked at strike three to end the game. The Rays had held on to win 4-3.
Jackass of the Night is Drew Pomeranz. He lasted just 5 innings, gave up 3 home runs and 4 runs total to put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 3 with a walk, a steal, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 4.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
Hector Velazquez tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
Heath Hembree pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Andrew Benintendi struck out as a pinch hitter.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 0 for 2.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
None
Honorable Mention:
Rafael Devers played third base in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Looks like the miserable Red Sox offense that stunk up the 2017 season and the first 11 games of this season is back. When you think about, maybe the 8 games in between the 9-2 start and the current 2-4 streak was just an aberration. Maybe the Sox are doomed to an inconsistent offense all year. If that's the case than maybe the New York Yankees will win the division after all. Getting Xander Bogaerts back helps but Andrew Benintendi and the bottom of the order is a stinking black hole right now. Something has to be done with Dustin Pedroia out until May and Brock Holt gone for two weeks. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow afternoon against the Rays when David Price (2-2, 2.93 ERA) takes on Yonny Chirinos looking to halt Tampa Bay's 7 game win streak at 4:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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