The O's wasted no time scoring off the incompetent Pomeranz in the top of the first inning. Trey Mancini drew a leadoff walk on 4 pitches not even close although he was erased on the force by Adam Jones. Manny Machado effortlessly doubled and Jonathan Schoop walked to load the bases. Mark Trumbo grounded out to third but Mancini scored to put the O's up early. Chris Davis flied out to left to end the inning with the O's up 1-0.
The Sox set the tone that this would not be their day in the bottom of the first against Cobb. Mr. Mookie Betts led off with a double but was doubled off second on a liner to second by Andrew Benintendi. Hanley Ramirez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Somehow Pomeranz had a clean top of the second inning. Danny Valencia grounded out to third, Joey Rickard whiffed and Andrew Susac lined out to center to end the inning. More baserunning incompetence occurred in the bottom of the second inning. JD Martinez grounded out to short but Xander Bogaerts singled. Bogaerts was foolishly thrown out at second trying to steal before Rafael Devers drew a walk. Eduardo Nunez popped up to short to end the inning.
As soon as the Sox tied it up, Pomeranz stunk the joint out in the top of the fourth inning. Davis led off with a ground rule double before Valencia singled him to third and took second on the throw. Pomeranz got two big outs when Rickard flied out to left and Susac popped up to third but Mancini walked to load the bases. Jones singled to left and Benintendi did a 360 windmill and heaved the ball into the Monster Seats to score both Davis and Valencia and advance Jones to second on the error. Machado singled home Jones to compound the error before Schoop looked at strike three to end the inning. That was it for Pomeranz who got hammered for 5 runs in just 4 innings, pathetic.
The Sox failed to respond against Cobb in the bottom of the fourth as Ramirez popped up to short to begin. Martinez smacked a double and advanced to third on the Bogaerts fly out but Devers lined out to left to end the inning.
Steven Wright took over in the top of the fifth and got Trumbo to pop up to short to start. Davis grounded out to second but Valencia walked. A passed ball advanced Valencia to second but Rickard grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the fifth inning as Nunez singled to start. JBJ whiffed but Vazquez singled Nunez to third. Mr. Mookie doubled home Nunez and Benintendi singled home Vazquez to cut the lead. With a chance to do some damage...Ramirez banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox down 5-3.
Wright did his best to keep the Sox in the game as he struck out Susac and Mancini to begin the top of the sixth inning. Jones grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox failed to inch closer in the bottom of the sixth as Martinez lined out to right to begin. Bogaerts grounded out to second but Devers singled. Representing the tying run....Nunez grounded out to second to end the inning.
The O's got another one in the top of the seventh although Machado whiffed to start. Schoop then smoked a 4,700 foot home run to give the O's a 3 run lead. Trumbo grounded back to the mound and Davis whiffed to end the inning with the O's ahead 6-3.
Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Jackie Bradley Jr in the bottom of the seventh and looked at strike three, I could have done that. Vazquez smacked a ground rule double to chase Cobb from the game in his first good start of the season. Mychal Givens took over and grounded out to third. Benintendi walked to bring the tying run to the plate....and Ramirez lined out to right to end the inning.
Wright returned for one more inning in the top of the eighth and got Valencia to pop up to second to start. Rickard doubled and moved to third on the Susac ground out. Mancini grounded out to second to end the inning. A yeoman's effort by Wright to keep the Sox in the game.
Jace Peterson took over at third as Martinez whiffed to open the bottom of the eighth. Bogaerts hit a routine pop up bu somehow Mancini dropped it for an error. Richard Bleier replaced Givens and Devers grounded out although Bogaerts moved to third. Nunez doubled home Xander and Holt singled to put the tying run at first and chase Bleier. Brad Brach came in and Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Vazquez and walked to load the bases. Blake Swihart pinch ran for Mitch but Mr. Mookie popped up to first to end the Sox final threat. The Sox did add a run to make it 6-4 but that was it.
The O's iced the game in the top of the ninth although Jones flied out to right to start. Machado whiffed but Schoop walked and Trumbo doubled him home to chase Wright. Heath Hembree came in and struck out Davis to end the inning but it was 7-4 O's.
Brach returned for the bottom of the ninth and got Benintendi to ground out to second to begin. Ramirez flied out to left but Martinez doubled. Bogaerts grounded out to short to end the game. The O's had won it 7-4.
Jackass of the Night is Drew Pomeranz. He gave up 5 runs in just 4 innings and let the floodgates open on this defeat
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 3 for 5 with a solo home run and 2 total rbi's.
JD Martinez was 2 for 5.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Brock Holt was 1 for 2.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Mitch Moreland walked as a pinch hitter.
Heath Hembree got the only man he faced.
The Bad:
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 5.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 with an error but walked and drove in a run.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Steven Wright tossed 4 2/3 innings but allowed 2 insurance runs to score.
Honorable Mention:
Blake Swihart pinch ran for Mitch Moreland.
Final Thoughts:
If Pomeranz doesn't have the velocity he had last year the Sox are in big trouble. If the Sox have any hope of winning the division they need Pomeranz to be at the top of his game like he was last year. If he's below average like he was down the stretch in 2016 then he's glorified batting practice. He has to find a way to figure it out or the Sox will be putting Steven Wright in his slot in two seconds flat. The offense did what they could but they can't bop 8 runs a game every single game, that's just unfair. The loss dropped the Sox to 30-15, 0.5 games in front of New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to rebound with Rick Porcello (5-1, 3.28 ERA) taking on Dylan Bundy (2-5, 4.53 ERA) at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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