Gibson, Twins Defeat Sox (7/26/18)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox have sent Jalen "Twin" Beeks to Tampa in exchange for former 14 game winner Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi was a flamethrower for the LA Dodgers, Miami Marlins and Yankees before needing Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2016 season that wiped out all of 2017. He was floundering with the Rays before the Sox picked him up. With Drew Pomeranz in the skids and the health of Eduardo Rodriguez in question the Sox needed another starter to go with Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello. If nothing else at least he'll eat up innings. Beeks just couldn't get it done in Boston so maybe a change of scenery will help him.

                                                                      OUT

                                                                   IN

As for the game, two years after Kyle Gibson blinded the Red Sox for 8 innings at Fenway Park for the Minnesota Twins, he did it again tonight. Gibson was masterful tossing 8 innings of 1 run ball while Brian Johnson kept pace for 6 innings. Once again the Boston bullpen let the team down but it was a brilliant night for pitching and defense....just the wrong team won. In the end it was Gibson and the Twins that took the opener of this four game series 2-1 at Fenway Park.

Johnson took the mound in the top of the first inning and Joe Mauer started with a single. Eddie Rosario flied out to center but Brian Dozier singled to center. Eduardo Escobar singled to center and Mauer took off for home. Jackie Bradley Jr gunned it home and YOU'RE OUTTA HERE MAUER! Mitch Garver walked but Robbie Grossman whiffed to end the inning.

                                                      Yerrr out!

The Sox threatened in the bottom of the first against Gibson although Mr. Mookie Betts whiffed to start. Andrew Benintendi lined out to center but JD Martinez singled to center. Xander Bogaerts doubled Martinez to third and Steve Pearce walked to load the bases. Rafael Devers flied out to left to end the inning.

Johnson cruised in the top of the second inning as Max Kepler whiffed to start. Ehire Adrianza grounded out to third before Bobby Wilson whiffed to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Blake Swihart singled to to left. Brock "The Hitman" Holt was hit with a pitch and Jackie Bradley Jr beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. The Sox ran into a bizarre out when Mr. Mookie grounded out to short to score Holt...but JBH foolishly tried to run from first to third and was thrown out by a mile. The inning was over but the Sox led 1-0.

                               "Maybe I shouldn't run to third on routine outs" - JBJ

Johnson got Mauer to ground out to third to open the top of the third before Rosario flied out to center. Dozier whiffed to end the inning. Gibson got Benintendi to fly out to left to open the bottom of the third before Martinez whiffed. Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning.

Johnson cruised in the top of the fourth as Escobar grounded out to short to begin. Garver flied out to right and Grossman grounded out to second to end the inning. Pearce grounded out to third to start but Devers singled. Swihart grounded out to second and Holt flied out to left to end the inning.

Kepler lined out to center to start the top of the fifth before Adrianza looked at strike three. Wilson flied out to center to end the inning.

                                                     Johnson with 5 solid innings

Gibson kept pace in the bottom of the fifth as JBJ grounded out to third to begin. Mr. Mookie whiffed but Benintendi walked. Martinez grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

Johnson ran out of gas in the top of the sixth although Mauer lined out to left to begin. Rosario walked and Dozier lined a ball into the gap in center. Rosario tried to come all the way home but JBJ came up gunning and YER OUTTA THERE...AGAIN! Escobar walked and that was it for Johnson. The burly lefty tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings, he did the best he could. Heath Hembree got Garver to ground out to second to end the inning.

                                                 Yerrrrrr out!

The Sox couldn't add insurance in the bottom of the sixth as Bogaerts whiffed to start. Pearce looked at strike three before Devers grounded out to short to end the inning.

The struggling Sox bullpen wasted no time ruining Johnson's start in the top of the seventh inning. Grossman singled and Kepler singled Grossman to third. Adrianza banged into a double play but Grossman scored to tie the game. Wilson singled to chase Hembree and Matt Barnes was summoned. Mauer whiffed to end the inning but it was 1-1.

The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the seventh as Swihart lined out to right, Holt lined out to first and JBJ whiffed to end the inning.

Barnes returned to give up the lead in the top of the eighth inning although Rosario whiffed to start. Dozier walked and stole second when Escobar whiffed. Garver doubled to left to score Dozier with the go-ahead run. Grossman flied out to left to end the inning but it was 2-1 Twins.

                                                    The Twins take the lead.

Jake Cave took over for Grossman in the batting order but was in center with Kepler moving to right in the bottom of the eighth. Mr. Mookie grounded out to short, Benintendi grounded out to second and Martinez whiffed to end the inning. For the second time in three years Kyle Gibson went into Fenway and tossed 8 innings of 1 run ball.

Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Kepler popped up to short to start. Adrianza lined out to center and Wilson whiffed to end the inning. Twins closer Fernando Rodney came in for the bottom of the ninth and Bogaerts singled to start. Bogaerts moved to second on the Pearce grounder but Devers popped up to third. Suddenly Swihart and Holt drew back to back walks to load the bases. With the game on the line...JBJ whiffed to end the game. The Twins had won it 2-1.

                                                       Game over



Jackass of the Night is Matt Barnes. He allowed the go-ahead run to score in the top of the eighth inning.

                                                       Nice going Jackass



The Good:

Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4.

Blake Swihart was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Brian Johnson tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings on 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5.

Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 9th inning.



The Bad:

Heath Hembree allowed the tying run to score in one full inning.



The Ugly:

Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 but drove in the team's only run.

Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 with a walk.

JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Steve Pearce was 0 for 3 but walked.

Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4.

Brock Holt was 0 for 2 but walked and was hit with a pitch.

Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts at the plate but threw out 2 runners at the plate to keep the game close.




Final Thoughts:

2 years out of 3 Kyle Gibson walked into Fenway in late July and dominated. This was eerily similar to that game including the bases loaded in the ninth situation. Hopefully this was just a smudge on their otherwise impressive season to this point. The Sox have three games left with the Twins and two with the Philadelphia Phillies before the big showdown with the New York Yankees. The word on the street is Nathan Eovaldi will be activated for one of those starts so he could pitch against the Yankees. After all Eovaldi won 14 games with the Yankees in 2015 before blowing his arm out. As for this game, the less said of this disaster the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 71-33, 4.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night with Chris Sale (11-4, 2.13 ERA) on the mound opposite Lance Lynn. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.