The bad news was the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of their second round NBA playoff series but the Boston Bruins eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 6 of their second round NHL playoff series. As for the baseball game, Price's absence weighs heavy now that the Sox are down two starters. Tonight's emergency starter Josh Smith (0-1, 8.31 ERA) served up a second inning grand slam while the offense was shut down by the immortal John Means. Means tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball as the Sox bats amassed just 1 run on THREE hits. All the good work the Sox did over the weekend evaporated as the Orioles beat the Sox 4-1 at Camden Yards.
Means began his dominance in the top of the first inning as Mr. Mookie Betts flied out to center to start. Xander Bogaerts grounded out to short before JD Martinez whiffed to end the inning. Josh Smith began his first start in 3 years by giving up a home run to Jonathan Villar....but wait! Martinez was interfered with by a fan and the umpires reversed the call to out on fan interference. Trey Mancini walked but Dwight Smith Jr whiffed. Reynato Nunez popped up to second to end the inning.
Nothing doing in the top of the second as Michael Chavis grounded out to first to begin. Rafael Devers grounded out to short but Christian Vazquez singled. Steve Pearce grounded out to first to end the inning. The O's took the lead for good in the bottom of the second as Rio Ruiz singled to center to begin. Steve Wilkerson singled and Chris Davis walked to load the bases. Somehow Smith froze Pedro Severino for strike three before whiffing Richie Martin. Unfortunately Villar croaked the first curveball he saw 500,000 feet for a grand slam to ice the game. Mancini flied out to right to end the inning but it was all over, 4-0.
Eduardo Nunez tried to start a rally in the top of the third inning with a base hit to left but Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to left. Nunez was erased on the force by Mr. Mookie before Bogaerts grounded into a force to end the inning. Smith bounced back in the bottom of the third inning as Smith Jr lined out to left to start. Nunez popped up to third and Ruiz grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the fourth inning as Martinez grounded out to short to start. Chavis grounded back to the mound and Devers grounded out to first to end the inning. The O's looked to rally when Wilkerson singled to start the bottom of the fourth. Davis singled to right and JBJ had to make an amazing catch to rob Severino of a triple. That was it for Smith who made one bad pitch in an emergency start to trail 4-0 in just 3 1/3 innings.
Heath Hembree came in and got Martin to pop up to first and Betts had to make a running grab on a Villar liner to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fifth when Vazquez stroked a leadoff double. Pearce flied out to right and Vazquez moved to third before he scored on the Nunez sac fly. JBJ whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were on the board 4-1.
Ryan Weber was called up earlier today and now he was on in relief in the bottom of the fifth. Mancini grounded out to short before Smith Jr flied out to center. Nunez looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Mr. Mookie lined out to right to start. Bogaerts whiffed before Martinez flied out to center to end the inning. Weber cruised in the bottom of the sixth as Ruiz lined out to second to start. Wilkerson and Davis both froze for strike three to end the inning.
Means cruised in the top of the seventh as Chavis grounded out to short to start. Devers whiffed before Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning. The O's looked to add to the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Severino doubled and was sacrificed to third by Martin. Weber somehow whiffed Villar and Mancini grounded out to third to end the inning.
Paul Fry came in for the O's in the top of the eighth inning and Pearce grounded out to short to start. Nunez reached on an error by Ruiz and advanced to second on a JBJ grounder. Mychal Givens came in to punch out Mr. Mookie to end the inning. Weber escaped a big jam in the bottom of the eighth as Smith Jr grounded out to second to begin. Nunez and Ruiz singled to put runners at the corners, but Pearce made a great play to cut down Nunez at the plate on a grounder by Wilkerson. Davis was plunked to load the bases but Severino popped up to short to end the inning. Hard to believe one swing of the bat by Villar was the difference in the game but the pitching of Weber kept them in the game.
Joey Rickard took over for Mancini for the top of the ninth as the Sox went quietly. Bogaerts grounded out to third, Martinez lined out to center and Chavis whiffed to end the game. The Sox amassed just 3 hits and all the good work they did the past week flushed down the toilet with a 4-1 loss.
Jackass of the Night is Josh Smith. He gave up the grand slam and lasted just 3 1/3 innings.
The Good:
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 2 with an rbi.
Heath Hembree retired the only two men he faced.
Ryan Weber tossed four scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Steve Pearce was 0 for 3.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
None.
Final Thoughts:
Talk about getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. After coming off beating up the Oakland A's and Chicago White Sox, the Red Sox are limping into Baltimore down Eovaldi and Price. Not only that but John Means pitched the game of his life and it all added up to a big night of bawful. The offense that feasted on the White Sox managed just 3 hits and a single run against Baltimore in total domination by the Orioles. What's worse is the Sox have to use another spot starter tomorrow against the Birds. The loss dropped the Sox to 17-19, 6 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look bounce back tomorrow night against the Orioles when Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez (0-2, 3.72 ERA) takes on David Hess at 7:05 PM at Camden Yards
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