Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move by swapping out lefties. Josh Taylor was sent back to Pawtucket and in his place, Bobby Poyner was called up. Taylor wasn't doing anything exciting but Poyner isn't exactly an upgrade. Oh well...
As for the game, can Sox GM Dave Dombrowski do something about the bullpen now? Chris Sale tossed one of his best games of the season against the Texas Rangers by allowing an unearned run in 7 innings, only to see the lead blown in the ninth by Matt Barnes. The Sox rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth but two innings later Ryan Brasier (2-3, 3.77 ERA) gave up the go ahead rbi single to Elvis Andrus. Former Sox prospect Chris Martin slammed the door in the bottom of the eleventh and the Rangers sent the spiraling Sox to their 4th loss in five games with a 4-3 win in 11 innings.
Sale came out firing in the top of the first inning as Delino DeShields Jr grounded out to third to start. Danny Santana and Elvis Andrus both whiffed to end the inning. The Sox struck first against Rangers starter Mike Minor in the bottom of the first as Mr. Mookie Betts walked to start. Andrew Benintendi clobbered his seventh home run of the season to put the Sox on top. JD Martinez and Xander Bogaerts both grounded out to short before Rafael Devers lined out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Benintendi goes yard
Rangers inch closer
Sale made the Rangers beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the second inning as Nomar Mazara grounded out to short to start. Hunter Pence grounded out to third and Asdrubal Cabrera grounded out to short to end the inning. Sam Travis whiffed to start the bottom of the second before Eduardo Nunez also went down hacking. Jackie Bradley Jr grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Logan Forsythe flied out to right to start the top of the third before Rougned Odor whiffed. Jeff Mathis grounded out to short to end the inning. Sandy Leon grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third but Mr. Mookie doubled to left. Benintendi flied out to right but Martinez walked. Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning.
DeShields Jr whiffed to start the top of the fourth but Santana doubled to left. Santana was gunned down at third trying to steal by the alert Leon and Andrus flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Devers whiffed to start. Travis grounded out to short and Nunez whiffed to end the inning.
Sale froze Mazara for strike three to start the top of the fifth but Pence doubled to left. Cabrera lined out to first and Forsythe watched strike three go by to end the inning. The Sox tried some small ball in the bottom of the fifth when JBJ singled to center to start. Leon dropped down a bunt to advance Jackie to second and he swiped third....only for Mr. Mookie to swing at air. Benintendi grounded out to second to end the inning. Good idea, bad execution.
The Rangers took advantage of a break to strike in the top of the sixth. Odor walked to start but both Mathis and DeShields Jr took strike three. Odor broke for second but Leon spiked the ball and did the chicken dance for an error to advance Odor to third. Naturally Santana singled him home to cut the lead before taking second on a passed ball. Andrus whiffed to end the inning but Leon bumbling brought the Rangers closer 2-1.
Martinez tried to start a rally with a base hit to left to start the bottom of the sixth but Bogaerts banged into a double play. Devers flied out to center to end the inning. Sale returned for one final inning in the top of the seventh and Mazara flied out to center to start. Pence grounded out to second and Cabrera whiffed to end the inning. Sale was masterful, going 7 innings without allowing an earned run while striking out 10 batters. He deserved a better fate.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the seventh as Travis popped up to second to start. Nunez grounded out to short and JBJ grounded out to second to end the inning.
Brandon Workman came on for the top of the eighth and Forsythe lined out to first to start. Odor grounded out to first but Shin-Soo Choo pinch hit for Mathis. Choo lined out back to Workman to end the inning. Tim Federowicz took over behind the plate for the bottom of the eighth and Leon lined out to short to start. Mr. Mookie grounded out to third and Benintendi whiffed to end the inning. Sale stole the show but Minor allowed just the two run shot to Benintendi in eighth innings, give him credit.
Matt Barnes came in for the save in the top of the ninth and crapped his pants. DeShields Jr tried to bunt his way on, but popped up to Leon. Santana singled to center and Andrus doubled to left to put the tying run at third. Mazara singled home both runners to give the Rangers the lead. A wild pitch moved Mazara to second although Pence whiffed. Cabrera was intentionally walked and that was it for Barnes. Staked to a one run lead, the incompetent closer coughed up the game. Heath Hembree came in to blow away Forsythe to end the inning with the Rangers ahead 3-2.
Shawn Kelley came in to close out the bottom of the ninth but the Sox rallied. Martinez singled to left and Michael Chavis pinch ran for him. Bogaerts singled to right but Devers banged into a double play. Brock "The Hitman" Holt was sent in to pinch hit for Travis, and he responded with a base hit to center to score Chavis with the tying run. Marco Hernandez pinch hit for Nunez and doubled to right....but Holt was thrown out at home to end the inning. Still, the Sox had tied the game 3-3.
Hembree returned for the top of the tenth and Odor popped up to third to start. Federowicz and DeShields Jr both whiffed to end the inning. The Sox almost walked it off in the bottom of the teneth against Jesse Chavez. JBJ popped up to short to start before Leon singled to left. Mr. Mookie walked and Christian Vazquez pinch ran for Leon. Benintendi took strike three but Chavis walked to load the bases. Bogaerts lined out to center to end the inning.
The Rangers hit the killshot against Ryan Brasier in the top of the eleventh inning as Santana doubled to right and Andrus singled him home just like that. Mazara whiffed and Pence banged into a double play to end the inning but it was 4-3 Rangers.
Old Sox prospect Chris Martin came in to close out the bottom of the eleventh and Devers grounded out to first to start. Holt took strike three and Hernandez whiffed to end the game. The Rangers had won it 4-3 in 11 innings.
Jackass of the Night is Matt Barnes. Yes, Brasier took the loss but it never should have came to him. Barnes blowing it in the ninth set the stage for the 11th.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Michael Chavis walked and scored a run.
Brock Holt was 1 for 2 with an rbi.
Marco Hernandez was 1 for 2.
Chris Sale tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball (wasn't earned) while striking out 10 batters.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Heath Hembree tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Ryan Brasier took the loss by allowing the go-ahead run to score in the 11th.
Sam Travis was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a 2 run homer.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but stole a base.
Sandy Leon was 1 for 3 but made a costly error and allowed a passed ball.
Honorable Mention:
Christian Vazquez ran for Leon and caught the top of the eleventh.
Final Thoughts:
Think its time for a new bullpen, Dave? Obviously Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier can't close out games and not that Craig Kimbrell would be doing any better right now, but SOMEBODY has to be out there that can do it! The Sox wasted a gem by Sale when he's struggled this season although the real culprit was the Sox inablity to hit Mike Minor. After Benintendi hit the home run, the Sox offense did nothing until the ninth inning. Brock Holt was the savior and the goat all within 10 minutes when he drove in the tying run but got thrown out at home to end the ninth inning. Still, if Leon didn't play hot potato with the ball in the seventh, the Holt rbi could have won the game. The Sox need to get their act together fact because they're falling further behind the New York Yankees with each passing day. The loss dropped the Sox to 34-33, 8 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night when they bring up Darwinzon Hernandez to make the start against Ariel Jurado at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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