Lucchesi cruised in the top of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts popped up to flied out to center to start. Rafael Devers and and Xander Bogaerts both whiffed to end the inning. The Padres wasted no time getting to Johnson in the bottom of the first. Manny Margot effortlessly doubled before swiping third. Fransisco Mejia singled to left and Manny Machado ended the game with a backbreaking 2 run home run to put the Padres up for good. Hunter Renfroe walked but Eric Hosmer forced him at second. Ty France grounded out to short and Luis Urias flied out to center to end the inning with the Padres up for good 3-0.
The Sox were deflated in the top of the second as JD Martinez weakly grounded out to short to start. Sam Travis grounded out weakly to second and Christian Vazquez grounded out weakly to first to end the inning. Austin Hedges walked to start the bottom of the third and took third on the sacrifice bunt by Luchessi. Hedges made a booboo when he was doubled off at second on a grounder by Margot before Mejia popped up to third to end the inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to second to begin the top of the third but Chris Owings walked. Johnson bunted foul for strike three before Mr. Mookie popped up to center to end the inning. Johnson returned for one final inning in the bottom of the third and struck out Machado to start. Renfroe lined out to center but Hosmer walked. France doubled into the gap and Hosmer took off for home. Bogaerts gunned the relay throw to Vazquez....YER OUTTA THERE! Hosmer was out and so was Johnson. If it wasn't for the Machado home run Johnson would have given them a solid effort as a "opener".
The Sox finally got on the board in the top of the fourth inning although Devers grounded out to first to begin. Margot made a running catch off a 400 foot out by Devers but Martinez hit an absolute moonshot off the brick wall in left to cut the lead. Travis singled to center but Vazquez grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Ryan Brasier came in for the bottom of the fourth and JBJ made the play of the game when he climbed the centerfield wall to rob a triple from Urias. Hedges whiffed and Lucchesi took strike three to end the inning.
JBJ lined out to third to begin the top of the fifth before Owings lined out to center. Marco Hernandez pinch hit for Brasier and caught Lucchesi asleep with a bunt single. Mr. Mookie walked but the slumping Devers grounded out to first to end the inning. Andrew Cashner came in for the bottom of the fifth and Margot lined one off the glove of Devers into the left field corner. Inexplicably Margot literally ran out of his shoe and fell down going from second to third and was tagged out by Devers. Mejia grounded out to second but Machado walked. Renfroe whiffed to end the inning.
Wil Myers came in to play left with Craig Stammen now on the mound in the top of the sixth inning. Bogaerts whiffed to start before Martinez grounded out to short. Travis took strike three to end the inning. Cashner got Hosmer to ground out to second to start the bottom of the sixth before France flied out to center. Urias grounded out to short to end the inning.
Luis Perdomo came in to pitch the top of the seventh and cruised. Vazquez grounded out to second, JBJ whiffed and Owings grounded out to short to end the inning. Marcus Walden came on for the bottom of the seventh and got Hedges to ground out to third to begin. Myers whiffed but Margot walked. Josh Naylor pinch hit for Perdomo and flied out to left to end the inning.
Andres Munoz came in to pitch in the top of the eighth and the Sox blew their last chance. Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Walden and singled to left. Mr. Mookie hit a routine grounder to third but Machado booted it and everyone was safe. Devers then banged into a double play to kill the rally. Bogaerts did manage to walk but Martinez swung at strike three headed to the backstop to end the inning. They didn't deserve to win. Matt Barnes came in with Holt taking Owings spot for the bottom of the eighth. Machado flied out to right before Renfroe took strike three. Hosmer whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly against closer Kirby Yates in the top of the ninth. Travis grounded out to short to start before Vazquez whiffed. JBJ whiffed as well to end the game. 0The Sox failed to gained ground and went lifeless in the 3-1 defeat.
Jackass of the Night is Rafael Devers. He was 0 for 4 with a strikeout including the backbreaking double play in the eighth.
The Good:
Marco Hernandez singled as a pinch hitter.
Brock Holt singled as a pinch hitter.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless inning.
Andrew Cashner tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Marcus Walden pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Brian Johnson allowed 3 runs in 3 innings to take the loss.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 but walked.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 but walked.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but the hit was a solo home run.
Sam Travis was just 1 for 4.
Chris Owings was 0 for 2 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
If I'm Alex Cora, I'd be kicking over water coolers in the clubhouse after this one. They had to have known the Rays, A's and Indians all lost and yet they laid an egg with the season on the line? Its a damn shame because the Sox bullpen stepped it up in this one. Take away the first inning and the Sox allowed 2 hits and no runs in the final 8 innings. Its unbelievable that the Sox laid down in this one considering what's at stake. They're running out of time and you'd think they'd have a sense of urgency especially against a beatable team like the Padres. I know things don't look good with Price hurt, Sale done for the year and the rest of the starters sucking but they still have a chance. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox travel to Colorado for a 2 game set with the Rockies. The Rockies have no idea who's pitching while the Sox throw "Slick" Rick Porcello (11-10, 5.49 ERA) out there at 8:40 PM Eastern time at Coors Field.
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