Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Nick Pivetta was placed on the Covid-19 list after getting a vaccine and the Sox called up Eduard Bazardo to take his spot until the side effects go away. This shouldn't be a problem moving forward.
As for the game, what more could be said about the Red Sox offense other than it needs an overhaul. The Sox were once again held to just 5 hits and a run, combining for a total of 13 hits and 5 runs over the last 3 games. The A's offense hasn't been much better but it did just enough against Eduardo Rodriguez (5-1, 4.15 ERA). James Kaprielian dominated the Sox, holding them to 1 run in 5 innings in his first professional start. The A's broke a 1-1 tie with 2 runs in the 5th and one in the 6th to give them the lead for good. The Sox offense is in a slump and the A's easily beat them 4-1 at Fenway Park.
Rodriguez got the ball in the top of the first inning and Mark Canha lined out to second to start. "Glassbones" Jed Lowrie flied out to right and "Razor" Ramon Laueano grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox incompetence with men on base continued in the bottom of the first against Kaprielian continued as Marwin Gonzalez doubled to right to begin. Alex Verdugo walked and JD Martinez singled to center to load the bases with nobody out but Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging. Rafael Devers popped up to first but Christian Vazquez walked home Verdugo to give the Sox the lead. Hunter Renfroe struck out swinging and the Sox only managed a 1-0 lead.
Naturally the A's effortlessly tied the game in the top of the second although Matt Olson flied out to center to start. Mark Chapman doubled past Franchy Cordero but Renfroe gunned him down at third. Stephen Piscotty singled to right and Sean Murphy doubled to the centerfield wall to tie the game. Mitch Moreland struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Cordero flied out to left to start the bottom of the second and Michael Chavis struck out swinging. Gonzalez hit a double to right but Verdugo flied out to left to end the inning.
Elvis Andrus got a base hit to center to start the top of the third but Canha flied out to center. Lowrie and Laureano both took strike three to end the inning. Laureano then proceeded to throw his bat at home umpire Ryan Wills and threatened to take off his pants before he was escorted out of Fenway by armed security.
Seth Brown took Ramon's spot in the lineup but went to left with Canha going to center for the bottom of the third. Martinez flied out to right, Bogaerts grounded out to short and Devers flied out to left to end the inning.
Olson struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth and Chapman went down hacking as well. Piscotty walked but Murphy took strike three to end the inning. The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the fourth as Vazquez grounded out to short to start. Renfroe doubled to right but Cordero struck out swinging. Chavis flied out to center to end the inning.
The A's took the lead in the top of the fifth as Moreland singled to left to start. Andrus doubled to center but somehow Canha struck out swinging. Lowrie scored Moreland with a grounder to short but Rodriguez balked home Andrus. Brown lined out to first to end the inning with the A's ahead 3-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fifth although Gonzalez walked to start. Kaprielian threw away a double play ball to put runners at the corners but Gonzalez was thrown out at home on a grounder to the mound by Martinez. Bogaerts and Devers both whiffed badly to end the inning.
The A's iced the game in the top of the sixth inning when Olson hit a home run all the way to Pluto to start. Chapman took strike three, Piscotty flied our to right and Murphy struck out swinging to end the inning. Rodriguez was human tonight as he allowed 4 runs in just 6 innings, trailing 4-1.
Burch Smith came in for the bottom of the sixth and Vazquez flied out to right to start. Renfroe popped up to first and Cordero grounded out to third to end the inning.
Eduard Bazardo came in for the top of the seventh and Moreland flied out to right to start. Andrus struck out swinging but Canha doubled to left. Lowrie struck out swinging to end the inning. Smith cruised in the bottom of the seventh as Chavis was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start. Gonzalez whiffed and Verdugo flied out to center to end the inning.
Brown popped up to first to start the top of the eighth and Olson flied out to right. Chapman popped up to first to end the inning. Lou Trivino came on for the bottom of the eighth and Martinez struck out swinging to start. Bogaerts walked and Devers doubled to right, but Vazquez not only grounded out to first but Xander was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Austin Brice came in for top of the ninth and Piscotty struck out swinging to start. Murphy grounded out to second and Moreland flied out to left to end the inning. Jake Diekman came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Renfroe flied out to right to start. Jonathan Arauz made his season debut by pinch hitting for Cordero....and struck out swinging. Chavis whiffed to end the game. The Sox had lost their 3rd straight game, 4-1.
Jackass of the Night is Xander Bogaerts. He left 5 men on base by himself and got thrown out at home to kill a potential rally.
The Good:
Marwin Gonzalez was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Eduard Bazardo tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Austin Brice tossed a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Jonathan Arauz struck out as a pinch hitter.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Eduardo Rodriguez took the loss by allowing 4 runs in 6 innings while striking out 9.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 3 but walked.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run.
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
Another unmitigated disaster on offense and its definitely time to shake up the roster. Its become apparent that Franchy Cordero isn't going to work out and if the Sox were at full health, Renfroe may take a seat as well. If Bogaerts, Devers and Martinez aren't getting hits, essentially the team is doing nothing at all. This is normal for offenses to go into slumps during the season but its terribly bad timing since the New York Yankees finally got hot. Rodriguez didn't pitch that good today but it didn't matter if he allowed only 2 runs, the Sox weren't going to win this game. Bogaerts looked awful today but he himself is going to take that personal. He may have a good bounce back game tomorrow. Bazardo looked good tonight and the Sox may keep him over Austin Brice in the long run if and when Pivetta comes back. The loss dropped the Sox to 23-16, 1 game in front of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Things aren't going to get easier in tomorrow night's game because Sean Manaea, the guy who no-hit the Red Sox 3 years ago, goes for the A's against Garrett Richards (2-2, 4.54 ERA) of the Red Sox. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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