Looks like Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock is human after all. After a back and forth game between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers that the Sox left a hundred million men on base, it plunged into extra innings. After not getting a crucial strike three call on a Jonathan Schoop eventual single, Jeimer Candelario effortlessly hit a three run homer to put the Tigers up for good. The Sox had their chance when Xander Bogaerts left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. The Sox appear to be fading as they have now lost 4 of the last 6 games including this one 6-3 in 10 innings.
Sox starter Martin Perez got the ball in the top of the first inning and Robbie Grossman flied out to center to start. Jonathan Schoop grounded out to third and Jeimer Candelario took strike three to end the inning. Tigers starter Casey Mize got the ball in the bottom of the first and Kike Hernandez grounded out to third to start. Rafael Devers struck out swinging and JD Martinez lined out to first to end the inning.
Perez cruised in the top of the second as Miguel Cabrera grounded back to the mound to start. Niko Goodrum grounded out to to third and Will Castro flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Xander Bogaerts and Christian Vazquez worked back to back walks to start, Marwin Gonzalez beat out a double play ball and Christian Arroyo scored Bogaerts with a grounder to second. Hunter Renfroe flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
JaCoby Jones took strike three to start the top of the third before Victor Reyes flied out to center. Grayson Grenier singled to center and Grossman walked, but Schoop grounded into a force to end the inning. Franchy Cordero grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the third but Hernandez struck out swinging. Devers walked but Martinez flied out to center to end the inning.
The Tigers struck back in the top of the fourth as Candelario singled in the hole at third to start. Cabrera walked but Perez froze both Goodrum and Castro. Jones then dropped a ball into left field and Cordero muffed it for an error that scored Candelario. Reyes lined out to right to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fourth although Bogaerts popped up to third to start. Vazquez and Gonzalez stroked back to back base hits but Arroyo forced Gonzalez at second. Renfroe struck out swinging to end the inning.
Perez cruised in the top of the fifth as Greiner took strike three to start. Grossman grounded back to the mound and Schoop grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fifth as Cordero grounded out to short to start. Hernandez grounded out to third and Devers grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Tigers rallied in the top of the sixth as Candelario singled in the hole at second but Cabrera took strike three. Goodrum singled to right but Castro lined out to second. Jones then smashed a line drive off the Monster to score both runners to give the Tigers the lead. That was it for Perez who made one mistake to Jones but left trailing after 5 2/3 innings. Josh Taylor came in and although Jones swiped second, Reyes grounded out to short to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 3-1.
Perez leaves trailing
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the sixth as Martinez walked to start. Bogaerts singled to right but Vazquez popped up to first. Gonzalez moved both runners over with a ground out to first but Arroyo got hit on the wrist again to load the bases. With a chance to tie the game.....Renfroe grounded out to third to end the inning.
Hiro Sawamura came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Greiner singled to center. Greiner moved to second on the grounder by Grossman but Schoop struck out swinging. Candelario hit a bullet and somehow Cordero made a great diving catch to end the inning. The Sox rallied against Daniel Norris in the bottom of the seventh and Bobby Dalbec pinch hit for Cordero and struck out swinging to start. Hernandez singled to left and moved to second on the Devers grounder to chase Norris. Bryan Garcia was brought in to pitch to Martinez and JD clobbered his 10th home run of the season to tie the game. Bogaerts lined out to third to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Kevin Plawecki came in to catch, Vazquez moved to second to replace Arroyo and Adam Ottavino came in to pitch the top of the eighth. Cabrera flied out to right to start before Goodrum struck out swinging. Castro doubled to right but Jones took strike three to end the inning. Jose Cisnero came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Vazquez struck out swinging to start. Gonzalez grounded out to short and Plawecki flied out to left to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the top of the ninth and blew away Reyes to start. Greiner took strike three and Grossman whiffed to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the ninth against Gregory Soto as Renfroe grounded out to short to begin. Dalbec struck out swinging but Hernandez walked. Devers doubled to left and Martinez was intentionally walked to load the bases. With the game on the line....Bogaerts lined out to left to end the inning.
The Tigers made the Sox pay against Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock in the top of the tenth with Robbie Grossman starting at second. Whitlock looked to have caught Schoop looking but the umpire called the pitch a ball. The floodgates opened as Schoop singled to right and Akil Baddoo pinch ran for him. Candelario crushed a 3 run homer to ice the game and clear out Fenway. Cabrera lined out to right but Goodrum singled to right. Goodrum swiped second but was picked off by Whitlock. Castro grounded out to second to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 6-3.
The Sox did try to fight back in the bottom of the tenth with Bogaerts starting at second. Vazquez took strike three but Gonzalez singled to center to score Bogaerts. A wild pitch moved Gonzalez to second and Plawecki beat out a swinging bunt to put runners at the corners. Yesterday's Tigers starter Michael Fulmer was brought in and Renfroe hit a routine grounder to second...BOOTED BY CASTRO! Gonzalez scored and the tying run was now at second. Naturally Dalbec lined out to third and Hernandez watched strike three go down the middle to end the game. The Tigers had won it 6-5.
Jackass of the Night is Garrett Whitlock. He gave up the backbreaking 3 run home run in the top of the tenth.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a 2 run home run.
Marwin Gonzalez was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 2.
Martin Perez went 5 2/3 innings and allowed just 3 runs on 6 hits.
Josh Taylor retired the only man he faced.
Hiro Sawamura pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Adam Ottavino pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 2 with an error.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored 2 runs.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 2 but was hit with a pitch and drove in a run.
Hunter Renfroe was 0 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox have some very tough decisions to make because the New York Yankees have caught fire and are breathing down their necks. They can't afford to keep sending Bobby Dalbec, Hunter Renfroe and Franchy Cordero out to go 0 for 9 with 5 strikeouts combined every game. Apart from the miracle home run from JD Martinez, the Sox couldn't get anything going offensively against one of the worst teams in the league. Now with Christian Arroyo out with a bad hand and Alex Verdugo scratched, bench strength is even weaker. The Sox either can bring up Michael Chavis or rush Danny Santana and Jarren Duran, either way something has to be done. The Sox could have won this game long before Whitlock gave up the bomb and even after if Cordero, Renfroe or Dalbec did anything. As for the pitching side, Perez was left in one batter too long but he was good overall. The bullpen was lights out until Whitlock pissed down his leg so its another frustrating and exposing loss. Once again the problems are fixable but its just a matter of time before the Sox entire outfield gets a makeover. The loss drops the Sox to 18-13, 1.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox look to take the rubber game against the Tigers when Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 3.63 ERA) takes on Spencer Turnbull of Detroit. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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