Last week when the Houston Astros smacked around the Boston Red Sox in 3 out of 4 games, the one game the Sox won was when Martin Perez (4-3, 3.88 ERA) shut down the Astros in the final game. 5 days later the Astros took that personally as they ambushed Perez and the Red Sox in tonight's game. Carlos Correa smashed a home run in the first inning and the Astros jumped on Martin for another 5 runs in the second inning to knock him out of the game. The Sox bullpen valiantly held the Astros to just 1 run in 7 innings but the story of the game was Framber Valdez. Valdez allowed 1 run in his first start against Baltimore and just 1 run in 7 innings against the Red Sox last week. Tonight it was more of the same as he held the Sox to just 5 hits and a run in 7 innings. The Sox had no answer for Valdez, the Houston bats or the bullpen as the Astros laid waste to the Sox 7-1 at Fenway Park.
Things went bad right from the start for Perez in the top of the first inning. Jose Altuve lined out to second but Carlos Correa effortlessly homered all the way to San Diego, California to give the Astros the lead. Alex Bregman took strike three but Yordan Alvarez walked. Yuli Gurriel flied out to right to end the inning with the Astros up 1-0.
Valdez cruised in the bottom of the first as Christian Arroyo grounded out to second to start. Rafael Devers grounded out to first and Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Astros bushwhacked Perez in the top of the second as Michael Brantley doubled to left to start. Kyle Tucker doubled to center but Kike Hernandez held Brantley at third. It didn't matter as Martin Maldonado singled home both runners and Myles Straw walked. Somehow Altuve took strike three but Correa doubled home Maldonado. Bregman was intentionally walked to load the bases and Perez hit Alvarez to score Straw. Gurriel singled home Correa but Brantley forced Bregman at home. Tucker lined out to center to end the inning with the Astros up 6-0. That was it for Perez who didn't have it, allowing 6 runs in just 2 innings.
JD Martinez returned from his wrist injury by striking out swinging to start the bottom of the second. Hunter Renfroe grounded out to short and Marwin Gonzalez grounded out to third to end the inning.
Matt Andriese came in for the top of the third and Maldonado struck out swinging to start. Straw grounded out to third and Altuve took strike three to end the inning. Kevin Plawecki singled to right to start the bottom of the third but Kike Hernandez struck out swinging. Bobby Dalbec and Arroyo both struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Astros added injury to insult in the top of the fourth as Correa singled to left to start. Bregman then bashed Plawecki in the face with a foul ball to knock him out of the game. Christian Vazquez came in to catch and Bregman banged into a double play. Alvarez laughed at Andriese as he hit a home run to the moon to increase the lead. Gurriel singled to center but Brandley lined out to third to end the inning with the Astros up 7-0.
The Sox somehow got a run in the bottom of the fourth as Devers was plunked to start. Bogaerts hit a little roller to third for a single but Martinez beat out a double play ball. Renfroe grounded out to third but Devers scored to cut the lead. Gonzalez lined out to left to end the inning with the Sox down 7-1.
Andriese cruised in the top of the fifth as Tucker took strike three to begin. Maldonado and Straw both struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fifth as Vazquez got a base hit to center to start. Hernandez singled Vazquez to third but Dalbec took strike three. Arroyo struck out swinging and Devers grounded out to second to end the inning.
Brandon Workman came in for the top of the sixth inning and Altuve walked to start. Correa took strike three and Bregman flied out to right. Alvarez flied out to center to end the inning. Bogaerts lined out to third to start the bottom of the sixth but Martinez singled to center. Renfroe hit a bullet to short and Gonzalez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Gurriel singled to center to start the top of the seventh but Brantley banged into a double play. Tucker grounded out to second to end the inning. Valdez dominated one last inning in the bottom of the seventh as Vazquez grounded out to short to start. Hernandez grounded out to third and Dalbec struck out swinging again to end the inning.
Phillips Valdez came in for the top of the eighth and Maldonado struck out swinging to start. Straw and Altuve worked back to back walks but Corrrea grounded into a double play to end the inning. Chas McCormick came in for Brantley to start the bottom of the eighth and Arroyo was plunked to start. Devers forced him at second and that was it for Valdez after 7 1/3 powerful innings. He has Boston's number for sure. Enoli Paredes came in to pitch and a wild pitch moved Arroyo to second before Bogaerts drew a walk. Martinez and Renfroe both went down hacking to end the inning.
Bregman singled to center to start the top of the ninth but Alvarez flied out to center. Gurriel walked but McCormick struck out swinging. Tucker flied out to center to end the inning. Blake Taylor came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Gonzalez struck out swinging to start. Vazquez took strike three but Hernandez doubled to center. Dalbec grounded out to second to end the game. The Astros had won it 7-1.
Sox lose
Jackass Perez
Jackass of the Night is Martin Perez. In his worst start of the season, he got lit up for 6 runs in just 2 innings to take the loss.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 1 before leaving the game.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3.
Kike Hernandez was 2 for 4.
Brandon Workman tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Phillips Valdez tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 4 with a strikout.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but was hit with a pitch.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 but scored a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Hunter Renfroe was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Matt Andriese allowed a run in 3 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
That was an epic beatdown and it seems like the Astros' eyes light up when they see the Red Sox. So far they've played 5 games this year and won 4 of them. If the season ended right now the wild card game would be Houston vs Boston and I don't give the Sox half a chance of winning it. Its a good learning experience for Sox GM Chaim Bloom to see how the Astros are better right now and try to match them. Framber Valdez blinded the Sox twice now and unless Tanner Houck can get healthy, the Sox will have no answer for him at the moment. The good news is Plawecki is going to be okay but the bad news was both the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays won to lose some of the momentum the Sox built over the weekend. The Yankees are playing the one team that's worse than they are in the Minnesota Twins so the Sox better find a way to beat the Astros in a hurry. The loss dropped the Sox to 37-24, 1.5 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night against Houston when Nathan Eovaldi (7-2) takes on Jake Odorizzi of the Astros. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment