Last night Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels shut down the Boston Red Sox with his arm, today he beat them with his bat. Ohtani smashed yet another home run and added another hit to pad his All-Star resume. Eduardo Rodriguez (6-5, 5.52 ERA) allowed 4 runs in 5 innings to put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb all the way out of. Jared Walsh bashed two home runs of his own including the dagger in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Sox closed the gap in the later innings but couldn't deliver the tying run as the Angels took the series from the Red Sox 5-4 at Angel Stadium.
Andrew Heaney got the ball in the top of the first for the Angels and Kike Hernandez walked to start. Alex Verdugo banged into a double play and JD Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning. The Angels pounced on Rodriguez in the bottom of the first as David Fletcher singled to center to start. Ohtani singled Fletcher to third and he scored on the Jared Walsh grounder to second. Phil Gosselin singled home Ohtani to increase the lead but Jose Iglesias struck out swinging. Kurt Suzuki grounded out to third to end the inning with the Angels ahead 2-0.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second inning as Xander Bogaerts flied out to right to start. Rafael Devers took strike three and Hunter Renfroe grounded out to short to end the inning. The Angels threatened in the bottom of the second as Taylor Ward grounded out to short to start. Juan Lagares popped up to second but Luis Rengifo beat out a roller to Devers. The red hot Fletcher dropped a base hit to right but Ohtani struck out swinging to end the inning.
Heaney cruised in the top of the third inning as Christian Arroyo lined out to center to start. Christian Vazquez struck out swinging and Bobby Dalbec flied out to right to end the inning. The Angels threatened again in the bottom of the third as Walsh grounded out to short to start. Gosselin also grounded out to short but Iglesias singled to center. Suzuki singled to left but Ward popped up to second to end the inning.
Hernandez grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth before Verdugo grounded out to third. Martinez walked and Bogaerts lined a base hit to right, but Devers grounded out to second to end the inning. Lagares struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fourth before Rengifo struck out swinging. Fletcher grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fifth as Renfroe struck out swinging to start. Arroyo singled in the hole at short, Vazquez singled to right and Dalbec singled to center to score Arroyo to cut the lead. Hernandez struck out swinging but Verdugo blooped a single over the head of Rengifo to score Vazquez to tie the game. Martinez flied out to left to end the inning but the Sox had tied it 2-2.
Just as soon as the Sox tied it up Ohtani gave the Angels the lead back by knocking the fifth pitch of the bottom of the fifth to Osaka, Japan for a home run to put LA back on top. Walsh responded with a 15,000 foot home run to increase the lead but Gosselin grounded back to the mound. Iglesias grounded out to third and Suzuki struck out swinging to end the inning with the Angels up 4-2. That was it for Rodriguez who lasted just 5 innings and allowed 4 runs.
Ohtani does it again
The Sox tried to fight back in the top of the sixth as Bogaerts ripped a double to left to start. Devers flied out to center and that was it for Heaney. Steve Cishek came in and promptly threw a ball by Renfroe away to put runners at the corners. Arroyo singled to center to score Bogaerts but Vazquez banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Arroyo gets a run back
Hiro Sawamura came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Ward singled to left to start. Lagares banged into a double play and Rengifo lined out to right to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Dalbec grounded out to third to start. Hernandez took strike three and Verdugo flied out to left to end the inning. The Angels iced the game in the bottom of the seventh with Darwinzon Hernandez now on the mound. Fletcher grounded out to short before Ohtani took strike three. Walsh then hit hit second home run all the way to the Azores to put the game away. Gosselin grounded out to short to end the inning with the Angels up 5-3.
The Sox blew their last chance to get back in the game in the top of the eighth with Jake Mayfield in for Gosselin and Mike Mayers now on the mound. Martinez tripled to right and Bogaerts doubled him home to cut the lead. With the tying run at second, Devers popped up to third in foul territory. Renfroe struck out swinging and Arroyo grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 5-4.
Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and dominated. Iglesias went down hacking, Suzuki took strike three and Ward struck out swinging to end the inning.
Raisel Iglesias came in to close out the top of the ninth and the Sox went quietly. Vazquez struck out swinging, Dalbec took strike three and Hernandez went down hacking to end the game. The Angels had won it 5-4.
Angels win
Devers The Jackass
Jackass of the Night is Rafael Devers. He was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and left 4 men on base in a one run game.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Christian Arroyo was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Hiro Sawamura pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Hunter Renfroe was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Eduardo Rodriguez took the loss by allowing 4 runs in 5 innings of work.
Darwinzon Hernandez allowed a run in an inning of work.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Christian Vazquez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Bobby Dalbec was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.;
Final Thoughts:
The Sox looked like a team who had played 16 in a row and hopefully this doesn't lead to a cold streak. The Sox had their chances to win this one but couldn't get the big hit at the end. Rodriguez didn't pitch that bad but that Walsh home run was the killer. Its too bad the Sox couldn't win this one because they have one series left until the All-Star break. Going into the break with momentum would be good to start the second half with. This game was doubly bad because the Tampa Bay Rays swept both games of their doubleheader with the Cleveland Indians to inch closer in the AL East race. After the break the Sox need to make some moves. They need to do something with Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran and they may need another Doug Mientkiewicz type bat/glove off the bench. As for now, the less said of today's game, the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 54-44, 2.5 games ahead of the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox have an off-day tomorrow before returning home to face the Philadelphia Phillies in a three game set before the all-star break beginning Friday night. Garrett Richards (4-5) takes on Vince Velazquez of the Phillies this Friday night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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