When the Boston Red Sox traded for Nick Pivetta (7-4, 4.30 ERA) it seemed like a steal when he went 2-0 at the end of last year and started 5-0 this year. Not only that, they traded Brandon Workman (and Heath Hembree) to the Philadelphia Phillies to get Pivetta only to get Brandon back earlier this year. That's where the good news ends as Pivetta was hammered by his old club for 5 runs in just 4 innings. Ronald Torreyes hit a 3 run home run and the Sox bats could get close, but couldn't complete the rally. Brandon Kintzler was done after 1 inning for the Phillies and the bullpen managed to barely get the job done. The Sox had the tying run on in the seventh, the bases loaded in the eighth and one swing of the bat away in the ninth from tying it but couldn't get it done. The Sox limped into the All-Star break after dropping two of three to Philly with a 5-4 defeat at Fenway Park.
Pivetta got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jean Segura grounded out to third to start. JT Realmuto grounded out to short and Bryce Harper grounded out to second to end the inning. Brandon Kintzler got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Kike Hernandez led off with a groundout to third to start. Alex Verdugo flied out to the centerfield warning track and JD Martinez grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Andrew McCutchen led off the top of the second by striking out swinging before Didi Gregorius lined out to a running Hunter Renfroe. Rhys Hoskins took strike three to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second when Xander Bogaerts pounded his 15th home run of the season to chase Kintzler. Cristopher Sanchez came in to pitch and Rafael Devers hit a seeing eye single up the middle. Renfroe hit a bullet right to Harper, Christian Vazquez popped up to Gregorius and Marwin Gonzalez pulled his hamstring again grounding out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Gonzalez had to be hauled off on a gurney, loaded into an ambulance and rushed to Beth Israel's ICU as Bobby Dalbec came in for him to begin the top of the third. The Phillies took the lead as Brad Miller grounded out to second before Ronald Torreyes singled off the third base bag. Torreyes stole second, Travis Jankowski walked and JT Realmuto singled to right. Renfroe inexplicably turned and fired the ball into the right field bleachers for an error to score both runners to put Philly on top. Dalbec made a great diving stab to rob Harper of extra bases to end the inning with the Phillies up for good 2-1.
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Christian Arroyo got a seeing eye single to right to start. Hernandez hit a squibber in front of the plate that Sanchez threw high to first for an error.....but Verdugo banged into a double play. Naturally Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Phillies iced the game in the top of the fourth although McCutchen took strike three to start. Gregorius went down hacking but Hoskins laughed at Pivetta as he doubled to left. Miller walked on 4 pitches not even close and Torreyes hit a home run all the way to Nebraska to ice the game. Jankowski grounded out to first to end the inning with the Phillies up 5-1. That was it for Pivetta who crapped himself in his final start before the break, surrendering 5 runs in just 4 innings.
The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the fourth as Bogaerts struck out swinging at a pitch 10 feet over his head to start. Devers grounded out weakly to the mound but Renfroe walked. Vazquez got a base hit to center but Dalbec grounded into a force at second to end the inning.
Yacksel Rios took the mound in the top of the fifth and Segura singled to left to begin. Hernandez made a great catch to rob Realmuto of extra bases and doubled Segura off of first for the double play before Harper struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew briefly rallied in the bottom of the fifth as Christian Arroyo doubled to right to start to chase Sanchez. Hector Neris came in and Arroyo moved to third on the Hernandez fly out to center. Verdugo grounded out to second to score Arroyo but Martinez doubled to left. Bogaerts grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox hopelessly behind 5-2.
Rios returned for the top of the sixth briefly to get McCutchen to line out to center to start. Gregorius popped up to second but Hoskins walked. Dr. Quick Hook Alex Cora removed Rios at the first sign of trouble and brought in Darwinzon Hernandez to face Miller. Miller struck out swinging to end the inning. Jose Alvarado came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Devers struck out swinging to start. Somehow Renfroe singled to center and Vazquez ripped a base hit to left. Renfroe made it to third but Vazquez made a huge out by getting thrown out at second. Dalbec singled home Renfroe and Arroyo doubled home Dalbec to cut the lead and chase Alvarado. Archie Bradley came in and got Hernandez to ground out to third to end the inning. Vazquez getting thrown out was a huge mistake as the Sox still trailed 5-4.
Hernandez returned briefly for the top of the seventh to get Torreyes to line out to second to start. Jankowski grounded out to third and that was it for Hernandez. Hiro Sawamura came in and Segura hit a routine grounder to Devers who threw his glove at the ball and laughed at it for an error. Realmuto struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the seventh as Verdugo grounded out to second to start. Martinez flied out to right but Bogaerts walked to put the tying run on. Ranger Suarez came in to pitch to Devers and naturally Rafael hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
Adam Ottavino came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning and Harper grounded out second to start. McCutchen popped up to third and Gregorius hit a routine grounder to Ottavino...who threw 100 feet over the head of Devers at third for an error. Gregorius was thrown out trying to ste....BUT WAIT! Phillies manager Joe Girardi challenged that Gregorius was safe and sure enough, Didi was called safe on the replay. Hoskins took strike three to end the inning anyway. The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the eighth as Renfroe singled to center to start. Both Vazquez and Dalbec struck out swinging but Arroyo walked. Hernandez walked to load the bases but naturally the slumping Verdugo. After literally watching Suarez walk the bases loaded, Verdugo grounded out to second on the first pitch to end the inning.
Matt Barnes came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Miller took strike three to start. Miller got so mad he started ripping his clothes off and threw his bat at home plate umpire Jansen Visconti, earning an ejection. Torreyes singled to center but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Jankowski walked and Segura grounded into a force to end the inning.
Suarez returned for the bottom of the ninth and Martinez took strike three to start. Bogaerts also took strike three and Devers grounded out to first to end the game. The Phillies had won it 5-4.
Jackass of the Night is Nick Pivetta. He got tagged for 5 runs in just 4 innings to take the loss.
The Good:
Hunter Renfroe was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a run scored.
Christian Arroyo was 3 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Yacksel Rios tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Darwinzon Hernandez tossed a full scoreless inning.
Hiro Sawamura struck out the final batter of the seventh inning.
Adam Ottavino pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 1 before leaving with injury.
The Ugly:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 but walked.
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 5 but drove in a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and hit a home run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
Its a shame that the Red Sox had such a good first half of the season but are stumbling into the All-Star break. The Sox played 19 games in 20 games and definitely looked like it by the end. It won't get any easier as the Sox have another 16 in a row scheduled after the break is over. Still, this will be toughest stretch the team plays and they'll need to bring their A game with the Tampa Bay Rays right behind them. The Sox had every chance to win this game but couldn't get it done. The bullpen did the best they could with 4 scoreless innings and the Sox did try to rally down 5-1 but couldn't deliver the knockout blow. Give credit to the Phillies for bending but not breaking, especially Suarez in the eighth. The Rays lost too so the Sox won't be the only ones going into the break without momentum. The second half is going to prove whether they can go from a good team worth watching into a great team that can legitimately beat out the Rays for AL East supremacy. Time will tell if the Sox can pull that off. The loss dropped the Sox to 55-36, 1.5 games ahead of the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox return to action this Thursday against the New York Yankees. Nobody knows yet who will be pitching when they take the field at 7:10 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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