Before the game the COVID bug that hit the New York Yankees has made its way to the Boston Red Sox. Closer Matt Barnes was placed on the Covid list and Marwin Gonzalez was activated to take his place on the roster. This could be the beginning of an epidemic.
As for the game, the Sox are fading fast as they have lost five straight games. Once again it was the offense that couldn't get a clutch hit against the mediocre Detroit Tigers. The Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on 3 hits but had just 6 hits and no runs the rest of the game. Wily Peralta was lifted in the fifth inning for Detroit but the Tigers bullpen pitched a shutout the rest of the way. Meanwhile Garrett Richards (6-7, 5.21 ERA) lasted just 4 innings and allowed 3 runs in another ineffective start. Miguel Cabrera hit his 498th career home run and Akil Baddoo put the Tigers up for good in the fifth inning. It all added up to another loss as the Tigers beat the Sox 4-2 at Comerica Park.
The Sox did strike first by accident in the top of the first although Peralta got Jarren Duran to ground out to second to start. Rafael Devers popped up to third but Jeimer Candelario threw a routine grounder by Xander Bogaerts away for a two base error. JD Martinez got a lucky base hit to right to score Bogaerts to put Boston on top. Alex Verdugo grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Richards got the ball in the bottom of the first and Akil Baddoo popped up to first to start. Jonathan Schoop lined out to center and Robbie Grossman struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the second as Hunter Renfroe pounded his 17th home run of the season to increase the lead. Marwin Gonzalez came off the Injured List and struck out swinging but Christian Vazquez grounded out to short. Franchy Cordero got a base hit to left but Duran struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Renfroe hits one out
The Tigers struck back in the bottom of the second as Miguel Cabrera hit his 498th career home run to start. Candelario grounded back to the mound, Eric Haase struck out swinging and Harold Castro went down hacking to end the inning with the Tigers down 2-1.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the third as Devers grounded out to short to start. Bogaerts and Martinez stroked back to back base hits but Verdugo banged into a double play to end the inning. Will Castro struck out looking to start the bottom of the third before Baddoo flied out to right. Schoop popped up to second to end the inning.
Renfroe flied out to center to begin the top of the fourth but Gonzalez struck out swinging. Vazquez singled to center but Cordero grounded out to third to end the inning. The Tigers started to take control in the bottom of the fourth inning as Grossman singled in the hole at short to start. Cabrera singled to left and Candelario walked to load the bases with nobody out. Haase struck out swinging but Castro scored Grossman with a sac fly to tie the game. Castro grounded out to first to end the inning and good on Richards for holding the Tigers to just the 1 run after the bases were loaded. As it was, the game was tied 2-2.
Duran popped up to third to start the top of the fifth and Devers grounded out to third. Bogaerts and Martinez drew back to back walks to chase Peralta from the game. Kyle Funkhouser came in and got Verdugo to strike out swinging to end the inning. The Tigers jumped ahead in the bottom of the fifth as Hill walked to start. Baddoo doubled to center to score Hill and chase Richards from the game. Dr. Quick Hook pulled Richards after just 4 plus innings and 3 runs allowed. Hiro Sawamura came in and Schoop struck out swinging. Grossman walked but Cabrera banged into a double play to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 3-2.
Joe Jimenez came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Renfroe struck out swinging to start. Gonzalez grounded out to second but Vazquez got an infield single to third. Cordero grounded out to third to end the inning. Hansel Robles came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Candelario struck out swinging to start. Haase singled to center but Castro went down hacking. Castro whiffed as well to end the inning.
Duran tried to start a rally with a base hit off of Michael Fulmer to begin the top of the seventh. Devers and Bogaerts both went down swinging but Duran swiped second base. Martinez went down swinging to end the inning. Yacksel Rios came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Hill took strike three to start. Baddoo went down swinging but Schoop doubled to left and Grossman singled him home to ice the game. Cabera struck out swinging to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 4-2.
Jose Cisnero came in to pitch the top of the eighth and the Sox beat the ball in the dirt. Verdugo grounded out to third, Renfroe grounded out to first and Gonzalez grounded out to short to end the inning. Austin Davis came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Candelario grounded out to third to begin. Haase flied out to left and Zack Short pinch hit for Castro. Short went down hacking to end the inning.
Gregory Soto came in to close out the top of the ninth and Vazquez flied out to right to start. Bobby Dalbec pinch hit for Cordero and struck out swinging but Duran kept the game going with a base hit in the hole at second. Duran took second on defensive indifference but Devers took strike three to end the game. The Tigers had won it 4-2.
Jackass of the Night is Rafael Devers. He was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts including striking out in the ninth inning with the game on the line.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 2 for 5 with a stolen base.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4.
Franchy Cordero was 1 for 3.
Hiro Sawamura pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
Hansel Robles tossed a scoreless inning.
Austin Davis pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Bobby Dalbec struck out as a pinch hitter.
Garrett Richards took the loss by allowing 3 runs in just 4 innings.
Yacksel Rios allowed a run in the seventh inning.
The Ugly:
Hunter Renfroe was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but the one hit was a home run.
Final Thoughts:
Its become an epidemic at this point as the Sox have dropped 5 straight games. The offense is out of sync and Cora doesn't trust the starters. Once again the bullpen did the best they could, holding the Tigers to 1 run in 4 innings but this is too much work. How many times is Cora going to pull the starters early and use the bullpen until they have nothing left? This is going to bite them down the road for sure. The offense needs an overhaul because they haven't been able to get anything going in a week and tonight's game was a microcosm of that. Duran had a couple of hits and a stolen base, this could be the start of him developing into a legit leadoff hitter. The Sox better break out of this funk soon or else they're going to fall too far behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East race. The New York Yankees have caught fire so the Sox now have to worry about them again as well. The loss dropped the Sox to 63-45 on the season, 1.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to Eduardo Rodriguez (7-6) to save the day against the Tigers. Casey Mize gets the start for Detroit and the game begins at 8:10 PM at Comerica Park.
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