What a tough way to make your Major League debut for 25 year old Kutter Crawford (0-1, 22.50 ERA). Nick Pivetta couldn't make the start due to testing positive for Covid and Crawford ended up taking a beating at the hands of the Cleveland Indians. Crawford allowed 5 runs and got knocked out without getting an out in the third inning. The sad part was the Red Sox rallied to cut the lead to 6-5 going into the top of the ninth. Any hope of a comeback ended when Phillips Valdez threw up on himself by allowing 5 runs to put the game away. The Indians spoiled Crawford's debut, pounded out 15 hits and scored 11 runs to defeat the Sox 11-5 at Fenway Park.
Crawford got his lunch handed to him instantly in the top of the first inning as Myles Straw walked to start. Amed Rosario dropped a base hit to center and Franmil Reyes hit a rocket to center for a single that loaded the bases just like that. Bobby Bradley hit a sac fly to score Straw and move Rosario to third before Harold Ramirez brought in Rosario with his own sac fly. Bradley Zimmer struck out swinging to end the inning with the Indians ahead 2-0.
Zach Plesac got the ball to start the bottom of the first and Kyle Schwarber walked to start. Hunter Renfroe popped up to first but Owen Miller booted a grounder by JD Martinez for an error. Alex Verdugo lined out to right and Kevin Plawecki grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Indians struck again in the top of the second as Miller doubled to center to start. Miller moved to third after Austin Hedges was retired on a squibber in front of the plate but Andres Gimenez flied out to right. Straw ripped a base hit to center to score Miller and increase the lead before swiping second. Rosario struck out swinging to end the inning with the Indians ahead 3-0.
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the second as Travis Shaw walked to start. Bobby Dalbec doubled to center but Jack Lopez struck out swinging. Jonathan Arauz flied out to center and Schwarber grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Indians iced the game and chased Crawford in the top of the third as Reyes clobbered a home run all the way back to Cleveland to increase the lead. Bradley walked and that was it for Crawford. Maybe he was nervous but Crawford was hit hard in his major league debut, allowing 5 runs in just 2 plus innings. John Schreiber made his Red Sox debut by getting tagged by a double to left by Ramirez. Zimmer singled to left to score both Bradley and Ramirez. Miller singled to right but Hedges banged into a double play. Gimenez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Indians up 6-0.
Renfroe lined out to center to start the bottom of the third but Martinez singled to center. Verdugo forced Martinez at second and Plawecki flied out to right to end the inning.
Schreiber settled down in the top of the fourth as Straw flied out to right to start. Rosario struck out swinging but Reyes walked. Bradley took strike three to end the inning. The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the fourth as Shaw watched strike three go by to begin. Dalbec singled to left and Lopez doubled to left but Arauz popped up to left. Schwarber struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ramirez grounded out to second to start the top of the fifth before Zimmer struck out swinging. Miller also struck out swinging to end the inning. Suddenly the Sox came out swinging in the bottom of the fifth as Renfroe doubled to center to start. Martinez doubled to left to score Renfroe and Verdugo walked. Plawecki singled to center to score Martinez with another run and Shaw doubled to center to score Alex, cutting the lead in half. Dalbec flied out to left and Sox manager Alex Cora figured the Sox could win this game and had Rafael Devers pinch hit for Lopez. Unfortunately both Devers and Arauz struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 6-3.
Taylor Motter took over for Devers in the field in the top of the sixth and the Indians quickly chased Schreiber with a double to center by Hedges. Stephen Gonsalves came in to pitch and Gimenez struck out swinging before Hedges moves to third on the grounder to second by Straw. Rosario grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox rallied again in the bottom of the sixth with Nick Wittgren now on the mound. Schwarber grounded out to first but Renfroe singled to center. Martinez then clobbered his 25th home run of the season to cut the lead. Verdugo doubled to right and just like that, the Sox had the tying run in scoring position. Verdugo moved to third on the Plawecki grounder to short but Shaw grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox down 6-5.
Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Reyes singled to center. Bradley forced Reyes at second and Ramirez grounded into a double play to end the inning. Trevor Stephan came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Dalbec struck out swinging to start. Motter walked but Arauz flied out to left and Taylor was picked off to end the inning.
Yerrrrr out
Hansel Robles came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Zimmer struck out swinging to start. Miller struck out swinging and Hedges grounded out to third to end the inning. Blake Parker came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Schwarber grounded out to second to start. Renfroe singled to left then moved to second on the Martinez grounder to first. Emmanuel Clase came in to pitch to Verdugo and Alex grounded out to second to end the inning.
Phillips Valdez came in to vomit up his intestines in the top of the ninth as Gimenez singled to center to start. Gimenez stole second, Straw walked and Rosario singled off the glove of Dalbec to score Andres. Reyes doubled to center to score both Straw and Rosario to ice the game. Bradley singled to right to put runners at the corners and Ramirez singled to center to score Reyes. Oscar Mercado ran for Ramirez and Zimmer beat out a double play ball. Miller hit a routine grounder to short but Arauz did a backflip on the ball and wrestled with it for an error to score Bradley. Schwarber made an insane diving catch to rob Hedges of a bloop single and double off Zimmer to end the inning with the Indians up 11-5.
Yu Chang took over at first for the bottom of the ninth and Plawecki got a base hit to right to start. Kevin moved to second on the grounder to second by Shaw. Plawecki moved to third on the grounder to short by Dalbec but Motter grounded out to second to end the game. The Indians had won it 11-5.
Indians win
"Thanks a lot you Jackass" - Cora
Stephen Gonsalves pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Jackass of the Night is Phillips Valdez. He allowed 5 runs in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach.
The Good:
Hunter Renfroe was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 3 for 5 with 3 total rbis and 2 runs scored including a 2 run home run.
Kevin Plawecki was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 5.
Jack Lopez was 1 for 2.
Stephen Gonsalves pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Hansel Robles pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers struck out as a pinch hitter.
Jonathan Arauz was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.
Kutter Crawford was hammered for 5 runs in just 2 plus innings. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks but struck out 2.
The Ugly:
Kyle Schwarber was 0 for 4 but drew a walk.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Travis Shaw was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and drove in a run.
Taylor Motter was 0 for 1 and got picked off after walking.
John Schreiber allowed an inherited runner to score and one of his own in 3 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
What should have been an epic comeback win crashed and burned in a hurry for the Red Sox. Kutter Crawford was put in a tough spot having to pitch on such short notice but the Sox bats went ice cold after nearly tying the game in the sixth. If Valdez hadn't crapped his pants in the ninth, the Sox might have had a chance. The bottom of the order was a black hole but that was mostly due to Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Kike Hernandez not playing or starting. Time is running out for the Sox this season with only 23 games left in the season and each loss pushes them further to the brink. They're only a half game behind the New York Yankees for the first wild card but Seattle is only 3 games behind them. They haven't looked good at all after the all-star break and Nick Pivetta getting sick sure as hell didn't help. The loss drops the Sox to 79-60, 8 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. Its do or die for the Sox now if they have any hope to win the division because the Rays are up next for a three game. Chris Sale gets the start for the Sox with the AL East hanging in the balance against Ryan Yarbrough of the Rays. The game begins at 1:10 PM on Labor Day Monday at Fenway Park.
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