It looks like the 2021 Boston Red Sox season is coming to an end. After snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, the Sox didn't even show up to Game 5. The Houston Astros smacked the Red Sox around on both sides of the ball to push the Sox on the brink of elimination. Framber Valdez tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball to save the tired Astros bullpen and the Astros as a pitching staff held the Sox to just 1 run in the last 17 innings. On the other side of the ball the Astros pounded Chris Sale for 3 runs before Ryan Brasier opened the floodgates. The Sox didn't even have a hit until the fifth inning and were held to a solo home run by Rafael Devers as their only offense. The Astros scored five runs off the Boston bullpen and pushed the Sox to the brink with a decisive 9-1 victory in Game 5 at Fenway Park.
Sale got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jose Altuve flied out to left to start. Brantley struck out swinging and Bregman grounded out to short to end the inning. Valdez dominated in the bottom of the first as Kike Hernandez took strike three to start. Kyle Schwarber grounded out to short and Xander Bogaerts also grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Astros took command in the top of the second inning as Yordan Alvarez hit a home run all the way to Sicily to put Houston on top. Carlos Correa took strike three, Kyle Tucker flied out to left and Yuli Gurriel took strike three to end the inning but the Astros were up 1-0.
The deflated Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Rafael Devers grounded out to first to stop. JD Martinez struck out swinging and Hunter Renfroe took strike three to end the inning.
Sale cruised in the top of the third inning as Jose Siri popped up to him to start. Martin Maldonado grounded out to third and Altuve struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox couldn't even get a hit in the bottom of the third as Alex Verdugo grounded out to first to start. Christian Vazquez grounded out to third and Christian Vazquez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Brantley struck out swinging to open the top of the fourth but Bregman walked. Alvarez singled Bregman to third but Correa struck out swinging. Tucker struck out swinging to end the inning. Valdez continued to be perfect in the bottom of the fourth as Hernandez grounded out to third to start. Schwarber grounded out to first and Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning.
Sale did what he could in the top of the fifth as Gurriel grounded out to third to start. Siri lined out to center and Maldonado flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox broke up the perfect game in the bottom of the fifth as Devers somehow got a base hit to right to start. Martinez was plunked but the ice cold Renfroe banged into a double play. With the tying run at third....Verdugo grounded out to first to end the inning.
The floodgates opened in the top of the sixth inning as Altuve walked to start. Brantley hit a routine grounder to Devers but Schwarber ran away from the throw screaming for an error to put runners at the corners. Bregman hit a comebacker to the mound but when the Astros absolutely had to have it, Alvarez doubled off the Monster to score both runs to ice the game. That was it for Sale who once again got lit up for 4 runs in just 5 1/3 innings. Ryan Brasier came in to pour gas on the fire although Correa struck out swinging. Bogaerts booted a grounder by Tucker to put runners at the corners and Gurriel doubled home Alvarez. Siri ripped a base hit to right to score both runners as the boo's rained down Fenway. Maldonado lined out to left but another rally essentially ended the game with the Astros up 6-0.
Arroyo struck out swinging to start the bottom of the sixth but Vazquez doubled to left. Needing a clutch hit....Hernandez flied out to right and Schwarber lined out to first to end the inning.
Hansel Robles came in to get tagged in the top of the seventh inning as Altuve singled to right. Robles threw a pickoff throw away and Brantley singled home Altuve. Bregman banged into a double play and that was it for Robles. Darwinzon Hernandez struck out Alvarez looking to end the inning with the Astros up 7-0.
The Sox got a lucky run back in the bottom of the seventh although Bogaerts grounded out to third to start. Devers then smashed a solo home run to break up the shutout. Martinez walked and Renfroe banged into a double play to end the inning. Unlike Alex Cora, Astros manager Dusty Baker let Framber Valdez go 7 innings and look what happened.
Correa grounded out to third to start the top of the eighth but Tucker walked to chase Hernandez. Hiro Sawamura came in and Gurriel singled to center. Siri struck out swinging but a wild pitch moved the runners over. Maldonado walked to load the bases but Altuve lined out to left to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the eighth as Verdugo grounded out to second to start. Arroyo lined out to right and Vazquez flied out to left to end the inning. The Astros pitching staff had allowed 1 run in the last 16 innings.
Martin Perez came in to mop up the top of the ninth and Brantley singled to center to start. Bregman walked and both runners moved over on the grounder to the mound by Alvarez. Correa was intentionally walked but Tucker forced Brantley at home with a grounder to second. Naturally Gurriel hit a seeing eye single up the middle to score Bregman and Correa to wrap up the scoring. Siri forced Gurriel at second to end the inning but the Sox now trailed 9-1.
Ryne Stanek came in to mop up the bottom of the ninth and Hernandez flied out to right to start. Schwarber flied out to center and Bogaerts grounded out to first to end the game. The Astros had taken Game 5 by obliterating the Sox 9-1.
Astros win
Jackass of the Night is Chris Sale. The Sox needed their ace to keep them alive and instead he got rocked for 4 runs in 5 1/3 innings.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a solo home run.
JD Martinez walked and was hit with a pitch in 3 at-bats.
Christian Arroyo was 1 for 3.
Darwinzon Hernandez tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Hiro Sawamura tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Kyle Schwarber was 0 for 4 with a huge error.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4.
Hunter Renfroe was 0 for 3 with a strikeout and hit into a big double play.
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 3.
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Ryan Brasier allowed an inherited runner to score and 2 of his own in 2/3 of an inning.
Hansel Robles was charged with an unearned run in 2/3 of an inning.
Martin Perez allowed 2 runs in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
None
Final Thoughts:
Stick a fork in the Red Sox, they are DONE. Blowing Game 4 gave the Astros a chance and they blew the Sox out of the water in Game 5. THIS was the Astros team that's been a perennial contender the last 4 years that always seems to get the clutch hit when they need it. The Sox bats have gone completely asleep the last two games and Hunter Renfroe needs to sit big time. Alex Cora has no problem pulling starting pitchers in the middle of perfect games, no hitters and shutouts but is going to leave Hunter Renfroe in the biggest slump of his professional career? Cora's magic finally ran out in Game 4 and the Astros were like a shark that smelled blood. The Sox bullpen allowed 2 inherited runners to score and 5 of their own to put over the fact this series is all but over. The relievers are exhausted after coming in after 5 innings almost every single game, the offense evaporated and the starting pitching was never that good. Thankfully there's only one more loss to sit through and its on to fixing the problems. The season comes to an end this Friday night in Houston when Nathan Eovaldi gets hammered by the Astros and Luis Garcia probably pitches a shutout at 8:10 PM Eastern Time at Minute Maid Park.
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