Murphy's Law continued for the Boston Red Sox season as they invented a new way to lose tonight against the Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians broke out to a 5-2 lead going into the bottom of the fourth off Nathan Eovaldi but the Sox rallied to pull within one run. Bobby Dalbec smashed a two run home run in the sixth to put the Sox on top but Myles Straw tied the game against John Schreiber in the eighth and Josh Naylor tagged Tanner Houck (5-4, 3.30 ERA) for a home run in the ninth. Emmanuel Chase slammed the door in the ninth and the Sox fell further into the abyss with a 7-6 loss to the Guardians at Fenway Park.
Eovaldi got the ball in the top of the first and Steven Kwan grounded out to first to start. Amed Rosario singled in the hole at short but Jose Ramirez flied out to center to end the inning. Josh Naylor forced Rosario at second to end the inning. Quantrill got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Alex Verdugo flied out to center and Xander Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Guardians took advance of Boston's incompetence in the top of the second as Franmil Reyes hit a ground rule double down the right field line to start. Owen Miller got a base hit to center to put runners at the corners and Nolan Jones hit a double play ball to Franchy Cordero. Not only did he boot it for an error, he threw the ball away as well to score Reyes and move Jones to second. Miller scored on the grounder to third by Austin Hedges and Myles Straw doubled to center to score Jones. Kwan popped up to second and Rosario lined out to center to end the inning but the Guardians led 3-0.
The Sox did rally in the bottom of the second as JD Martinez popped up to first to start. Christian Vazquez grounded out to second but Cordero walked. Bobby Dalbec mashed his 9th home run of the season to cut the lead and Jackie Bradley Jr got a base hit to right. JBJ got picked off to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
Home run Dalbec
Ramirez grounded out to second to start the top of the third and Naylor grounded out to second. Reyes beat out a roller to third but Miller was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the inning. Yolmer Sanchez led off the bottom of the third by watching strike three go by. Duran also took strike three but Verdugo beat out a roller to third. Bogaerts grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Guardians rallied in the top of the fourth as Jones doubled to center to begin. Hedges caught the Sox completely asleep with a bunt single to put runners at the corners but Straw struck out swinging. Kwan doubled to right to score Jones and Rosario got a base hit to left to score Hedges. Ramirez popped up to first and Naylor grounded out to second to end the inning with the Guardians ahead 5-2.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the fourth as Martinez flied out to right to start. Vazquez got a base hit to right and Cordero doubled off the Monster....and off the glove of Kwan for an error. Kwan threw to Rosario and he airmailed a throw home for another error to score Vazauez, putting Cordero at third. Dalbec hit a sac fly to right to score Cordero but JBJ struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 5-4.
Sac fly for Dalbec
Reyes grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth before Miller also grounded out to third. Jones doubled to right but Hedges lined out to left to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fifth as Sanchez lined out to second to start. Duran grounded back to the mound but Verdugo got a base hit to left. Bogaerts walked and both runners moved over on a wild pitch, but Martinez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Eovaldi came back for one final inning in the top of the sixth as Straw grounded out to short to start. Kwan flied out to left and Rosario grounded out to second to end the inning. Eovaldi didn't have his best stuff as he allowed 4 runs in just 6 innings off nine hits.
The Sox rallied in the bottom of the sixth as Vazquez got a base hit to right to start. Cordero forced Christian at second but Dalbec smashed his second home run of the night to put the Sox on top. Guardians manager Terry Francona yanked Quantrill and replaced him with Sam Hentges. JBJ flied out to left and Sanchez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-5.
Dalbec does it again
John Schreiber came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Ramirez grounded out to first to start. Naylor grounded out to second but Reyes walked. Miller struck out swinging to end the inning. Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for Duran to start the bottom of the seventh and grounded out to short. Verdugo grounded out to short and Enyel De Los Santos came in to face Bogaerts. Xander doubled just past short but Martinez flied out to right to end the inning.
Things fell apart in the top of the eighth as Jones hit a roller to Cordero who did a frog splash on the ball for an error, moving Jones to third. Andres Gimenez pinch hit for Hedges and flied out to right, but Straw doubled to right to score Jones with the tying run. Kwan lined out to left and Rosario grounded out to first to end the inning with the game tied 6-6.
Tie game
Enyel De Los Santos came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth with Luke Malle now behind the plate. Vazquez grounded back to the mound before Cordero lined out to center. Dalbec took strike three to end the inning.
Tanner Houck came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Ramirez grounded out to third to start. Naylor then hit a home run all the way to Greenland to put the Guardians on top. Reyes grounded out to short and Miller grounded out to second to end the inning with the Guardians up 7-6.
Naylor puts Cleveland on top
Emmanuel Clase came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and JBJ struck out swinging to start. Sanchez flied out to center and Refsnyder also lined out to center to end the game. The Guardians had won the game 7-6.
Jackass of The Night is Tanner Houck. He served up the go-ahead jack to Naylor to lose the game.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 3 with 2 home runs and 5 total rbis
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 2.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4.
Yolmer Sanchez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Franchy Cordero was 1 for 3 with a walk and 3 runs scored but committed 3 errors.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Nathan Eovaldi went 6 innings but allowed 5 runs, only 4 earned. He allowed 9 hits and struck out 1.
John Schreiber allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
As the season continues to circle the drain just days away from the trade deadline, the Sox may seriously start thinking about blowing up the team. Christian Vazquez, JD Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Nathan Eovaldi are all free agents and the Sox could get a king's ransom for some of them. The injuries to the starters this year were too much to overcome so pulling the chute might be the best option for them. Still, there's time to turn things around with two months left, but it doesn't look good as of now. Schreiber hasn't been hit hard all year but NOW he gives up a run? Its all adding up this year and none of it has been any good. The loss dropped the Sox under .500 at 49-50, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night against the Guardians when Kutter Crawford takes the hill against Triston McKenzie. The game begins at 7:10 at Fenway Park.
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