Before the game it was announced that the Greenville Drive released Brandon Howlett. He was a 21st round pick back in 2018 and hit just .253 for Greenville last year. This year he hit .194 in Greenville and .167 for Portland. If he can't hit A or AA pitching, its time to go.
As for the game, for the second year in a row the Boston Red Sox bullpen is complete toast by the second half of the season. Only this time, they don't have a lead in the AL East or Wild Card to fall back on. Nick Pivetta (8-9, 4.51 ERA) tossed six solid innings allowing just 3 runs while the Sox kept it close against the Atlanta Braves trailing by just two runs. Then Darwinzon Hernandez allowed a two run home run to Vaughn Grissom making his ML debut. Still, Tommy Pham hit a three run homer to put the Sox in reach but Ryan Brasier allowed two runs followed by another by Kaleb Ort. The bullpen allowed 5 total runs as the Sox lost another one to the Braves 8-4 at Fenway Park.
Pivetta got the ball in the top of the first inning and Ronald Acuna Jr popped up to first to start. Dansby Swanson struck out swinging and Austin Riley grounded out to third to end the inning. Kyle Wright got the ball in the bottom of the first and Tommy Pham grounded out to third to start. Rafael Devers grounded out to second but Swanson threw a ball by Bogaerts away for an error. Alex Verdugo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Matt Olson flied out to right to start the top of the second but William Contreras singled in the hole at short. Eddie Rosario grounded into a double play to end the inning. JD Martinez grounded out to short to start the bottom of the second but Christian Arroyo singled to right. Reese McGuire got a base hit to right and Bobby Dalbec beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Jarren Duran struck out swinging to end the inning.
Marcell Ozuna took strike three to start the top of the third before Michael Harris Jr walked. Vaughn Grissom made his ML debut forced Harris at second and Acuna Jr singled to right. Swanson struck out swinging to end the inning. Pham grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third before Devers grounded back to the mound. Bogaerts lined out to short to end the inning.
The Braves struck first in the top of the fourth as Riley got a base hit to center to start. Olson flied out to center and Contreras lined out to right, but Rosario walked. Ozuna then hit a home run all the way to Venus to put the Braves up for good. Harris grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Braves up 3-0.
Braves take the lead
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Verdugo got a base hit to center to start. Martinez struck out swinging and Arroyo was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to move Alex to second. McGuire struck out swinging to end the inning.
Grissom struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Acuna Jr grounded out to second. Swanson singled to right and Riley flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the fifth as Dalbec doubled to left to start. Duran got a base hit to center to put runners at the corners but Pham hit into a double play, scoring Dalbec in the process. Devers got a base hit to center but Bogaerts grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Pivetta returned for one final inning in the top of the sixth and Olson grounded out to short to start. Contreras grounded out to third and Rosario struck out swinging to end the inning. That was it for Pivetta who tossed 6 innings of 3 run ball allowing 5 hits and 2 walks.
Verdugo walked to start the bottom of the sixth but Martinez grounded into a double play. Arroyo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in to pour gas on the fire in the top of the seventh although Ozuna struck out swinging to start. Harris beat out a roller down the first base line and Grissom smashes his first career home run into the Charles River to ice the game. Acuna Jr flied out to right and Swanson struck out swinging but it was 5-1 Braves.
What a debut by Grissom
Swanson drives in the final run
The Sox suddenly rallied in the bottom of the seventh with Dylan Lee now on the mound. McGuire flied out to right but Dalbec singled to center. Jaylin Davis pinch hit for Duran and got a base hit to center. Pham then belted his 14th home run of the season to cut the lead. Devers struck out swinging and Kirby Yates was brought in to face Bogaerts. Xander popped up to second to end the inning with the Sox down 5-4.
Pham takes a ride
Ryan Brasier came in to crap his pants in the top of the eighth as Riley struck out swinging to start. Olson got a base hit to center while Contreras got a base hit by Brasier. Rosario doubled off the Monster to score Olson and Ozuna hit a sac fly to center to score Contreras to ice the game. That was it for Brasier as Austin Davis struck out Harris swinging to end the inning with the Braves up 7-4.
Ozuna ices it
AJ Minter took over on the mound for the bottom of the eighth and Verdugo walked to start. Martinez and Arroyo both struck out swinging before Kevin Plawecki pinch hit for McGuire. Plawecki struck out swinging to end the inning. What the hell was that supposed to accomplish?
The Braves put the icing on the cake with Kaleb Ort now on the mound to start the top of the ninth. Grissom got a base hit to left while Acuna Jr struck out swinging. Grissom stole second and scored on the base hit to right by Swanson to wrap up the scoring. Riley grounded into a double play to end the inning but it was 8-4 Braves.
Raisel Iglesias came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Dalbec lined out to third to start. Davis grounded out to short and Pham struck out swinging to end the game. The Braves had won it 8-4.
Braves win
Jackass Brasier
Reese McGuire was 1 for 3.
The Bad:
Jackass of The Night is Ryan Brasier. After the Sox got back in the game, he allowed the dagger runs to put the game out of reach.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 2 with 2 walks.
Reese McGuire was 1 for 3.
Bobby Dalbec was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Jarren Duran was 1 for 2.
Jaylin Davis was 1 for 2 with a run scored.
Austin Davis struck out the only man he faced.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Kevin Plawecki struck out as a pinch hitter.
Darwinzon Hernandez allowed 2 runs in an inning.
Kaleb Ort allowed a run in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
Tommy Pham was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but the one hit was a 3 run home run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Arroyo was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Nick Pivetta took the loss but allowed just 3 runs in 6 innings. He gave up 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
Final Thoughts:
The name of the game is pitching and the Boston Red Sox simply don't have it. You need great pitching to beat the world champs and the Sox didn't have it tonight. Pivetta did the best he could but the pen can't allow 5 runs in 3 innings and expect to win. The Sox bats weren't the issue either as Pham's three run bomb almost overcame the lousy pitching but Ryan Brasier and Kaleb Ort just couldn't get it done. A year and a half of bullpen burnout led to this although this year it wasn't Alex Cora's fault with all the starters getting hurt except Pivetta. You can't lose Rich Hill, Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha and Connor Seabold (as bad as he was) and not burn out the bullpen when the replacements falter. Its all adding up to a lost season which sucks considering the Sox were two wins away from the World Series last year. The less said of this disaster, the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 54-58, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox now must suffer another beating at the hands of the AL East when the Baltimore Orioles come to town for a makeup game. Josh Winckowski gets the start for the Sox against Dean Kremer of Baltimore. The game begins tomorrow night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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