Royals Blank Sox (9/17/22)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a bizarre roster move. Kevin Plawecki was designated for assignment with just 18 games left in the season. He was a serviceable backup for 3 seasons and it looks like they're gonna go with a tandem of Reese McGuire and Connor Wong. Still, you won't let him finish the season? In his place the Sox called up relief pitcher Franklin German. The Sox got German from the Yankees along with Adam Ottavino before last season and hopefully he can be better than Jeurys Familia.

                                                                          OUT

                                                                       IN

As for the game, the Red Sox looked totally lifeless against the worthless Kansas City Royals. With the season on the line, Rich Hill (7-7, 4.61 ERA) laid an egg by getting knocked out in the fifth inning after allowing 4 runs. Meanwhile Brady Singer held the supposedly high power offense to no runs and 5 hits in 6 innings. Rookie Frankin German made his ML debut by getting shelled for 4 runs without getting an out. Tyler Danish gave up a run as well for good measure. The Sox were blanked by the Royals 9-0 at Fenway Park. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?

Hill got the ball in the top of the first inning and MJ Melendez grounded back to the mound to start. Bobby Witt Jr took strike three but Salvador Perez got a base hit to left. Vinnie Pasquantino flied out to center to end the inning. Singer got the ball in the bottom of the first as Tommy Pham took strike three to start. Rafael Devers flied out to left and JD Martinez was frozen for strike three to end the inning.

Michael Taylor grounded out to third to begin the top of the second before Edward Olivares lined out to left. Michael Massey struck out swinging to end the inning. Witt Jr booted a grounder by Alex Verdugo for an error to start the bottom of the second but was immediately picked off. Christian Arroyo got a base hit to left but Triston Casas grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Royals struck first in the top of the third as Hunter Dozier grounded out to second to start. Nate Eaton singled in the hole at short and promptly stole second. Melendez got a base hit to right to score Eaton then took second on a grounder to short by Witt Jr. Perez ripped a base hit to center to score Melendez to ice the game. Pasquantino struck out swinging to end the inning with the Royals up 2-0.

                                                                Perez drives in a run

The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Kike Hernandez singled to left to start. Yu Chang walked and Connor Wong singled in the hole at short to load the bases with nobody out. Naturally Pham hit one up the elevator shaft, Devers took strike three and Martinez popped up to first to end the inning. Couldn't even get the ball out of the infield.

Taylor grounded out to short to start the top of the fourth but Olivares singled to center. Olivares took second on a balk but Massey flied out to right to move Olivares to third. Dozier struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Royals finished off Hill in the top of the fifth as Eaton flied out to left to start. Melendez got a base hit to right and stole second. Witt Jr singled in the hole at short to score Melendez but Perez flied out to left. Pasquantino dumped a base hit to right....booted for Verdugo for an error to score Witt Jr. That was it for Hill who got croaked for 4 runs in just 4 2/3 innings. Ryan Brasier came in and struck Taylor out swinging to end the inning with the Royals up 4-0.

                                                           Hill didn't have it today

Hernandez singled in the hole at short to start the bottom of the fifth but Chang lined out to short. Wong struck out swinging but Pham flied out to left to end the inning.

Franklin German pissed down his leg in his major league debut to start the top of the sixth. Olivares walked, Massey singled to right and Dozier walked to load the bases with nobody out. Eaton singled to center to score Olivares and chase German. Eduard Bazardo poured gas on the fire as Melendez grounded beat out a double play ball to score Massey and Witt Jr got a base hit to right to score Dozier. Perez hit one up the elevator shaft and Pasquantino singled to right to score Melendez. Taylor grounded out to short to end the inning with the Royals up 8-0.

                                                 "Thanks a lot Bazardo" - German

Devers got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the sixth but Martinez flied out to left. Verdugo struck out swinging and Arroyo grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

Olivares doubled to right to start the top of the seventh but Massey lined out to first. Dozier grounded out to short and Eaton flied out to center to end the inning. Brad Keller came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Casas grounded out to short to start. Hernandez popped up to second and Chang struck out swinging to end the inning.

Tyler Danish came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Melendez doubled to left to start. Witt Jr grounded out to short and Perez did the same. Pasquantino got a base hit to right to score Melendez to wrap up the scoring. Taylor popped up to center to end the inning with the Royals up 9-0.

                                                     Another rbi for Pasquantino

Carlos Hernandez came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Wong grounded out to third to start. Pham grounded out to second and Devers lined out to center to end the inning.

Danish returned for the top of the ninth and Olivares popped up to second to start. Massey struck out swinging and Dozier grounded out to third to end the inning. Anthony Misiewicz came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Martinez flied out to right to start. Verdugo grounded out to second but Arroyo got a base hit to left. Casas flied out to left to end the game. The Royals shut out the Red Sox 9-0.

                                                "GADZOOKS this game sucked!" - Arroyo

Jackass of the Night is Rich Hill. He allowed 4 runs in 4 2/3 innings to put the Sox in a position to fail.

                                                                 Nice game Jackass

The Good:

Christian Arroyo was 2 for 4.

Kike Hernandez was 2 for 3.

Connor Wong was 1 for 3.

Ryan Brasier got the only batter he faced.

The Bad:

Tommy Pham was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Alex Verdugo was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.

Triston Casas was 0 for 4.

Franklin German was charged with 4 runs without getting an out.

The Ugly:

Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Yu Chang was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.

Eduard Bazardo allowed 4 inherited runners to score but none of his own in 2 innings.

Tyler Danish allowed a run in 2 innings of work.

Final Thoughts:

With the season all but over it looks like the Sox have given up. Yes Xander Bogaerts didn't play but where was the power from Devers and Martinez? Where was the contact from Pham and Verdugo? It was a totally lifeless performance. Rich Hill didn't have it but the bullpen didn't either. Frank German got lit up and Eduard Bazardo didn't help by allowing all those runners to score. It was an all around failure from the whole team on both sides of the ball. If Chaim Bloom isn't fired after this disaster, what will it take? 2 last place finishes in 3 years is inexcusable, especially with the rumors the Sox aren't signing any of their free agents back. To think they came within two games of the world series to THIS is disgusting. The less said of this game and this season, the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 70-75, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to salvage the series tomorrow afternoon when Nick Pivetta (9-11) takes on Kris Bubic of Kansas City. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.