Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some much needed roster moves. Romy Gonzalez and Nick Pivetta were activated from the Injured List while Zack Short was designated for assignment and Naoyuki Uwasawa was sent down to Worcester. Short was expendable with Gonzalez healthy and Uwasawa got pounded in his last outing. The Sox need the rotation spot for Pivetta and he's due to start tonight's game.
It was bad news all around as the Boston Bruins lost Game 2 of their second round NHL playoff series to the Florida Panthers and the Boston Red Sox got smacked by the Atlanta Braves. Chris Sale continued his comeback season by dominating the Red Sox in tonight's game. He tossed 6 shutout innings allowing just 6 hits while striking out 10. On the other side of the ball, Nick Pivetta (1-2, 3.60 ERA) rushed back off the Injured List and got hammered for 5 runs in just 4 innings by the Braves. Marcell Ozuna hit two home runs and Orlando Arcia added one as well. The Sox misery offensively continued as they once again couldn't get a clutch hit as they got blanked 5-0 by the Braves at Truist Park. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?
Sale got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Connor Wong doubled to center and Tyler O'Neill walked, but Rafael Devers could only move the runners over with a grounder to short. Vaughn Grissom struck out swinging to end the inning putting the Sox at 1-16 with RISP. Meanwhile the Braves pounded Pivetta in the bottom of the first inning as Ronald Acuna Jr popped up to short to start. Ozzie Albies singled to right and it looked like Austin Riley grounded into a double play, but the umpires reversed the call to just a force at second. Naturally given new life, Matt Olson beat out a roller to third and Marcell Ozuna hit a home run all the way to Miami to put the Braves up for good. Orlando Arcia then hit a home run all the way to Tampa Bay for back to back jacks. Michael Harris grounded out to short to end the inning with the Braves up 4-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the second as Garrett Cooper struck out swinging to start. Romy Gonzalez got a base hit to center but Wilyer Abreu struck out swinging. Ceddanne Rafaela grounded out to third to end the inning. Travis d'Arnaud grounded out to third to start the bottom of the second before Jarred Kelenic grounded out to second. Acuna Jr walked but Albies grounded out to first to end the inning.
Duran struck out swinging to open the top of the third but Wong got a base hit to right. O'Neill forced Wong at second and Devers lined out to short to end the inning. The Braves added to the lead in the bottom of the third as Riley flied out to center to start. Olson popped up to third but Ozuna hit a home run all the way to Des Moines to increase the lead. Arcia doubled to right but Harris struck out swinging to end the inning with the Braves up 5-0.
Grissom grounded out to second to begin the top of the fourth before Cooper got a base hit to center. Cooper moved to second on the grounder to third by Gonzalez but Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. d'Arnaud lined out to left to start the bottom of the fourth but Kelenic grounded a base hit up the middle. Acuna Jr banged into a double play to end the inning. That was it for Pivetta who looked like garbage in his first game back, allowing 5 runs in just 4 innings of work.
The Sox blew another rally in the top of the fifth as Rafaela drilled a base hit to left to begin. Duran got a base hit to right but Wong beat out a double play to put runners at the corners. Naturally O'Neill took strike three and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning. That's 1-19 with RISP now. Josh Winckowski came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Albies popped up to short to start. Riley got a base hit to left but Olson lined out to left. Ozuna walked but Arcia lined out to right to end the inning.
Grissom took strike three to start the top of the sixth and Kelenic made a great jumping catch at the wall to rob Cooper of extra bases. Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning. Sale got his revenge with six shutout innings.
Cam Booser came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Harris flied out to right to start. d'Arnaud singled to left and Adam Duvall pinch hit for Kelenic. Duvall flied out to right and Acuna Jr struck out swinging to end the inning.
Dylan Lee came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Abreu struck out swinging to start. Rafaela reached on an error by Riley but Duran struck out swinging. Wong flied out to center to end the inning. Chris Martin came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Albies struck out swinging to start. Riley flied out to right and Olson popped up to second to end the inning.
O'Neill grounded out to short to start the top of the eighth before Devers got a base hit to right. Grissom lined out to left and Cooper grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Chase Anderson came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Ozuna flied out to left to start. Arcia flied out to right and Harris popped up to short to end the inning.
Ray Kerr came in to close out the top of the ninth and Gonzalez popped up to first to start. Abreu grounded out to second and Rafaela struck out swinging to end the game. The Braves had won it 5-0.
Jackass of the Night is Nick Pivetta. He got hammered for 5 runs in just 4 innings
The Good:
Connor Wong was 2 for 4.
Josh Winckowski pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
Cam Booser pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Chris Martin pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Chase Anderson tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Vaughn Grissom was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Tyler O'Neill was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Garrett Cooper was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Romy Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Cedanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
So far the Atlanta Braves are laughing in the faces of the Red Sox for handing them an ace pitcher for a reserve infielder that's been unable to hit so far for the Sox. You can look at it as Sale hasn't been missed the way the pitching has been solid and the offense has been so bad, his record wouldn't look as good. On the other hand, would you rather have a healthy Sale or Cooper Criswell starting games? Pivetta rushed back off the IL and it proved costly as he's clearly not ready. Hopefully Brayan Bello won't get hammered in his first start back whenever that is. The true problem of the team is offense, they have none. The losses of Triston Casas and Trevor Story has sank this offense and it doesn't look like its going to get better any time soon. The Sox are going to have to pull a 1992 and try to win every game 2-1 until Casas gets back, and that's not a recipe for success. Still, in the era of the third wild card, the Sox just have to tread water until making their move once Casas comes back. The loss dropped the Sox to 19-18, 5.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. After an off-day, Sox are back home Friday night for a three game set with the Washington Nationals. Tanner Houck (3-3, 1.99 ERA) takes on Patrick Corbin of Washington. The game begins Friday night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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