As for the game, the Minnesota Twins came into this game on a ten game winning streak and the Red Sox were powerless to stop it. Chris Paddack pitched a two hit shutout through six innings to keep the streak going. Tanner Houck (3-3, 2.18 ERA) stayed strong for six innings but everything fell apart in the bottom of the seventh. He left trailing 2-0 and Naoyuki Uwasawa allowed a bases loaded walk and a double to Ryan Jeffers to ice the game. Rafael Devers knocked in two runners in the bottom of the seventh but that was it as the Twins won it 5-2 at Fenway Park.
The Sox blew a rally instantly in the top of the first against Paddack as Carlos Correa booted a grounder by Jarren Duran for an error to start. Rafael Devers doubled to center but Tyler O'Neill struck out swinging. Wilyer Abreu popped up to short and Garrett Cooper grounded out to second to end the inning. Houck got the ball in the bottom of the first as Alex Kirilloff struck out swinging to start. Edouard Julien walked before he stole second on the swinging strikeout by Ryan Jeffers. Max Kepler grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the second as Dominic Smith grounded out to second to start. Vaughn Grissom made his Sox debut with a grounder to second and Reese McGuire completed the trifecta with a grounder to second to end the inning. Correa lined out to center to start the bottom of the second before Trevor Larnach grounded out to second. Carlos Santana also lined out to center to end the inning. Ceddanne Rafaela beat out a roller to second to start the bottom of the second but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Duran grounded out to first and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Twins struck first in the top of the third as Willi Castro doubled to left to start. Jose Miranda hit a comebacker to Houck and Kirilloff grounded out to second to move Castro to third. Naturally Julien got a base hit to left to score Castro to put the Twins up for good. Jeffers flied out to left to end the inning but the Twins ended it 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as O'Neill flied out to left to start. Abreu struck out swinging and Cooper grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Kepler walked to start the bottom of the fourth before Correa ripped a base hit to center. Larnach grounded into a double play and Santana grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Smith grounded out to second to start. Grissom flied out to center and McGuire popped up to short to end the inning. Castro flied out to left to start the bottom of the fifth and Miranda went down hacking. Kirilloff grounded out to second to end the inning.
Rafaela struck out swinging to start the top of the sixth and Duran took strike three. Devers walked but O'Neill struck out swinging to end the inning. Julien grounded out to second to start the bottom of the sixth and Jeffers was frozen for strike three. Kepler got a base hit to center but Correa struck out swinging to end the inning.
Griffin Jax came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Abreu struck out swinging to start. Cooper went down hacking and Smith also whiffed to end the inning. The Twins exploded in the bottom of the seventh as Larnach singled to left. Austin Martin ran for Larnach and Santana singled to right. Castro then dropped down a bunt but McGuire threw the ball into centerfield for an error to score Martin. That was it for Houck who had to extend into the seventh because of the bullpen game tomorrow. He was charged with 4 runs in 6 innings allowing 6 hits and 2 walks. Naoyuki Uwasawa came in and walked Miranda to load the bases. Kirilloff forced Santana at home but Julien walked to to score Castro. Jeffers ended the game with a double to center to score Miranda and Kirilloff. Kepler popped up to second and Correa took strike three to end the inning with the Twins up 5-0.
Manny Margot took over for Kirilloff with Cole Sands now on the mound for the top of the eighth. Grissom flied out to right to start before McGuire was hit with a pitch. Rafaela took strike three but Duran got a base hit to center. Caleb Theilbar came in to face Devers and Rafael doubled to center to score both runners. O'Neill struck out swinging to end the inning with the sox down 5-2.
Devers drives in a pair
Martin took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth before Santana flied out to center. Castro singled to center and Miranda popped up to Uwasawa to end the inning.
Kyle Farmer came in for Miranda with Jhoan Duran in to close out the top of the ninth. Abreu struck out swinging, Cooper grounded out to third and Smith struck out swinging to end the game. The Twins had won it 5-2.
Twins win
Jackass Uwasawa
Jackass of the Night is Naoyuki Uwasawa. He was brought in the game when it was 2-0 and turned it into 5-0 real quick.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 rbis.
The Bad:
Tyler O'Neill was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Garrett Cooper was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Dominic Smith was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Vaughn Grissom was 0 for 3.
Tanner Houck took the loss by allowing 4 runs in 6 innings off 6 hits and 2 walks.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout with a run scored.
Reese McGuire was 0 for 2 with an error but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 but was thrown out trying to steal.
Final Thoughts:
This offense is offensive and its only going to get worse as the season goes on. They were going to have trouble scoring to begin with and that was before we found out A. Triston Casas and Trevor Story got hurt and B. Rafaela would evaporate offensively. Its a shame because the pitching holds up more often than not, but that's going to change too unless Brayan Bello and Garrett Whitlock come back soon. They're down to Houck, Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell and hope for rain or an off-day. Houck pitched relatively well in this one but fell apart in the seventh, Uwasawa allowing all those runs to score didn't help. Still, apart from a Devers double the offense didn't do anything. Things need to change or else they're going to get a one way ticket back to last place. The only thing saving them right now is the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays are struggling worse than they are....yippie. The loss dropped the Sox to 18-14, 2.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. Boston looks to rebound tomorrow against the Twins with a "bullpen" game. Brennan Bernardino (0-1, 0.73 ERA) gets the start against Pablo Lopez of Minnesota. The game begins at 2:10 PM at Target Field
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