Before the game the Boston Red Sox announced Michael Fulmer has elected free agency after being designated for assignment. So much for this reclamation project. The 2016 AL Rookie of The Year hadn't pitched in two years and was sent down to Worcester after one game. Guess he decided to seek his fortunes elsewhere.
The good news was the Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their NBA playoff series but the bad news was the Boston Red Sox were once again embarrassed by the Chicago White Sox. For six innings the Red Sox had the game in hand, Tanner Houck held Chicago to just 2 runs in 6 solid innings and Wilyer Abreu's three run home run gave the Sox a cushion. Then came the bullpen. Zack Kelly allowed three runs in the seventh inning, Liam Hendriks made his Sox debut by allowing a 2 run home run and the worthless Sox defense cost Brennan Bernardino an unearned run. The Chicago White Sox have just five wins this year and three of them are against Boston, including this one 8-4 at Fenway Park.
Houck got the ball in the top of the first and Nick Maton took strike three to start. Andrew Benintendi popped up to third but Luis Robert Jr walked. Matt Thaiss hit a home run all the way to Chelmsford to put Chicago on top. Lenyn Sosa took strike three to end the inning with Chicago up 2-0.
The BoSox answered in the bottom of the first against Burke as Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Rafael Devers reached on an error by Sosa and Alex Bregman reached on an error by Miguel Vargas. Wilyer Abreu made the ChiSox pay for their blunders with his fourth home run of the season to put the BoSox on top. Kristian Campbell grounded back to the mound and Triston Casas flied out to left to end the inning with the BoSox up 3-2.
Joshua Palacios struck out swinging to start the top of the second but Vargas doubled off the third base wall. Jacob Amaya grounded out to third and Maton struck out swinging to end the inning. Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging but David Hamilton lined out to short. Blake Sabol doubled into the right field corner and Duran lashed a base hit to right to score him for another run. Devers walked and Bregman got hit with a pitch. Abreu lined out to right to end the inning with the BoSox up 4-2.
Benintendi grounded out to short to start the top of the third before Robert Jr struck out swinging. Thaiss grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Campbell doubled into the left field corner to start. Casas grounded out to third and Rafaela did the same, but Hamilton walked. Sabol flied out to left to end the inning.
Vaughn grounded out to short to start the top of the fourth before Sosa struck out swinging. Palacios grounded out to first to end the inning. Duran grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the fourth but Devers drew a walk. Bregman flied out to center and Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning.
Vargas lined out to right to start the top of the fifth before Amaya walked. Maton lined out to center but Amaya stole second. Benintendi flied out to left to end the inning. Campbell got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the fifth before Casas struck out swinging. Campbell was picked off and Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning.
Robert Jr took strike three to start the top of the sixth before Thaiss was retired on a squibber in front of the plate and Vaughn grounded out to third to end the inning. Despite throwing just 89 pitches, that was it for Houck as he allowed just 2 runs in 6 innings off 3 hits and 2 walks.
Brandon Eisert came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Hamilton popped up to third to start. Sabol struck out swinging and Duran lined out to left to end the inning.
Zack Kelly came in to crap his pants in the top of the seventh as Sosa singled to center to start. Palacios and Vargas both got hit with a pitch to load the bases with Brooks Baldwin pinch hitting for Amaya. Justin Wilson came in to pitch and Baldwin hit a sacrifice bunt to score Sosa and move the runners over. Edgar Quero pinch hit for Maton and ripped a base hit to center to score both runners. Quero was picked off by Sabol and Benintendi hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the White Sox up 5-4.
Benintendi made a great diving catch to rob Devers of a single to start the bottom of the seventh. Bregman singled to left and moved to second on an Abreu grounder to second. Steven Wilson came in to face Campbell and Kristian flied out to center to end the inning.
Liam Hendriks made his Red Sox debut in the top of the eighth and Robert Jr singled to left to start. Robert stole second but Thaiss popped up to third. Vaughn then hit a home run all the way to Mongolia to ice the game. Sosa struck out swinging but Palacios got a base hit down the third base line. Palacios was picked off by Sabol to end the inning with the White Sox up 7-4.
Vaughn hits a home run
Chase Meidroth took over for Palacios for the bottom of the eighth and Casas flied out to left to start. Rafaela walked but Hamilton lined out to short. Sabol struck out swinging to end the inning.
Brennan Bernardino came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Vargas grounded out to short to start. Baldwin got a base hit to center before promptly stealing second. Quero hit a routine grounder to Bregman who threw the ball away for an error. Benintendi grounded out to first to move the runners over and Robert was intentionally walked to load the bases. Thaiss then got plunked to score Baldwin with the final run. Vaughn flied out to right to end the inning with Chicago up 8-4.
Michael Taylor came in for Baldwin with Cam Booser on the mound to start the bottom of the ninth and Duran grounded out to second. Devers grounded out to second and Bregman also grounded out second to end the game. The White Sox had won it 8-4.
White Sox win
Jackass Kelly
Jackass of the Night is Zack Kelly. He loaded the bases that led to the bullpen meltdown
The Good:
Kristian Campbell was 2 for 4.
Tanner Houck tossed 6 solid innings allowing 3 hits, 2 walks and 2 runs.
The Bad:
Triston Casas was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Liam Hendriks allowed 2 runs in the eighth inning.
Brennan Bernardino allowed a run in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Alex Bregman was just 1 for 4 with an error but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but hit a three run home run.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
David Hamilton was 0 for 3 but walked.
Blake Sabol was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Justin Wilson allowed all 3 inherited runners to score but none of his own in an inning of work.
Final Thoughts:
How do you lose to the White Sox as much as the Red Sox do? They've won 5 games all year and three of them are against the Red Sox. Worst part is this is supposed to be the soft part of the Red Sox schedule and they're still a .500 team. There's still plenty of time to turn things around but the team is a mess. They still don't hit in the clutch consistently, they have too many black holes in the lineup and four starters are out injured. Thankfully its only April 20th so there's no reason to panic just yet, but its very annoying to see the Red Sox look like a high school team year after year. That all falls on the manager, the same one who pulled Houck after 89 pitches only to watch the bullpen implode. If he doesn't stress small ball, fundamentals and goes with the "analytics", what good is he? There's a lot to be upset about and they better work the kinks out quick before one of the AL East teams goes on a hot streak. The Red Sox look to salvage this series tomorrow morning on Patriots Day Monday when Walker Buehler (2-1, 5.23 ERA) faces Jonathan Cannon of Chicago. The game begins at 11:00 AM at Fenway Park.
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