Saturday, April 26, 2025

Guardians Edge Sox in Game 1 (4/26/25)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox brought up Cooper Criswell to be the extra guy in today's doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians. Yippie....
                                                                     IN

As for the game, here we go again. The Red Sox dropped another close game in today's day/night doubleheader against the Guardians. The Red Sox bolted out to a 3-0 first inning lead on Blake Lively but Tanner Houck gave up four runs right back in the bottom of the first. Rafael Devers tied the game with a home run in the third but that was it for the offense. Steven Kwan drove in a run against Brennan Bernardino in the bottom of the sixth and the score held. The Sox had the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position in the ninth but Trevor Story struck out to end the game. The Indians had won it 5-4 at Progressive Field.
                                               "GREAT FIRST INNING HOUCK!"

Lively got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran flied out to left to start. Rafael Devers walked and Alex Bregman got a single to right, but Trevor Story forced Bregman at third. Wilyer Abreu hit a three run bomb to put the Sox ahead. Kristian Campbell sliced a base hit inside the first base line but Triston Casas grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 3-0.
                                                            Abreu goes yard

Houck got the ball in the bottom of the first and Steven Kwan effortlessly doubled to left to start. Nolan Jones closed his eyes, stuck his bat out and doubled to right to move Kwan to third. Jose Ramirez laughed as he ripped a base hit to right to score Kwan. Ramirez stole second but somehow Kyle Manzardo took strike three. Carlos Santana hit a sac fly to center to score Jones and Gabriel Arias singled to left to score Ramirez to tie the game. Daniel Schneemann got a base hit to right to score Arias to put the Guardians up for good. Angel Martinez forced Daniel at second to end the inning with the Guardians up 4-3.
                                                             That didn't take long

Blake Sabol grounded out to short to start the top of the second before Ceddanne Rafaela lined out to right. Duran took strike three to end the inning. Austin Hedges took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Kwan grounded out to third. Jones took strike three to end the inning.

The Sox struck back in the top of the third as Devers hit a cut fastball a mile for his third home run of the season to tie the game. Bregman doubled off the top of the left field wall but Story struck out swinging. Campbell lined out to center to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
                                                           Devers jacks one

Ramirez grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third before Manzado grounded back to the mound. Santana walked but Aria struck out swinging to end the inning.

Casas ripped a base hit to right to start the top of the fourth before Sabol drew a walk. Rafaela popped up to right in foul territory but Duran beat out a double play ball to put runners at the corners. Devers flied to left to end the inning, another waste. Schneemann grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fourth before Martinez got a base hit in the hole at short. Hedges got a base hit to left but Kwan flied out to left. Jones struck out swinging to end the inning.

Bregman struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Story flied out to right. Abreu walked but Campbell took strike three to end the inning. Houck returned for one final inning in the bottom of the fifth and Ramirez got a base hit to center to start, Manzardo struck out swinging and Ramirez was thrown out at second trying to steal. Santana was hit with a pitch but Arias flied out to left to end the inning. Houck recovered to go 5 but still allowed 4 runs off 8 hits and a walk.
                                                       "Aye carumba" - Houck

Tim Herrin came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Casas walked to start. Sabol took strike three but Rafaela flied out to left. Duran flied out to right to end the inning. Brennan Bernardino came in to get tagged in the bottom of the sixth as Will Wilson pinch hit for Schneemann. Wilson was hit with a pitch and Martinez got a base hit off the glove of Bernardino. Hedges dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over and Kwan singled past Story to score Wilson. Jones struck out swinging and that was it for Bernardino. Greg Weissert got Ramirez to line out to right to end the inning with the Guardians up 5-4.
                                                        Kwan puts Cleveland on top

Devers was plunked to open the top of the seventh and Hunter Gaddis came in to pitch to Bregman. Alex struck out swinging, Story popped up to second and Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. Manzardo flied out to left to start the bottom of the seventh before Santana struck out swinging. Arias also went down hacking to end the inning.

Emmanuel Clase came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Campbell struck out swinging to start. Casas took strike three and Sabol grounded out to second to end the inning. Luis Guerrero came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Wilson struck out swinging to start. Martinez grounded out to first and Hedges struck out swinging to end the inning.

Cade Smith came in to close out the top of the ninth and Rafaela got a base hit to left to start. Duran walked and Devers lined out to left. Bregman flied out to right to move Rafaela to third before Duran stole second. With a chance to put the Sox ahead, Story struck out swinging to end the game. The Guardians had won it 5-4.
                                                         Guardians win


Jackass of the Night is Tanner Houck. He got bum rushed for 4 runs in the first inning and the Sox couldn't score more than four runs.
                                                                Jackass Houck



The Good:

Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a walk, hit by pitch and a home run.

Alex Bregman was 2 for 5 with a run scored.

Wilyer Abreu was 1 for 3 with a walk and a 3 run home run.

Triston Casas was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Greg Weissert tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Luis Guerrero pitched a scoreless eighth inning.



The Bad:

Brennan Bernardino took the loss by allowing a run in the sixth inning.



The Ugly:

Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and stole a base.

Trevor Story was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.

Kristian Campbell was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Blake Sabol was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.

Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4.




Final Thoughts:

Its always frustrating when you jump out to a lead and your starter gives it right back. Houck getting blasted in the first inning set the tone for the game. To be fair, the Sox allowed just one run the rest of the game, but that first inning was a killer. The other side is the Sox scored no runs after the third inning and failed big time in the ninth inning with runners in scoring position. Trevor Story can hit a 3 run home run in the first or second inning but in the ninth inning he can't? Worst is the Sox have the worst record in baseball when trailing after 6 innings. Houck had Dice K disease in this one but at least he recovered to at least go 5 innings. The Sox won't have any time to dwell on it because there's another game to play. Hopefully the Sox can salvage that one. The Sox look to bounce back in about 3 hours when the Sox play game two of this series when Walker Buehler (3-1, 4.23 ERA) takes on Doug Nikhazy of Cleveland. The game begins at 7:00 PM at Progressive Field.

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