So much for the post-Rafael Devers Boston Red Sox. After winning six straight games primarily due to their pitching, everything fell apart in tonight's game against the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners offense pulverized Walker Buehler (5-5, 5.95 ERA) for eight runs in just four innings to put the game away early. On top of that, the punchless Sox offense were shutout by Bryan Woo and the Mariners bullpen. Woo held the Sox to just one measly hit through seven innings and the Sox as a team struck out ten times. The feel good weekend turned into reality as the Mariners won the game 8-0 at T-Mobile Park. How many runs did the Sox get, John Cena?
Marcelo Mayer flied out to the centerfield wall to start the top of the second before Trevor Story struck out swinging. David Hamilton grounded out to short to end the inning. The Mariners exploded in the bottom of the second as Rowdy "Roddy" Tellez got a base hit to center to begin. Dominic Canzone flied out to center and somehow Tellez swiped second. Ben Williamson walked and Cole Young doubled to center. Tellez scored easily but Williamson was thrown out at home. Crawford and Rodriguez walked to load the bases and Raleigh iced the game early with a grand slam all the way to Oregon. Polanco grounded out to second to end the inning with the Mariners up 5-0.
This one's over
Rob Refsnyder grounded out to short to start the top of the third before Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging. Duran flied out to left to end the inning. Arozarena flied out to right to start the bottom of the third before Tellez took strike three. Canzone doubled to right and Williamson took strike three to end the inning.
El Toro grounded back to the mound to start the top of the fourth before Anthony struck out swinging. Narvaez grounded out to short to end the inning. The Mariners finished off Buehler in the bottom of the fourth as Young got a base hit to right to start. Crawford got a base hit to right to move Young to third and promptly stole second. Rodriguez grounded out to first but Raleigh doubled to right to score both runners. That was it for Buehler who would be charged with 8 runs in just 3 1/3 innings. Zack Kelly came in and Raleigh stole third base easily. Polanco hit a sac fly to score Raleigh and Arozrena struck out swinging to end the inning with the Mariners up 8-0.
Mayer got a base hit to right to start the top of the fifth before Story popped up to first. Hamilton walked but Refsnyder struck out swinging. Rafaela flied out to right to end the inning. Tellez struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Canzone grounded out to short. Williamson grounded out to third to end the inning.
Duran grounded out to first to open the top of the sixth before El Toro grounded out to second. Anthony took strike three to end the inning. Brennan Bernardino came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Young struck out swinging to start. Crawford walked and Rodriguez got a base hit to center, but Raleigh popped up to second. Polanco flied out to right to end the inning.
Narvaez walked to start the top of the seventh but Mayer grounded into a double play. Kristian Campbell pinch hit for Story and grounded out to short to end the inning. Nate Eaton came in for Duran in left with Jorge Alcala making his Sox debut in the bottom of the seventh Moore popped up to first, Tellez struck out swinging and Canzone grounded out to short to end the inning.
Miles Mastrobuoni took over for Rodriguez with Casey Lugumina in to pitch the top of the eighth. Hamilton grounded out to short, Refsnyder struck out swinging and Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning. Luis Guerrero came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Williamson grounded out to second to start. Young walked but Crawford lined out to right. Mastrobuoni flied out to right to end the inning.
Andres Munoz came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Eaton lined a base hit to center to start. El Toro struck out swinging, Anthony watched strike three go by and Narvaez forced Eaton at second to end the game. The Mariners had won it 8-0.
Jackass of the Night is Walker Buehler. He got rocked for 8 runs in 3 1/3 innings off 8 hits and 4 walks.
The Good:
Nate Eaton was 1 for 1 at the plate.
Marcelo Mayer was 1 for 3.
Zack Kelly tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Brennan Bernardino pitched a scoreless inning.
Jorge Alcala pitched a scoreless inning.
Luis Guerrero pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 3.
Roman Anthony was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Trevor Story was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Kristian Campbell was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Abraham Toro was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Carlos Narvaez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
David Hamilton was 0 for 2 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
That game was an unmitigated disaster and its uncanny how Buehler is either one of the best in the game or straight batting practice with almost no in-between. He had no command of any of his pitches early in the game and when hitters figured out all he had was his fastball, they timed it. Still, even if Buehler pitched a shutout it wouldn't have mattered since the Sox got just TWO hits in the game. Nate Eaton off the bench got one of them. The loss of Rafael Devers looms large because with Triston Casas out for the season along with Wilyer Abreu and Alex Bregman still on the Injured List, the Sox have a severe lack of offense. They can't rely on utility players like Romy Gonzalez, Toro and Refsnyder for too long before a pitching slump dooms them. The only encouraging sign was the bullpen hasn't allowed a run in the series yet so....there's that. The loss dropped the Sox to 38-37, 5.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow afternoon against the Mariners when Garrett Crochet (6-4, 2.24 ERA) takes on Luis Castillo of Seattle. The game begins at 4:10 PM at T-Mobile Park.
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