Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Wilyer Abreu was placed on the 10 Day Injured List and Tyler Heineman was called up to take his place. Tyler O'Neill should be back tomorrow so Taylor's stay might be brief.
As for the game, what a disaster for the Red Sox. For five innings the Sox matched the Atlanta Braves blow by blow. The Braves tagged Kutter Crawford (2-5, 3.51 ERA) for three runs but the Sox got three of their own off ace Max Fried. The killing blow came in the sixth when Ozzie Albies struck a three run home run off Crawford to put the game out of reach. Chase Anderson allowed two runs in relief and the Sox bats could do nothing else. The Braves had won the game 8-3 at Fenway Park.
Crawford got the ball in the top of the first inning and Michael Harris Jr grounded out to first to start the top of the first inning before Austin Riley took strike three. Marcell Ozuna grounded out to third to end the inning. Fried got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to start. Rob Refsnyder struck out swinging and Connor Wong also went down hacking to end the inning.
The Braves struck first in the top of the second inning as Smith booted a grounder by Matt Olson for an error to start. Ozzie Albies doubled to right and Smith dropped the throw from Jamie Westbrook on an Adam Duvall grounder to score Olson and Albies. Jared Kelenic took strike three and Sean Murphy grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Braves up 2-0.
Rafael Devers led off the bottom of the second with a fly out to left. Jamie Westbrook lined out to center and Garrett Cooper grounded out to second to end the inning.
Orlando Arcia grounded out to third to start the top of the third before Harris Jr flied out to center. Riley struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Bobby Dalbec took strike three to start. Dominic Smith belted his second home run of the season to cut the lead but Ceddanne Rafaela lined out to center. Duran struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
That's one way to make up for the errors
Ozuna walked to start the top of the fourth before Olson grounded back to the mound to move Marcell to second. Albies struck out swinging and Duvall grounded out to third to end the inning. Refsnyder took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth before Wong drew a walk. Devers got a base hit to left Westbrook reached on catcher's interference, but Cooper struck out swinging. Somehow Dalbec got a base hit to right to score Devers and Wong to put Boston on top. Smith struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 3-2.
Dalbec gives Boston the lead
Naturally Crawford coughed up the lead in the top of the fifth as Kelenic doubled to center to start. Murphy singled off the glove of Westbrook to score Kelenic and was forced at second by Arcia. Harris hit into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Tie game
Rafaela reached on an error by Riley to start the bottom of the fifth but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Duran flied out to center but Refsnyder singled to center. Wong took strike three to end the inning.
The Braves took command in the top of the sixth inning as Riley walked to start. Ozuna singled off the glove of Devers but Olson popped up to short. Albies then hit a home run all the way to Spain to put Atlanta up for good. Duvall struck out swinging and Kelenic flied out to center to end the inning. That was it for Crawford who got hammered for 6 runs in 6 innings off five hits and 2 walks.
Yeah that'll do it
Devers struck out swinging to start the bottom of the sixth before Westbrook was hit with a pitch. Cooper and Dalbec both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Chase Anderson came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Murphy grounded out to third to start. Arcia hit a home run all the way to Bombay, India to increase the lead but Harris Jr grounded out to second. Riley lined out to center to end the inning with the Braves up 7-3.
Smith lined out to center to start the bottom of the seventh before Rafaela went down hacking as well. Duran grounded out to short to end the inning.
Ozuna flied out to center to start the top of the eighth before Olson grounded out to first. Albies grounded out to second to end the inning. Pierce Johnson relieved Fried for the bottom of the eighth and Refsnyder lined out to second to start. Wong was plunked but Devers could only move Connor to second with a grounder to second. Westbrook took strike three to end the inning.
Anderson returned for the top of the ninth and Duvall grounded out to first to start. Kelenic struck out swinging but Murphy got hit with a pitch and had to leave the game. Zack Short came in to run for Murphy and Arcia singled to left. Harris singled to center to score Short and move Arcia to third, but was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning with the Braves up 8-3.
All Braves tonight
Travis d'arnaud took over for Short with Jesse Chavez now on the mound for the bottom of the ninth. Enmanuel Valdez pinch hit for Cooper and blooped a single to left. David Hamilton pinch hit for Dalbec and flied out to left before Smith grounded into a double play to end the game. The Braves had won it 8-3.
Braves win
Jackass of The Night is Kutter Crawford. He got tagged for 6 runs in 6 innings to take the loss. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5 batters.
The Good:
Enmanuel Valdez was 1 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 3 with 2 rbis.
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Garrett Cooper was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
David Hamilton was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Connor Wong was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked, got hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Jamie Westbrook was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but got hit with a pitch.
Dominic Smith was just 1 for 4 with 2 errors but did hit a home run.
Chase Anderson allowed 2 runs in 3 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
I know the Braves threw their ace against the Sox but the injuries on the offensive side are rearing their ugly heads big time. Tyler O'Neill, Trevor Story, Triston Casas and Vaughn Grissom all out for a while is not looking good so far. Smith, Cooper, Westbrook and Dalbec aren't going to get it done long term. Crawford got jacked up in this one although had he not served up the meatball to Albies, it might have been a different story. The bottom line is the Sox suffered way too many injuries and they're gonna have to salvage something in the second half of the year once some guys come back, because its going to be a struggle until then with no ace pitchers and bench players in the lineup. The Braves are good but the Sox are down too many guys. The loss dropped the Sox to 30-31 on the season, 12.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow when Nick Pivetta (3-3) takes on Spencer Schwellenbach of Atlanta. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
