Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. The Sox placed catcher Ryan Hanigan on the Disabled List with a fractured knuckle and called up rookie catcher Blake Swihart from Pawtucket to make his major league debut. Swihart was drafted in the first round with the 26th pick back in 2011 and helped lead the Salem Sox to the 2013 Mills Cup. Hopefully he does well with Christian Vazquez and now Hanigan on the shelf.
As for the game, for most of the season the bats have been okay but the pitching has been garbage. Today it was the opposite as Wade Miley (1-3, 7.15 ERA) tossed 7 strong innings and allowing just 3 runs to the New York Yankees. Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi held the high powered Sox to just 2 runs in 7 innings but the Sox kept it close. Pablo Sandoval struck out with the tying run on and Alexi Ogando allowed a home run to Chris Young to seal the Sox' fate. Dellin Betances slammed the door as the Yankees had won the game 4-2 at Fenway Park.
Miley got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jacoby Ellsbury dumped a base hit to right to start. Brett Gardner struck out swinging but Ellsbury swiped second base. Alex Rodriguez grounded out to short and Mark Teixeira grounded out to third to end the inning. Eovaldi got the ball in the bottom of the first and Mr. Mookie Betts took a 96 mph fastball on the outside corner for strike three to start. Dustin Pedroia flied out to center but Chase Headley lost David Ortiz' pop up in the sun for a "single". Hanley Ramirez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Brian McCann grounded out to first to start the top of the second before Chris Young poked a double down the right field line. Chase Headley hit a broken bat grounder to short and Gregorio Petit grounded out to third to end the inning. Pablo Sandoval led off the bottom of the second with a pop up and Headley damn near cleaned out Didi Gregorius catching it. Mike Napoli grounded back to the mound and Brock "The Hitman" Holt flied out to left to end the inning.
The Yankees struck first in the top of the third as Gregorius singled to right to start. Ellsbury struck out swinging but a wild pitch moved Didi to second. Gardner doubled into the left field corner to score Gregorius but was thrown out at third trying to stretch. A-Rod grounded out to third to end the inning with the Yankees up 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the third as Xander Bogaerts grounded out to short to start. Blake Swihart made his ML debut by striking out swinging and Mr. Mookie flied out to the centerfield warning track to end the inning.
Teixeira grounded out to second to start the top of the fourth before McCann grounded out to second as well. Sandoval made a nice stab at a Young liner to end the inning. The Sox tied it in the bottom of the fourth when Pedroia launched his fifth home run of the year to start. Ortiz got a base hit to center but Ramirez flied out to right. Sandoval got a base hit to center but Sandoval grounded into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Yankees took command in the top of the fifth as Headley doubled down the third base line to start. Petit blooped a single to center that Headley couldn't move on but a Gregorius sacrifice bunt to third moved both runners over. Ellsbury grounded out to first but one strike from being out of it, Miley allowed a Gardner base hit to left to score both runners. A-Rod grounded out to third to end the inning but the Yankees led 3-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fifth as Holt grounded out to first to start. Bogaerts flied out to center but Swihart got his first major league hit beating out a roller to second. Mr. Mookie forced him at second to end the inning.
Teixeira flied out to left to start the top of the sixth before McCann popped up to Bogaerts and Young did the same to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the sixth as Pedroia grounded out to third to start. Ortiz grounded out to short but Ramirez poked a ground ball into right for a base hit. Sandoval ripped a base hit to right but Napoli flied out to right to end the inning.
Miley returned for one final inning in the top of the seventh and Headley flied out to center to start. Petit struck out swinging and Holt damn near cleaned out Mr. Mookie catching a liner by Gregorius to end the inning. Miley pitched well, allowing just 3 runs in 7 innings off 7 hits. He just got no run support.
The Sox rallied in the bottom of the seventh although Holt lined out to center to start. Bogaerts popped up to second but Swihart drew a walk to chase Eovaldi. Former Sox prospect Chris Martin came in and Mr. Mookie doubled off the Monster to score Swihart, cutting the lead. Pedroia grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
Swihart scores his first run
Tommy Layne came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Ellsbury grounded out to second to start. Gardner grounded out to short and that was it for Layne, Alexi Ogando came in to face A-Rod and Rodriguez ripped a base hit to left. Teixeira grounded out to second to end the inning. Justin Wilson came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Ortiz grounded out to short to start. Ramirez walked to put the tying run on but Sandoval struck out swinging on a pitch way over his head. Dellin Betances came in to pitch to Napoli and Mike went down hacking to end the inning.
The Yankees iced the game in the top of the ninth as McCann flied out to right to start. Young then hit a home run all the way to Houston to increase the lead. Headley struck out swinging and Petit grounded back to the mound to end the inning but it was 4-2 Yankees.
Betances returned to close out the bottom of the ninth and Holt struck out swinging to start. Bogaerts went down hacking and Swihart took strike three to end the game. The Yankees had won it 4-2.
Dammit
Jackass Ogando
Jackass of The Night is Alexi Ogando. His home run allowed iced the game for New York.
The Good:
David Ortiz was 2 for 4.
Hanley Ramirez was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Pablo Sandoval was 2 for 4.
Blake Swihart was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher is on the Good list but Wade Miley tossed 7 innings of 3 run ball. He allowed 7 hits and struck out 3.
Tommy Layne tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Mike Napoli was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Brock Holt was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a home run.
Final Thoughts:
That was a bad loss considering Wade Miley finally pitched well. Eovaldi throws gas and the Sox couldn't catch up with it in time. The Yankees bullpen is pretty good as well and the Sox just couldn't get the job done. Pedroia, Bogaerts, Napoli and Betts went 2 for 16 combined and that's not going to work. Still, the good signs are Miley pitched well, Swihart had a good debut and the bats will improve as the year goes on. The loss dropped the Sox to 12-12, 3 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow night when Joe Kelly (1-0) goes for the Sox against Adam Warren of the Yankees. The game begins at 8:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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