As for the game, the Red Sox failed to score a run for the second straight game. A team built on its offense suddenly forgot how to hit. Garrett Richards tossed a complete game, 2 hit shutout to blank the Sox. Rick Porcello was the hard luck loser, allowing 3 runs in 5 innings. Kole Calhoun hit a pair of home runs to pace the Angels offense with Richards dominating. Justin Masterson kept the Sox in the game in the later innings but the offense just wasn't there as the Angels had won the game 3-0 at Angels Stadium. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?
David Ortiz flied out to center to start the top of the second before Hanley Ramirez lined out to short. Pablo Sandoval singled off the arm of Richards and Alejandro De Aza walked. Brock "The Hitman" Holt took strike three to end the inning. The Angels struck first in the bottom of the second as Erick Aybar walked to start. David Freese forced Aybar at second then took second on the grounder to short by CJ Cron. Joyce walked and Perez hit a routine grounder to Sandoval....who dropped it for an error to load the bases. Naturally Freese scored on a wild pitch to put the Angels on top. Giavotella flied out to center to end the inning with the Angels up 1-0.
Ryan Hanigan grounded out to short to start the top of the third before Mr. Mookie went down hacking. Pedroia flied out to a running Trout to end the inning. The Angels struck again in the bottom of the third as Calhoun hit a home run all the way to Brazil to start. Trout struck out swinging but Pujols beat out an infield single to short. Aybar took strike three and Freese forced Pujols at second to end the inning with the Angels up 2-0.
Bogaerts grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth before Ortiz grounded out to first. Ramirez lined out to right to end the inning. Cron doubled to center to start the bottom of the fourth and moved to third on the grounder to second by Joyce. Perez struck out swinging and Giatvotella grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Sandoval tried to start a rally in the top of the fifth by pounding a ground rule double into the left field stands to start. De Aza failed to drop down a bunt and struck out swinging before Holt grounded out to second to move Sandoval to third. Hanigan grounded out to second to end the inning. The Angels iced the game in the bottom of the fifth as Calhoun hit yet another home run to start. Trout flied out to left, Pujols flied out to right and Aybar popped up to short to end the inning with the Angels up 3-0. That was it for Porcello who allowed 3 runs in just 5 innings of work including two solo shots.
Mr. Mookie popped up to short to start the top of the sixth before Pedroia grounded back to the mound. Bogaerts flied out to right to end the inning. Justin Masterson came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and hit Freese immediately. Cron struck out swinging and Joyce forced Freese at second. Perez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Daniel Robertson came in for Joyce to start the top of the seventh and Ortiz grounded out to short to start. Ramirez popped up to short and Sandoval grounded out to second to end the inning. Giavotella flied out to right to start the bottom of the seventh but Calhoun singled to left. Trout banged into a double play to end the inning.
De Aza flied out to center to star the top of the eighth before Holt grounded out to first. Hanigan grounded out to third to end the inning. Masterson returned for the bottom of the eighth and Pujols grounded out to short to start. Aybar and Freese both struck out swinging to end the inning. Yeoman's effort by Masterson with 3 hitless innings to keep the score what it was.
Taylor Featherston came in for Freese in the top of the ninth as Richards returned to finish the job. Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to start and Pedroia lined out to left. Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the game. Richards had tossed a complete game 2 hit shutout as the Angels won 3-0.
Jackass of The Night is Brock Holt. He was 0 for 3 including striking out with two men on during Boston's only rally of the night.
The Good:
Pablo Sandoval was 2 for 3.
Justin Masterson tossed 3 hitless innings.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
David Ortiz was 0 for 3.
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 3.
Ryan Hanigan was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Alejandro De Aza was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Rick Porcello took the loss by allowing 3 runs in 5 innings off 4 hits and 3 walks.
Final Thoughts:
Two straight games the supposedly great offense has scored exactly no runs. The Angels have had a good season so far but they're not THAT good. Same goes for Garrett Richards, he pitched like prime Nolan Ryan in this one. Still, gotta tip your cap when someone dominates like this. Porcello wasn't even that bad but the bats were totally silent. Masterson did his best, its a shame it was in a losing effort in a game they couldn't win. The season is going down the drain and the injury to Clay Buchholz was the beginning of the end it seems. The Sox were rolling going into that game and they haven't been the same since. Maybe they'll bounce back, but it seems unlikely. The loss dropped the Sox to 42-49, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow when Eduardo Rodriguez gets the ball for Boston against Hector Santiago of the Angels. The game begins at 1:10 PM Eastern time at Angels Stadium.
