Yordano Ventura hang tough to begin the game. Mr. Mookie Betts lined out, Dustin Pedroia looked at strike 3 and Xander Bogaerts popped up. Rick Porcello (6-2, 3.51 ERA) got the ball in the bottom of the first and didn't fare too well. Alcides Escobar popped up and Lorenzo Cain grounded out. Erc Hosmer walked but Kendrys Morales grounded into a force to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning. David Ortiz grounded out and Hanley Ramirez whiffed. Travis Shaw singled and Jackie Bradley Jr wasted no time extending his hitting streak with an rbi double to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Christian Vazquez struck out to end the inning. Porcello held his ground in the bottom of the second. Alex Gordon struck out and Salvador Perez flied out. Cheslor Cuthbert of all people legged out an infield single but Omar Infante struck out to end the inning.
The Sox got nothing in the top of the third. Brock Holt struck out but Mr. Mookie singled...only for Pedroia to ground into a double play to end the inning. The wheels fell off in the bottom of the third. Paulo Orlando tripled to lead off the inning and Escobar scored him with a ground out to tie the game. Cain lined out but Hosmer crushed a straight fastball 420 feet to dead center to give the Royals a 2-1 lead. Morales grounded out but the rout was on.
The Sox tried to fight back in the top of the fourth. Bogaerts and Ortiz grounded out but Ramirez singled. Shaw singled but JBJ grounded out to end the inning. Shoddy defense doomed the Sox in the bottom of the fourth. Gordon grounded out but Perez and Cuthbert singled. Infante singled and JBJ played hot potato with the ball, allowing Perez to score to make it 3-1. Orlando made Jackie pay with a 2 run single to make it 5-1. Escobar lined out and Cain grounded out to end the inning. JBJ making an error? Say it ain't so.
The life drained from the Sox at that point as Vazquez grounded out, Holt grounded out and Mr. Mookie struck out in the top of the fifth. Hosmer walked to begin the bottom of the fifth but Morales and Gordon flied out. Perez struck out to end the inning.
The Sox clawed back in the top of the sixth. Pedroia singled but both Bogaerts and Ortiz popped up. Ortiz was plunked and Shaw put the Sox back in the game with a 3 run blast to right to cut the lead 5-4. JBJ walked to chase Ventura and Luke Hochevar came in to pitch to Vazquez...who grounded out. Still, the Sox were back in it.
Porcello returned for the top of the 6th but was quickly chased by a Cuthbert double.
Matt Barnes was brought in and Infante lined out. Orlando moved Cuthbert to third with a double and Escobar walked. A wild pitch by Barnes advanced Escobar but Cain grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox failed to tie the game in the top of the seventh. Holt looked to have walked but a strike was called. John Farrell was lived and was given the heave ho after arguing.
Holt eventually grounded out and so did Mr.Mookie. Pedroia flied out to end the inning. Tommy Layne took over for Barnes in the bottom of the seventh. Hosmer lined out, Morales flied out and Gordon struck out in short order.
Kelvin Herrera came on to pitch the top of the eighth. Bogaerts singled and Ortiz flied out. In another rare site, Bogaerts was gunned down at second trying to steal. The Sox had been near perfect on the bases most of the season....not tonight. Ramirez whiffed to end the inning. Everything fell apart in the bottom of the eighth. Perez walked but Cuthbert struck out. Acting Sox manager Torey Luvello bounded out of the dugout and called upon Koji Uehara. Why he let Layne start or why didn't he simply let him finish no one will know. All that was know was Uehara pissed himself. Omar Infante laid down a sacrifice bunt and Uehara apparently threw it into the centerfield bleachers 400 feet away because Perez scored and Infante made it all to way to third. Orlando put the dagger in with a 2 run bomb to make it 8-4. Escobar popped up but Cain doubled. Hosmer popped up to end the inning. Absolutely bawful.
Joakim Soria came on to pitch the top of the ninth. Shaw popped up but JBJ walked. Marco Hernandez pinch hit for Vazquez and struck out. Big help Marco. JBJ walked to second on defensive indifference and Holt grounded out to end the game. The Sox had blown it 8-4.
Jackass of the night is Koji Uehara. Yes Porcello gave up the first 5 runs but Uehara allowed the game to get out of hand in the 8th inning by allowing 3 runs and letting an inherited run home.
The Good:
Hanley Ramirez was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Travis Shaw was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 3 total rbi's. Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and an rbi. Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
The Bad:
David Ortiz was 0 for 4. Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3. Marco Hernandez pinch hit for Vazquez and struck out. Brock Holt was 0 for 4. Rick Porcello got lit up for 5 runs (4 earned) in just 5 innings, giving up 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts were both just 1 for 4. Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4 with a run scored. Tommy Layne gave up a run in an inning and a third.
Final Thoughts:
That was absolutely bawful. That was the Sox first real complete stinker since the hangover game against New York. The world champs are for real despite what their record says. The Sox can't kick the ball around and throw straight fastballs to these guys or they'll make you pay. The loss dropped the Sox to 24-15 on the season. Tomorrow is a double-header with Steven Wright going in Game 1 and David Price going game 2.
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