As for the game, what an unmitigated disaster for the Boston Red Sox. After falling behind the last two games only to come back and win, there was no comeback this time. Steven Wright (8-5, 2.18 ERA) got hammered for only the second time all season as he allowed 8 runs (3 earned) while getting knocked out in the 5th inning. Robbie Ross Jr also got tagged for a few runs as the Rangers put 10 runs off 11 hits on the board. AJ Griffin, Luke Jackson and Cesar Ramos held the Sox offense to just 3 runs as the Rangers evened this series with a 10-3 victory at Arlington Park.
Griffin started strong in the top of the first inning as Mr. Mookie Betts took strike three on the inside corner to start. Dustin Pedroia whiffed on a big curveball and Xander Bogaerts whiffed on an 89 mph fastball to end the inning. Wright got the ball in the bottom of the first and Shin-Soo Choo grounded out to short to start. Ian Desmond also grounded out to short and Nomar Mazara whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second although David Ortiz lined out to first on a 3-0 count. Hanley Ramirez waffled his 8th home run of the season to the right field stands to put Boston on top. Jackie Bradley Jr popped up to third in foul territory and Travis Shaw did the same to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Adrian Beltre led off the bottom of the second by grounding out to third. Prince Fielder dumped a base hit to left but was forced at second by Rougned Odor. Odor swiped second but JBJ made a great shoestring grab off an Elvis Andrus liner to end the inning.
Bryce Brentz led off the top of the third by striking out swinging. Christian Vazquez grounded out to third and Mr. Mookie popped up to second to end the inning. Wright cruised in the bottom of the third as Brentz made a great running catch to rob Mitch Moreland of a double to start. Brentz then made another running catch to rob Robinson Chirinos of extra bases and Choo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Pedroia dumped a single to center to open the top of the fourth but Bogaerts popped up to second. Ortiz hit a broken back fly out to right and Ramirez whiffed to end the inning.
RIP to that bat
JBJ scores a run
The Rangers charged back in the bottom of the fourth as Desmond led off with a home run into the Gulf of Mexico to tie the game. Mazara hit a comebacker to the mound but Beltre walked. Fielder was caught looking for strike three but Odor caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single. Andrus walked and Sox pitching coach Carl Willis sprinted to the mound, said nothing and sprinted back to the dugout. Moreland then cracked a base hit to right to score Beltre and Odor. Chirinos hit a rocket but JBJ sprinted to run it down to end the inning with the Rangers up 3-1.
Moreland gives the Rangers the lead
The Sox answered in the top of the fifth as JBJ hit a grounder up the middle for a base hit to start. Shaw struck out swinging but Brentz singled past the diving Andrus. Vazquex walked to chase Griffin from the game. Luke Jackson came in and Mr. Mookie blooped a single to right to score JBJ to cut the lead. Pedroia missed a double by 5 feet down the right field line and ended up banging into a double play to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
The Rangers blew the door off the Sox in the bottom of the fifth and it started with Choo hitting a routine grounder to Bogaerts. Bogaerts kicked the ball over to first and screamed GOALLLL for an error. Choo swiped second but Desmond went down hacking. Choo took third on a passed ball but Mazara hit a bullet right to Pedroia. Beltre made Bogaerts pay with a base hit in the hole at short to score Choo with another run. Fielder dumped a base hit to left and Sox pitching coach Carl Willis sprinted to the mound to tell Steven that 2 plus 2 is four. Odor hit a routine grounder to Hanley who dove on the ball and wrestled with it for an error to load the bases. Andrus settled matters with a bases clearing triple over the head of JBJ to ice the game. That was it for Wright who got no help from his defense but still got knocked out in the fifth inning after being charged with 8 runs (only 3 earned).
Robbie Ross Jr came in to pitch and the first thing he did was fire a pitch to the backstop to score Andrus with another run. Moreland whiffed to end the inning but the Sox were out of it 8-2.
The Sox did try to fight back in the top of the sixth as Bogaerts drew a leadoff walk. Ortiz walked but Hanley flied out to right. JBJ atoned for missing the Andrus triple by hitting a ground ball over the first base bag into the right field corner for a double to score Ortiz and chase Johnson from the game. Cesar Ramos came in and struck out Shaw swinging on a big slow curveball. Brentz whiffed to end the inning as the Sox were down 8-3.
Chirinos whiffed to start the bottom of the sixth but Choo singled to center. Desmond banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the seventh as Vazquez took a walk to start. Mr. Mookie got rung up for strike three on a pitch at the knees and Pedroia banged into a double play to end the inning. The Rangers poured it on in the bottom of the seventh as Mazara and Beltre stroked back to back singles to left to start. Fielder walked to load the bases and Ryan Rua pinch ran for him. Odor hit a deep fly to JBJ to score Mazara and advance the runners over. That was it for Ross as William Cuevas, just called up today, came in to pitch. Andrus walked on a questionable ball four to reload the bases and Moreland beat out a double play ball to score Beltre to wrap up the scoring for Texas.
Bogaerts popped up to right to start the top of the eighth before Ortiz grounded out to second. Hanley doubled into the left field corner but JBJ popped up to Choo to end the inning. Cuevas returned for the bottom of the eighth with Marco Hernandez taking over at second. Mr. Mookie made a great running catch on a bloop by Choo to start but Desmond dumped a base hit to center. Mazara walked but Beltre lined out to JBJ. Rua walked to load the bases but Odor whiffed to end the inning.
Shawn Tolleson came on to end the game in the top of the ninth. Shaw grounded out to second, Brentz flied out to center and Vazquez hit a comebacker to the mound to end the game. The Rangers knocked out the Sox 10-3.
Jackass of the Night is Steven Wright. He got no help from his defense with passed balls and errors but he still allowed 8 runs (3 earned) in just 4 1/3 innings. He allowed 7 hits and walked two guys.
The Good:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
The Bad:
Travis Shaw was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Robbie Ross Jr allowed an inherited runner to score and 2 of his own in 1 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 with an error and a strikeout, but walked and scored a run.
David Ortiz was 0 for 3 but walked.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 4 with a home run but his error led to a bases clearing triple to put the game out of reach.
Bryce Brentz was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 2 with a passed ball but walked twice.
William Cuevas allowed an inherited runner to score in 1 2/3 innings.
Honorable Mention:
Marco Hernandez played second base in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
This game sucked all around. The Sox couldn't play defense worth a damn in this one. In the bottom of the fifth there was a passed ball and two errors that led to the huge rally. The bats pretty much gave up at that point and it was embarrassing as a whole. Wright was due for a stinker but even so, a lot of the runs could have been avoided if the defense was better. The Sox haven't looked good as a team in the last few weeks and tonight could be rock bottom. The Sox desperately need a good start and unfortunately they got the struggling Clay Buchholz going tomorrow. God help us. The Sox still have a month before the trade deadline to make some moves but it would be helpful not to fall too far behind the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays by that point. As for this game, file this under the disasters that should never be mentioned again column. The loss dropped the Sox to 41-33, 3 games behind the red hot Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow against the Rangers when Clay Buchholz (3-7) looks to right himself against Martin Perez of Texas. The game begins at 4:10 PM Eastern time at Arlington Park.
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