If the Boston Red Sox want a shot at the playoffs this year, they need to stop with these late inning blown leads. 5 times in the past few weeks the Sox had a late lead only to blow it, and tonight made six courtesy of the Detroit Tigers. Clay Buchholz held the Tigers to 1 measly run in 6 innings while Matthew Boyd held the Sox to a run through six as well. The Sox broke through with 2 runs in the top of the eighth but the combination of Junichi Tazawa and Brad Ziegler gave up 3 runs in the bottom of the eighth. The Sox got the tying run to second base in the top of the ninth but Francisco Rodriguez retired both Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts to end the game. The Tigers had rallied past the Sox 4-3 at Comerica Park.
Boyd got the ball in the top of the first inning and Aaron Hill struck out swinging to start. Xander Bogaerts flied out to left and Mr. Mookie Betts got a base hit to center. Hanley Ramirez got a base hit to right but Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to first to end the inning. Buchholz got the ball in the bottom of the first and Ian Kinsler flied out to JBJ to start. Erick Aybar got a base hit to right but Miguel Cabrera grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Sandy Leon grounded out to second to start the top of the second and Bryan Holaday flied out to left. Deven Marrero grounded out to short to end the inning. The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the second as old friend Victor Martinez grounded out to third to start. JD Martinez got a base hit to left and it looked like Jackie Bradley Jr caught a sinking line drive by Casey McGehee. The Tigers challenged that it was a trap and sure enough, it was called a trap to move Martinez to third. Sox manager John Farrell argued that even if it was a trap, Martinez was tagged out. The umpires told Farrell to get lost and he started yelling at them in the dugout. Home plate umpire Scott Barry told Farrell to shut up and John ran out of the dugout challenging him to a fight. Barry had to tell him that it wasn't Farrell that was ejected but third base coach Brian Butterfield. When things calmed down, old pal Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a sac fly to center to score Martinez. Andrew Romine got a base hit to right but Alex Presley grounded out to first to end the inning with the Tigers up 1-0.
Andrew Benintendi got a base hit to right to start the top of the third and Hill drew a walk. Bogaerts struck out swinging and Mr. Mookie flied out to center to move Hill to third. Ramirez walked to load the bases but JBJ flied out to left to end the inning. Kinsler flied out to center to start the bottom of the third and Aybar's bunt was snuffed out by Buchholz. Cabrera got a base hit to right but Victor Martinez flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox fought back in the top of the fourth as Leon crushed his seventh home run of the season to tie the game. Holaday flied out to right, Marrero lined out to third and Benintendi took strike three to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
What a season for Leon so far
JD Martinez grounded out to third to start the bottom of the fourth and McGehee grounded out to short. Saltalamacchia flied out to left to end the inning.
Hill got a base hit to left to start the top of the fifth and Bogaerts lined out to left. Mr. Mookie forced Hill at second and Ramirez struck out swinging to end the inning. Romine struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth and but Presley got a base hit to right. Kinsler lined out to left and Aybar grounded out to second to end the inning.
JBJ grounded out to second to start the top of the sixth and Leon flied out to center. Sox analyst Jerry Remy admitted he gets to the ballpark around 7 AM for day games because he hates waiting around in his hotel room. Then he said eventually he'll get there at 5 AM. Holaday lined out to center to end the inning. Buchholz came back for the bottom of the sixth and Cabrera was hit with a pitch to start. JD Martinez popped up to short and JD Martinez struck out swinging. McGehee also went down hacking to end the inning. That was it for Buchholz who tossed 6 solid innings allowing just 1 run off 6 hits.
Travis Shaw pinch hit for Marrero to start the top of the seventh with old pal Alex Wilson now on the mound. Shaw struck out swinging and Benintendi flied out to left. Hill popped up to second to end the inning. Robbie Ross Jr came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Saltalamacchia flied out to left to start. Romine lined out to center and Presley flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the eighth as Bogaerts beat out a roller to second to start. Mr. Mookie blooped a base hit to right and Ramirez singled up the middle to score Bogaerts. Justin Wilson came in to pitch to Bradley and JBJ grounded into a double play....only for Betts to score on a wild pitch. Leon walked but Holaday struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1.
Junichi Tazawa came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and crapped his pants big time. Kinsler ripped a base hit to left, Aybar doubled to right and Cabrera got a base hit to center to score Kinsler and chase Tazawa. Brad Ziegler poured gas on the fire as Victor Martinez singled to right to score Aybar. Tyler Collins ran for Cabrera as JD Martinez walked to load the bases. McGehee hit a grounder to short and Bogaerts came home to force Collins then Justin Upton ran for Victor Martinez. Saltalamacchia struck out swinging but Romine walked to score Upton to put the Tigers on top. Presley grounded out to second to end the inning with the Tigers up 4-3.
Tigers take the lead
The Sox did try to rally in the top of the ninth with Francisco Rodriguez no on the mound. Shaw walked to start and Brock "The Hitman" Holt ran for him. Andrew Benintendi beat out a double play ball and the Tigers challenged that he was out. The umpires said he was safe and David Ortiz pinch hit for Hill. Ortiz got a base hit to center and Dustin Pedroia ran for him. With the tying run at second....Bogaerts grounded out to first to move the runners over. With the game on the line....Mr. Mookie hit a bullet to Kinsler to end the game. The Tigers had won it 4-3.
Tigers win
Jackass of The Night is Brad Ziegler. Yes, Tazawa put the runners on but Ziegler allowed all 3 of them to score, including walking home the go-ahead run with 2 outs.
The Good:
Aaron Hill was 1 for 3 with a walk.
David Ortiz singled as a pinch hitter.
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Hanley Ramirez was 2 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Sandy Leon was 1 for 3 with a home run.
Travis Shaw walked in 2 plate appearances.
Clay Buchholz pitched 6 innings of 1 run ball allowing 6 hits.
Robbie Ross Jr pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4.
Deven Marrero was 0 for 2.
Bryan Holaday was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Junichi Tazawa was charged with 3 runs in the eighth inning to take the loss.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Honorable Mention:
Brock Holt ran for Travis Shaw in the ninth inning.
Dustin Pedroia ran for Ortiz in the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
How many games is that now in the past few weeks the Sox have blown in the eighth or ninth inning? The two blown games against the New York Yankees, the Robinson Cano home run off Fernando Abad, the Los Angeles Angels rally and the Minnesota Twins scoring 7 runs in the 7th inning. Every team has blown leads but you'd think with the bullpen they have it wouldn't be as frequent. Still, its not entirely Tazawa and Ziegler's fault, only getting one run off Matthew Boyd should have been a clue it wasn't going to be their day. Still, this could be the end of the line for Tazawa which is a shame, he was the man from 2012-15. Overworked relief pitchers have a shelf life and apparently his is expired. Still, its only one loss but it still stings. The loss dropped the Sox to 67-53, 1.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night against the Tigers when "Slick" Rick Porcello (16-3) takes on Michael Fulmer of Detroit. The game begins at 8:10 PM eastern time at Comerica Park.
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