Sunday, May 28, 2017

Mariners Avoid Sweep, Shutout Sox (5/28/17)

Before the game it was announced that yesterday's hero Brian Johnson was sent down to Pawtucket and in his place will be 35 year old journeyman reliever Blaine Boyer. David Price is scheduled to start tomorrow's game in Chicago so just in case they need an extra arm, they have Boyer for today's game.
                                                                         OUT
                                                                            IN

They ended up needing Boyer as the Seattle Mariners avoided a sweep by turning the tables on the Boston Red Sox. The Sox had shut out the Mariners the past two games but this time it was the Mariners that shut-out the Red Sox, taking the game 5-0 at Fenway Park and ending the Sox 6 game win streak. How many runs did the Red Sox score Dean Wormer?

Porcello got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jean Segura greeted him with a single....only to be thrown out trying to steal by the alert Sandy Leon. Ben Gamel popped up to the banged up Dustin Pedroia, wearing a compression sleeve after getting plunked yesterday. Robinson Cano doubled off the Monster but Nelson Cruz flied out to end the inning. M's starter Christian Bergman matched Porcello as Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out but Dustin Pedroia doubled off the Monster. Xander Bogaerts singled to left and Pedroia just barely beat the tag at third. Right on schedule Andrew Benintendi banged into a double play to end the inning.

Porcello got some help from his defense in the top of the second although Kyle Seager hit a single over the head of Porcello. Danny Valencia flied out to right and Guillermo Heredia grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox couldn't score in the bottom of the second as Hanley Ramirez was hit with a pitch but erased on the Mitch Moreland force. Jackie Bradley Jr hit into a double play to end the inning.

The Mariners nearly struck first in the top of the third as Jarrod Dyson and Carlos Ruiz stroked back to back singles. Ruiz was erased at second on the force by Segura but now there were runners at the corners. Porcello recovered to strike out Gamel and got Cano to ground out to second to end the inning. As usual the Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the third. Sandy Leon walked but Deven Marrero grounded into a double play. Mr. Mookie struck out to end the inning.

The Mariners finally struck first in the top of the fourth although Cruz flied out. Seager doubled off the Monster and Valencia singled him to third. Porcello bounced a pitch in the dirt that got by Leon that scored Seager and advanced Valencia to second. Heredia walked but Dyson whiffed. Ruiz singled to right to load the bases. Somehow Porcello struck out Segura to end the inning but the Mariners were up 1-0. The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the fourth as Pedroia lined a leadoff single to right. Bogaerts beat out a double play ball but guess what Benny The Kid did? He hit into a double play to end the inning.

Porcello returned for the top of the fifth inning and Moreland caught a pop up hit by Gamel by the tarp. Cano flied out to center but Cruz singled off the Monster. Seager whiffed to end the inning. More of the same happenedin the bottom of the fifth as Ramirez popped up, but Moreland walked. To try to stay out of the double play Moreland took off for second...but JBJ swung and missed and Moreland was easily tagged out at second. JBJ looked at strike three to end the inning, brutal.

Porcello finally had a quick inning in the top of the sixth inning. Valencia whiffed, Heredia grounded out and Dyson popped up to end the inning. About time Rick! Still, Bergman continued to dominate the bottom of the sixth as Leon lined out to center, Marrero did inside out a single to right but Mr. Mookie popped up and Pedroia flied out to end the inning.

The Mariners struck again in the top of the seventh as Ruiz doubled off the wall but Segura whiffed. Gamel singled Ruiz to third to chase Porcello. He gave up 11 hits and had to Houdini his way out of trouble time and time again, not good. It also didnt help that once again he got ZERO run support again.
                                "Are these jerks ever going to score for me?" - RP

Robby Scott came in to pitch to Cano and got him to pop up for a big second out. That was all for Scott as Heath Hembree came in to pitch to Cruz. Hembree got Cruz to ground to Bogaerts, but Xander decided to spike the ball and do the boogie woogie, allowing Ruiz to score and advance Gamel to third. Seager flied out to deep center to end the inning but it was now 2-0 Seattle.

2-0 may as well been 200-0 the way Bergman was pitching in the bottom of the seventh. Bogaerts and Benny The Kid popped up and Ramirez flied out to end the inning.

The Mariners iced the game in the top of the eighth inning. Valencia grounded out but Heredia blasted a home run onto Landsdowne Street to increase the lead. Dyson doubled off the Monster but was thrown out trying to steal third.....but wait! Seattle manager Scott Servais challenged the call but he was still called out. Ruiz grounded back to Hembree but it was now 3-0 Seattle.
                                              "You're outta here!" - XB

James Pazos relieved Bergman as Sam Travis pinch hit for Moreland to start the bottom of the eighth. Travis popped up and Chris Young pinch hit for Jackie Bradley Jr but Servais countered by bringing in Nick Vincent. Young singled down the left field line but Leon popped up on the first pitch. Marrero hit for himself and grounded out to end the inning.

Fernando Abad came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Segura greeted him with a ground rule double. Abad recovered to freeze Gamel on a full count but Cano blasted a 2 run bomb to center to make it 5-0. That was it for the incompetent Abad as Blaine Boyer, today's call-up made his season debut. Cruz hit one up the elevator shaft and Seager popped up to end the inning with the M's up 5-0. Edwin Diaz had mop up duty in the ninth inning and Mr. Mookie reached on an error at third. Pedroia whiffed and Bogaerts hit a picture perfect double play ball to Segura....through his legs for an error. Ramirez whiffed to end the game. The M's had snapped the streak and had won 5-0.

Jackass of the Night is Heath Hembree. Not only did he allow an inherited runner to score, he gave up one of his own to put the game out of reach.


The Good:

Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 4.

Mitch Moreland walked in 2 plate appearances.

Chris Young pinch hit for JBJ and singled.

Deven Marrero was 1 for 3.

Robby Scott got Cano to pop up in the 7th

Blaine Boyer got the final two outs of the ninth inning.



The Bad:

Mookie Betts was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4.

Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

Sam Travis pinch hit for Moreland and popped up.

Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 2 with a strikeout and a double play.

Fernando Abad allowed a 2 run bomb to Cano



The Ugly:

Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4.

Sandy Leon was 0 for 2 but walked.

Rick Porcello took the loss but tossed 6 1/3 innings of 2 run ball, once again he got literally no run support.



Final Thoughts:

All good things must come to an end and the 6 game win streak is over. The Sox deserved to lose for being incompetent at the plate and even Sox manager John Farrell deserves part of the blame. He tried a hit and run with slow Moreland on base and the strikeout prone JBJ at bat. He had Fernando Abad pitch to Robinson Cano the only lefty Abad can't get out, he pinch hit for Moreland and Bradley but had no one left for Marrero. Not a good day all around. Still, these games happen but two things are frightening. They still are getting shut down or completely out by mediocre starting pitching and haven't scored a single run in SEVEN of Porcello's starts this year. I know he's given up a ton of hits but you can't win if you don't score. The loss drops the Sox to 27-22, 3 games behind the victorious New York Yankees for 1st place in the AL East. Tomorrow David Price make his season debut on Memorial Day Monday against the Chicago White Sox opposite David Holmberg at 2:05 PM.

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