As for the game, the pathetic Red Sox offense failed to show up again, getting dominated by Phil Hughes and the Minnesota Twins. A brief rally in the ninth inning tied the game but the Twins walked off in the bottom of the inning to take the game 4-3 at Target Field.
Phil Hughes took the hill to start the top of the first inning and Dustin Pedroia popped up. Andrew Benintendi took strike three but Mr. Mookie Betts doubled to the wall. Hanley Ramirez grounded out to end the inning. Eduardo Rodriguez got the ball in the bottom of the first and immediately coughed up the game. He whiffed Brian Dozier to begin but Joe Mauer was hit on the elbow and Miguel Sano tripled off the glove of Mookie Betts to give the Twins an instant lead. The defense was pulled in and Robbie Grossman singled past the diving Josh Rutledge to increase the lead. Grossman was erased on the Max Kepler fielder's choice and Eduardo Escobar lined out to short to end the inning with the Twins leading 2-0.
2-0 may as well be 200 to nothing because Hughes nearly cruised in the top of the second inning. Xander Bogaerts did manage to bloop a single into left but naturally Mitch Moreland whiffed. Josh Rutledge hit one to Sano who faked a throw to second then tried to throw him out at first, only Rutledge beat the throw to first. It was ruled a hit but Jackie Bradley Jr looked at strike three. Christian Vazquez lofted one to the wall but Grossman jumped up and caught it to end the inning. When things go bad...things go BAD. Rodriguez got victimized bottom of the second as Juan Castro looked at strike three to begin, but Jorge Polanco doubled past the diving Rutledge. Eddie Rosario hit a long flyout to left field but Dozier popped up to end the inning, although Rodriguez had already thrown over 40 pitches.
The Sox somehow scored in the top of the third inning. Pedroia meekly grounded out but Benny The Kid launched a solo home run to dead center to cut the lead in half. Rosario made a great diving catch to rob Mr. Mookie of a hit. Ramirez meekly grounded out to end the inning but the game was now 2-1 Twins.
Rodriguez somehow cruised in the bottom of the third inning. Mauer grounded out and Sano looked at strike three before Grossman grounded out to end the inning.
Hughes dominated in the top of the fourth as Bogaerts grounded out, Moreland looked at strike three and Rutledge flied out to end the inning. The Sox were getting dominated by PHIL HUGHES. Rodriguez returned for the bottom of the fourth and struck out Kepler, but Escobar beat out an infield single on a poor throw by Rutledge. The Sox challenged but the call stayed. Castro lined out and Polanco flied out to end the inning.
There was no stopping Hughes in the top of the fifth as JBJ extended his slump with a ground out. Vazquez lined out and Pedroia grounded out to end the inning. Right on cue Rosario doubled to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Dozier was rung up on a check swing strike three and Rosario moved to third on the Mauer ground out. Sano was intentionally walked but Grossman struck out to end the inning.
The anemic Red Sox offense threatened in the top of the sixth but couldn't seal the deal. Benny The Kid singled but Mr. Mookie flied out. Ramirez walked and both runners advanced to scoring position on the Bogaerts ground out. Mitch Moreland was intentionally walked to load the bases but Rutledge flied out to end the inning. Rodriguez returned for the bottom of the sixth inning and immediately allowed a single to Kepler. Escobar and Castro flied out before Polanco grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox wasted another chance in the top of the seventh inning. JBJ flied out and Vazquez grounded out but Pedroia doubled to right to chase Hughes. He had tossed 6 2/3 innings of 1 run ball and it remained such as Benny The Kid flied out to end the inning against Taylor Rogers. Rodriguez returned for the bottom of the seventh briefly to give up a 3-2 count triple to Rosario. Joe Kelly replaced him and somehow got Dozier to look at strike three, but Mauer singled to score Rosario to increase the lead 3-1. Sano singled but Grossman looked at strike three. That was it for Kelly as Robby Scott was brought in to pitch to Kepler. Scott punched him out to end the inning with the Twins now ahead 3-1.
3-1 may as well be 300-1 as the Sox went quietly in the top of the eighth inning against Matt Belisle. Mr. Mookie looked at strike three, Ramirez lined out and Bogaerts lined out to end the inning. Scott returned for the bottom of the eighth and cruised. Escobar grounded out, Castro struck out and Polanco lined out to end the inning.
The torture ended in the top of the ninth with Twins closer Brandon Kintzler on the mound. Mitch Moreland got a lucky single and Deven Marrero, making his season debut, pinch ran for him. Somehow Rutledge singled to bring the tying run to the plate. JBJ moved both runners over with a ground out and Chris Young pinch hit for Vazquez. Young delivered with a 2 run single down the left field line to tie the game. Pedroia flied out and Benny The Kid grounded out to end the inning, but the Sox had tied it 3-3. Scott returned for the bottom of the ninth with Marrero now at third base, Rutledge at first, Sandy Leon behind the plate. Rosario grounded out and that was it for Scott after 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Matt Barnes came in to pitch as Kennys Vargas pinch hit for Dozier. Vargas grounded out but Joe Mauer ended matters with a solo blast to end the game. The Twins had walked off 4-3.
Jackass of the Night is Matt Barnes for giving up the game in the bottom of the ninth.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Josh Rutledge was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Chris Young struck a 2 run double in his only at-bat.
Deven Marrero pinch ran for Young and came around to score.
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched pretty well, tossing 6 innings of 3 run ball. His only walk was intentional and struck out 7.
Robby Scott tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3.
Joe Kelly allowed the third run to score and didn't make it out of the 7th inning.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 5.
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4.
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 3 but walked.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Sandy Leon caught the bottom of the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
The Red Sox are finding new ways to lose these days. After pulling off a ninth inning rally, the Sox allowed a walkoff home run to a guy hitting .230 on the season by a pitcher on a hot streak. Things are rapidly going downhill for the 2017 Red Sox as injuries and ineptitude at the plate are sending them completely down the toilet. The Yankees are finding ways to win and the Sox are finding ways to lose. The loss drops the Sox to 15-14, 4 games behind the Yankees for 1st place in the AL East. Tomorrow the Sox offense gets shut down by Nick Tepesch making his season debut. Rick Porcello (1-4, 4.46) will be the hard luck loser once again, no doubt.
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