Astros Beat Sale, Sox (6/1/18)

Before the game it was announced that Mookie Betts was placed on the disabled list with an abdominal strain. Right now there hasn't been anyone called up but it will happen before tomorrow's game. This is a huge loss considering the Sox are right in the middle of a series against the Houston Astros. Also Hanley Ramirez has been officially released so he's gone for good. Whether he is missed or not, time will tell.

                                                                              OUT

As for the game, if this is a playoff preview between the Astros and the Red Sox then nothing has changed since last year. The Astros knocked around Chris Sale (5-3, 3.00 ERA) while Gerrit Cole held the Sox in check for much of the game. The Astros used a late rally against Joe Kelly to ice the 7-3 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

                                                   Judge Doom dislikes bad pitching

Cole took the mound in the top of the first and easily dispatched the Sox. Andrew Benintendi whiffed, Xander Bogaerts popped up to short and Mitch Moreland flied out to left to end the inning. The Astros wasted no time scoring off Sale in the bottom of the first inning. George Springer led off with a walk and Alex Bregman singled. Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa whiffed...but the strike three ball went into the stands and Springer was allowed to take home, Springer moving to third. Yuli Gurriel ate up Rafael Devers at third with a ground ball to score Springer but Evan Gattis popped up to second to end the inning with the Astros up 2-0.

                                               The Astros luck has just begun

The Sox did try to fight back in the top of the second although JD Martinez grounded back to the mound to begin. Devers whiffed but Eduardo Nunez singled. Brock "The Hitman" Holt doubled home Nunez to cut into the lead. Sandy Leon flied out to left to end the inning but the Sox were back in it 2-1.

                                               Holt doubles in a run

Sale kept the Astros off the board in the bottom of the second as Max Strassi lined out to center before JD Davis whiffed. Jake Marisnick flied out to right to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr looked at strike three to start. Benintendi grounded out to first and Bogaerts grounded out to short to end the inning. The Astros struck back in the bottom of the third as the pain in the ass Springer belted a 3,000 foot bomb to increase the lead. Bregman whiffed and Altuve flied out to right, but Correa singled and a wild pitch moved him to second. Gurriel singled home Correa but Gattis lined out to right to end the inning with the Astros up 4-1.

                                                 Springer hits one out

The Sox answered in the top of the fourth as Moreland and Martinez swatted back to back bombs to get back into the game. Devers whiffed, Nunez flied out to right and Holt flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.

                                                                Back to back jacks

Sale bounced back in the bottom of the fourth as Stassi watched strike three go by to begin. Davis grounded back to the mound before Marisnick grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Sox squandered a chance to tie the game in the top of the fifth although Leon lined out to center to start. JBJ singled and swiped second before Benintendi walked. Bogaerts whiffed and Moreland looked at strike three to end the inning. Sale did what he could in the bottom of the fifth as Springer singled but Bregman whiffed. Altuve erased Bregman at second and Correa flied out to right to end the inning.

Cole settled down in the top of the sixth as Martinez lined out to left to start. Devers lined out to center and Nunez grounded out to short to end the inning. Sale kept pace in the bottom of the sixth as Gurriel flied out to right, Gattis popped up to first and Stassi grounded out to second to end the inning. That was it for Sale who got rocked but hung on to toss 6 innings of 4 run ball.

                                                      Not Sale's best effort

Tony Kemp came in to play left in the top of the seventh as Holt grounded back to the mound to begin. Leon looked at strike three before JBJ lined out to right to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in for Sale and immediately gave up back to back singles to Kemp and Marisnick to start the bottom of the seventh. Springer banged into a double play and Bregman grounded out to end the inning.

Chris Devenski came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Benintendi whiffed to start. Bogaerts singled and took second on a wild pitch, moving to third on the Moreland ground out. Martinez was intentionally walked and Blake Swihart pinch ran for him. Swihart stole second and with the go-ahead run at second.... Devers lined out to center to end the inning. Joe Kelly came in to pour gas on the fire in the bottom of the eighth although Altuve grounded out to short to start. Correa blasted a 20,000 foot home run to ice the game. Gurriel walked and Gattis swatted a 950 foot bomb to put it out of reach. Stassi walked to chase the incompetent Kelly from the game. Brian Johnson came in and Kemp flied out to left but Marisnick singled. Springer ate up Devers at third to load the bases with a single but Bregman popped up to third to end the inning with the Astros up 7-3

                                                     Ugh

Brad Peacock came in to close out the game in the top of the ninth and he froze Nunez to begin. Holt whiffed but Leon singled. JBJ whiffed to end the game. The Astros had won it 7-3.

Jackass of the Night is Joe Kelly. He turned a 4-3 winnable game into an out of reach disaster by allowing 3 runs in the bottom of the eighth.

                                                      Thanks a lot Jackass


The Good:

JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk including a solo home run.

Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 7th inning.

Brian Johnson got the final 2 outs of the eighth inning.



The Bad:

Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Chris Sale took the loss allowing 4 runs in 6 innings, not very ace like against the champs.



The Ugly:

Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 3 but walked.

Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4.

Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 including a solo home run.

Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4.

Brock Holt was just 1 for 4 with an rbi.

Sandy Leon was just 1 for 4.

Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4.



Honorable Mention:

Blake Swihart pinch ran for Martinez




Final Thoughts:

If this is a playoff preview then the Sox are in big trouble. If Chris Sale can't beat the Astros in June then how the hell is he going to do it in October? A rare hiccup by Joe Kelly not withstanding, the Sox need Sale to pitch like an ace against Houston if they have any shot of success in October. The offense didn't get some clutch hits when it mattered so they're no angels either but at least they fought back. Having Mookie Betts out didn't help either. Normally a loss is just a loss but this had huge implications and it was not a good look to lose like this. The loss dropped the Sox to 39-19, 1 game ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The road doesn't get easier as the Sox run smack into Justin Verlander tomorrow evening. The Sox counter with David Price (5-4) at 6:10 PM at Minute Maid Park.