As for the game, what a disaster. Eduardo Rodriguez (9-2, 3.86 ERA) didn't have it and the Sox were shut down by the Seattle Mariners, mainly by starter Mike Leake. Leake held the Sox to no runs and 4 hits in 8 innings as Rodriguez got lit up for 5 runs in just 4 innings. Nelson Cruz continued to hit balls all over Fenway and when the game was over it was the Mariners who ran away with a 7-2 victory at Fenway Park.
The Mariners wasted no time scoring against Rodriguez in the top of the first inning. Dee Gordon singled and Mitch Haniger doubled to give the Mariners the lead two batters into the game. Nelson Cruz grounded out but Haninger moved to third. Kyle Seager flied out to left and Ryon Healy flied out to center to end the inning with the Mariners up 1-0.
The Sox squandered a huge chance to tie the game in the bottom of the first as Tzu-Wei Lin struck out to start. Andrew Benintendi lined out to first but JD Martinez and Mitch Moreland stroked back to back singles. Brock "The Hitman" Holt walked to load the bases but Rafael Devers grounded out to second to end the inning.
Rodriguez got in trouble in the top of the second as Ben Gamel was plunked to open the frame. Guillermo Heredia whiffed but Chris Hermann singled. Andrew Romine popped up to first and Gordon lined out to left to end the inning. Leake dominated the bottom of the second as Eduardo Nunez flied out to right, Christian Vazquez grounded out to third and Jackie Bradley Jr lined out back to Leake to end the inning.
The Mariners struck again in the top of the third although Haniger struck out to start. The pain in the ass Cruz doubled but Seager flied out to center. Not only did Lin strike out to open the first he threw a routine grounder by Healy away allowing Cruz to score. Gamel flied out to center to end the inning but it was 2-0 Seattle.
Lin did not redeem himself by striking out again in the bottom of the third. Benintendi singled but was erased on the force by Martinez. Martinez was gunned down at second on a blown hit and run to end the inning.
The Mariners broke the game open in the top of the fourth inning although Rodriguez snuffed out a bunt by Heredia to start. Hermann walked and Romine singled before Gordon advanced both runners with a ground out to the mound. Haniger doubled home both runners to increase the lead. Cruz was intentionally walked and Seager singled home Haniger. Healy grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 5-0 Mariners, game over. That was it for Rodriguez who lasted just 4 innings and gave up 5 runs.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Moreland grounded out to second to start. Holt grounded out to short and Devers whiffed to end the inning.
Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez came in for the top of the fifth and got Gamel to ground out to short to begin. Heredia singled but Hermann flied out to center. Romine lined out to left to end the inning. The Sox failed to score in the bottom of the fifth as Nunez flied out to right to start. Vazquez grounded out to third and JBJ lined out to center to end the inning.
The Mariners tagged Velazquez in the top of the sixth as Gordon flied out to start. Haniger grounded out to short but the pain in the ass Cruz singled and Seager doubled him to third. Healy hit a grounder to third that Devers snared but couldn't make the play to score Cruz. Gamel grounded into a force to end the inning but it was 6-0 Mariners.
The Sox caught a break when Lin reached on an error by Healy to start the bottom of the sixth then moved to second on the Benintendi ground out. Martinez grounded out to second to advance Lin to third but Moreland flied out to left to end the inning.
The Mariners got to Velazquez again in the top of the seventh as Heredia singled and Hermann stroked a single to advance Heredia to third. Romine whiffed but Heredia scored on the Gordon ground out. Haniger flied out to left to end the inning but it was 7-0 Mariners.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the seventh as Holt grounded out to first to start. Devers also grounded out to first but Nunez walked. Vazquez took strike three to end the inning.
Brandon Workman got the call to pitch the top of the eighth as Blake Swihart took over at third for Devers. Cruz singled again but Seager took strike three. Healy whiffed and Gamel lined out to left to end the inning. Leake finished off his night in the bottom of the eighth as JBJ whiffed to start. Lin grounded out to third and Benintendi lined out to right to end the inning.
Heath Hembree had mop up duty in the top of the ninth and he froze Heredia for strike three to start. Hermann walked but Romine popped up to third. Gordon lined out to right to end the inning. Edwin Diaz took over for Leake in the bottom of the ninth but the Sox sprang to life. Martinez singled and Moreland tripled him home. Holt and Swihart both whiffed but Nunez singled home Moreland while taking second on a muff in right. Vazquez grounded out to third to end the inning as the Mariners won it 7-2.
Jackass of the Night is Eduardo Rodriguez. He got it up for 5 runs in 4 innings and the Sox couldn't climb out of that kind of hole.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Eduardo Nunez was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Tzu-Wei Lin was 0 for 4 with an error and 2 strikeouts.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 1 at the plate.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4.
Brock Holt was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Hector Velazquez allowed 2 runs in 3 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
What a disaster that was. The Sox were bound for a stinkeroo this week and this was it. They couldn't do anything right on offense, defense or on the mound. They just can't seem to get Cruz out and Rodriguez nibbled so much its a wonder the mound is still intact. Its only one game but they looked like complete crap in this one. You can't get up for 162 games a year and they certainly didn't get up for this one. The less said of this game the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 51-27, 1 game behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox wrap up their series with the Mariners tomorrow afternoon with Chris Sale (6-4) taking on Marco Gonzales at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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