As for the game, what a disaster. Sox rookie Jalen "Twin" Beeks got shelled in his major league debut by the Detroit Tigers. Taking the place of the injured Drew Pomeranz, the Tigers pounded out 6 runs early and never looked back, winning easily 8-1 at Fenway Park.
Beeks began his beating in the top of the first inning by striking out JaCoby Jones. The flood gates opened as Nicholas Castellanos doubled and Miguel Cabrera walked. Victor Martinez flied out to right and all Beeks needed was one more out. He didn't get it as Jeimer Candelario doubled home two runs to put the Tigers on the board. John Hicks singled to right to score Candelario and Leonys Martin smashed a 400,000 foot home run to ice the game 7 batters into the game. Jose Iglesias popped up to end the inning but the Tigers pounded Beeks for 5 runs to take a 5-0 lead early. Welcome to the big leagues kid.
The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the first when Andrew Benintendi greeted Tigers starter Matthew Boyd with a solo home run to put the Sox on the board. That was it for offense as Xander Bogaerts watched strike three go by. JD Martinez walked but Mitch Moreland whiffed. A wild pitch moved Martinez to second but Eduardo Nunez flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox down 5-1.
Dixon Machado singled to open the top of the second but Beeks froze Jones for strike three. Castellanos lined out to third but Cabrera and Martinez both walked to load the bases. This time Beeks got Candelario to ground into a force to end the inning. The Sox missed their last chance to come close when Sam Travis walked to open the bottom of the second. Rafael Devers singled but Christian Vazquez struck out. Blake Swihart walked to load the bases meaning one swing of the bat ties the game. Unfortunately the swing of the bat by Benintendi was a double play to end the inning.
The Tigers struck again in the top of the third inning although Hicks popped up to first to start. Martin clubbed a triple before Iglesias doubled him home. Machado flied out to left before Jones whiffed to end the inning with the Tigers up 6-1.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Bogaers popped up to second to begin. Martinez lined out to left but Moreland doubled. Nunez looked to have beat out an infield single but the Tigers challenged the call and got it overturned for the third out to end the inning.
Castellanos grounded out to short to begin the top of the fourth before Cabrera looked at strike three. Martinez flied out to left to end the inning. That was it for Beeks who didn't have the best debut by allowing 6 runs in 4 innings, yuck!
Boyd cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Travis lined out to left to start. Devers lined out to center but Vazquez flied out to right to end the inning.
Brian Johnson took the ball in the top of the fifth and struck out Candelario to start. Hicks lined out to center and Martin whiffed to end the inning. The Sox tried to fight back in the bottom of the fifth as Swihart doubled to start. Benintendi popped up to third but a wild pitch moved Swihart to third, where he scored on the Bogaerts ground out. Martinez whiffed to end the inning but it was 6-2 Tigers.
The Tigers beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the sixth inning as Iglesias grounded out to short, Machado grounded out to short and Jones grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Nothing happened in the bottom of the sixth as Moreland whiffed, Nunez grounded out to second and Travis grounded out to third to end the inning.
Johnson remained hot in the top of the seventh as Castellanos grounded out to third to begin. Cabrera grounded out to third and Martinez whiffed to end the inning. Devers whiffed to begin the bottom of the seventh but Vazquez walked to chase Boyd. Alex Wilson came in and got Swihart to ground out to first and Benintendi to ground out to short to end the inning.
Brock "The Hitman" Holt took over in right as Johnson ran out of gas in the top of the eighth. Candelario and Hicks stroked back to back singles but Martin whiffed. Iglesias singled home Candelario to increase the lead. Machado beat out a double play ball but Jones whiffed to end the inning. A yeoman's effort by Johnson to keep the Sox in it after Beeks faltered but the offense let him down with the Tigers ahead 7-2.
Joe Jimenez came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Bogaerts popped up to short to begin. Holt singled and Moreland walked then Nunez singled to load the bases. With a chance to get back in the game....Travis and Devers struck out to end the inning. So much for that.
Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning and Castellanos whiffed to start. Cabrera grounded out to third and Martinez struck out to end the inning. Shane Greene came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Vazquez flied out to center to start. Swihart flied out to center but Benintendi singled. Bogaerts grounded out to end the game, the Tigers had won it 7-2.
Jackass of the Night is Jalen Beeks. He sucked in his debut allowing 6 runs in 4 innings, 5 in the first inning alone. Not ideal.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with a solo home run.
Brock Holt singled as a pinch hitter.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Blake Swihart was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Brian Johnson allowed just 1 run in 4 innings of work.
Hector Velazquez pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 5 but drove in a run.
JD Martinez was 0 for 2 but walked.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4.
Sam Travis was 0 for 3 but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
What a terrible debut by Twin Beeks but also a terrible at bat by Sam Travis in the eighth inning. A base hit or a sac fly would have made quite a difference. The Sox homegrown up and comers didn't do much tonight that's for sure. Its too bad the four game win streak came to an end but sometimes its expected with a rookie on the mound. Not that Drew Pomeranz would do any better with his diminished velocity but no use squawking about that right now. The less said of this disaster the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 43-20, 1 game ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the BoSox welcome the Chicago White Sox to Fenway Park for a three game set. Chris Sale (5-3) takes on Dylan Covey at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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