Rodriguez started strong in the top of the first inning when he struck out George Springer to start. Jose Altuve whiffed and Alex Bregman lined out to second to end the inning. The Sox struck first against Charlie Morton in the bottom of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi struck back to back singles but JD Martinez lined out to center. Bogaerts singled home Betts to give the Sox the lead. That was it for the rally as Mitch Moreland lined out to right and Ian Kinsler grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
The Astros wasted little time pounding Rodriguez in the top of the second inning. Yuli Gurriel looked at strike three but Carlos Correa doubled and Tyler White tripled him home to tie the game. Jake Marisnick scored White with a sac fly before Martin Maldonaldo walked. Tony Kemp singled before Springer flied out to right to end the inning with the Astros up 2-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second inning as Rafael Devers flied out to left, Christian Vazquez struck out and Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to center to end the inning.
The Astros tacked it on in the top of the third inning although JBJ robbed Altuve of a triple to start. Bregman then hit a 5,000,000 foot bomb into the Gulf of Mexico to increase the lead. Gurriel singled but Correa whiffed. White walked but Marisnick popped up to second to end the inning with the Astros up 3-1.
The Sox tried to fight back when Mr. Mookie led off the bottom of the third with a double but Benintendi lined out to center and Martinez grounded out to short. Bogaerts singled but Moreland whiffed to end the inning.
The Astros iced the game in the top of the fourth as Maldonado crushed a 78,000 foot home run to start. Kemp grounded out to short but Springer walked to chase the incompetent Rodriguez. In a playoff preview, Rodriguez crapped his pants going just 3 1/3 innings while allowing 5 runs. Another lousy start by this terrible rotation.
Brandon Workman came in and allowed a single to Altuve before Bregman walked to load the bases. Gurriel iced the game with a sac fly before Correa grounded out to end the inning with the Astros up 5-1.
The Sox pissed away any chance to come back in the bottom of the fourth as Kinsler and Devers grounded out to short before Vazquez walked. JBJ singled and Betts walked to load the bases.....but Benintendi flied out to center to end the inning.
Somehow Workman kept the Astros off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth as White and Marisnick grounded out to short to begin before Maldonado singled. Kemp grounded into a force to end the inning. The Sox somehow got a run back in the bottom of the fifth although Martinez flied out to right to begin. Bogaerts then smashed his 21st homer of the year to cut into the deficit. Moreland whiffed and Kinsler flied out to center to end the inning but it was 5-2 Houston.
Bobby Poyner came in to pitch the top of the sixth inning and Springer singled to start. Altuve was plunked but Poyner beared down to strike out Bregman. Gurriel popped up to short and Correa grounded out to first to end the inning. Josh James came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth as Devers grounded out to short to start. Vazquez popped up to first and JBJ whiffed to end the inning.
Poyner returned for the top of the seventh and White whiffed to start. Marisnick flied out to center and Maldonado struck out swinging to end the inning. 2 shutout innings by Poyner kept the Sox in the game.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the seventh when Mr. Mookie whiffed to start. Benintendi grounded out to second and Martinez lined out to right to end the inning,
Tyler Thornburg bolted out of the bullpen and made a mad dash to the mound to pitch the top of the eighth inning. Kemp and Springer singled before Devers threw Spinger's single away to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Thornburg beared down to get Altuve to fly out to left to begin. Bregman whiffed before Gurriel popped up to second to end the inning. Josh Reddick took over for Kemp in the left to begin the bottom of the eighth but Bogaerts struck out. Moreland doubled but Kinsler whiffed. Ryan Pressly came in to pitch to Devers and he looked at strike three to end the inning.
Thornburg sprinted out of the dugout for the top of the ninth and Correa lined out to first to start. White walked and Marwin Gonzalez ran for him. Marisnick banged into a double play to end the inning. Astros closer Roberto Osuna came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth looking for the savre and Blake Swihart pinch hit for Vazquez. Swihart singled but JBJ popped up to first. Betts walked and a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Benintendi singled home Swihart to put the tying run at first. With a chance to win the game....Martinez banged into a double play to end the game. The Astros held on to win 5-3.
Jackass of the Night is JD Martinez. He was 0 for 5, left a ton of men on base and banged into a double play to end the game.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 4 with 2 total rbis including a solo home run.
Blake Swihart singled and scored as a pinch hitter.
Brandon Workman tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Bobby Poyner tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Tyler Thornburg pitched 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Ian Kinsler was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.
Eduardo Rodriguez lasted just 3 1/3 innings and allowed 5 runs to take the loss.
The Ugly:
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 2 but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
Once again the Sox look completely inferior to the Astros in every phase of the game. The Astros starting pitching is better, their lineup is better and their bullpen is better. Rodriguez got lit up and the Sox could barely touch Morton and the bullpen allowed just a single run with many scoring chances coming and going. Kudos to the Sox bullpen to toss 5 2/3 scoreless innings to give the offense a chance to win the game even though they didn't. Martinez has carried the Sox all year so it was natural to put out one flat stinkeroo. The less said of this game the better. The loss drops the Sox to 97-46, 7.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night its the god awful ESPN Sunday Night Baseball telecast where the Sox look to avoid a sweep as they send Rick Porcello to the mound up against Dallas Keuchel at 8:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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