Wade LeBlanc got the ball to start the top of the first inning and the Sox tagged him. Mr. Mookie greeted him by grounding out to short to begin before Rafael Devers got a lucky double to left when the left fielder misjudged it. JD Martinez singled up the middle on the first pitch to score Devers with the first run. Xander Bogaerts drew a walk and Ryon Healy threw a double play ball by Sam Travis away to load the bases. Mitch Moreland popped up to left before Eduardo Nunez singled in the hole at third to score Martinez and Bogaerts. Christian Vazquez flied out to center to end the inning but it was 3-0 Sox.
"Slick" Rick Porcello took the mound in the bottom of the first and struck out Mallex Smith to start. Bogaerts lost a pop up by Mitch Haniger in the sun but the alert Martinez caught it in time. Porcello froze Domingo Santana to end the inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr led off the top of the second by grounding out to first. Mr. Mookie hit a 401 foot fly out to the centerfield wall before Devers grounding out to first to end the inning. Jay Bruce started a rally with a double to right to start the bottom of the second before Omar Narvaez poked a single to center to put runners at the corners. Beckham had Porcello on the ropes by running the count full but Porcello froze him with a perfect pitch on the outside corner for strike three. Porcello got Healy to pop up to third before Daniel Vogelbach walked to load the bases. Gordon made Rick pay by stroking a single to score Bruce and Narvaez. Smith grounded out to first but Porcello was at 40 pitches and it was 3-2 Sox.
Martinez tried to start a rally by drawing a walk to open the top of the third but Bogaerts poked a piece of crap pop up to right. Travis hit a routine fly to center but Moreland doubled into the right field corner. Unfortunately Nunez popped up to right on the first pitch to end the inning. The Mariners took advantage of an error by Martinez to rally again. JD dropped a pop up by Haninger and it allowed him to reach second. Santana hit a rocket to the left field wall that Martinez grabbed but Haniger moved to third. Bruce walked on 4 pitches not even close and Narvaez smashed a 3 run bomb to put the Mariners up for good. Beckham drew a full count walk and Healy singled him to third. Porcello walked Vogelbach before Gordon hit a sac fly to score Beckham. Smith singled up the middle to score Healy to chase Porcello. Porcello was just the lastest starter to get his ass handed to him by allowing 9 earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings. Brian Johnson came in and the parade continued as Haniger doubled down the left field line to score Vogelbach and Smith. Santana flied out to center to end the inning but the game was over 9-3.
The Sox tried to come back in the top of the fourth as Vazquez drew a walk to start. JBJ whiffed but Mr. Mookie beat out a double play ball. That was big as Devers singled and Martinez crushed a three run homer to inch the Sox closer. Bogaerts singled to center but Travis lined out to right to end the inning with the Sox down 9-6.
The Mariners wasted no time getting the runs back as Bruce hit a home run into the Pacific Ocean to open the bottom of the fourth. Narvaez flied out to center and Beckham grounded out to short but Healy doubled down the left field line. Vogelbach flied out to left to end the inning but now it was over 10-6.
The Sox gave up after that as they went quietly in the top of the fifth. Moreland flied out to left, Nunez grounded out to short and Vazquez lined out to right to end the inning. Johnson almost got tagged in the bottom of the fifth as Gordon flied out to center to begin. Smith flied out to left but Haniger singled and Santana walked. Bruce whiffed on a full count to end the inning.
The Sox struck in the top of the sixth although JBJ grounded out to first to start. That was it for LeBlanc as Nick Rumbelow replaced him. Mr. Mookie greeted him with his first home run of the year to cut into the lead. Devers lined out to center and Martinez lined out to right to end the inning but it was 10-7.
Brandon Workman came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth inning and got Narvaez to line out to left to start. Beckham looked at strike three but Healy walked. Vogelbach whiffed to end the inning.
The Sox went quietly against Matt Festa in the top of the seventh as Bogaerts looked at strike three to start. Travis grounded out to second and Moreland whiffed to end the inning. Colten Brewer got the call to pitch the bottom of the seventh and crapped his pants. Gordon stuck his bat out, poking a single to center before Devers battled the sun to corral a pop up by Smith in foul territory. Gordon plowed into Nunez on a steal attempt and was safe before moving to third on a passed ball strikeout by Haniger. Santana walked on four pitches not even close to load the bases but Brewer somehow struck out both Bruce and Narvaez to end the inning. Good work Brewer!
The Sox did nothing in the top of the eighth as Nunez popped up to Gordon to start. Vazquez grounded out to third but JBJ doubled into the right field corner. Mr. Mookie walked to chase Festa and Roenis Elias got Devers to pop up to left to end the inning. Ryan Brasier made his season debut in the bottom of the eighth and naturally Beckham singled up the middle to start. Healy lined out to center and Vogelbach whiffed. Gordon whiffed to end the inning.
Cory Gearrin came in to finish off the Sox in the top of the ninth and Martinez got on with a walk. Bogaerts flied out to right and Andrew Benintendi pinch hit for Travis. Benintendi and Moreland drew back to back walks to load the bases. That was it for Gearrin as Chasen Bradford was brought in to face Blake Swihart who was pinch hitting for Nunez. Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch ran for Moreland and Swihart drew a full count walk to score Martinez, re-loading the bases. Naturally Vazquez pissed down his leg and whiffed before JBJ grounded out weakly to second to end the game. The Sox rallied in the ninth again but it was too much to overcome in the 10-8 loss.
Jackass of the Night is Rick Porcello. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings and was charged with 9 runs (4 earned). He allowed 6 hits, an uncharacteristic 4 walks and one home run.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 3 total runs scored, 4 total rbis including a 3 run homer.
Andrew Benintendi walked as a pinch hitter.
Blake Swihart walked and drove in a run.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
Colton Brewer pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Sam Travis was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4 but drove in 2 runs.
Mitch Moreland was just 1 for 4 but walked.
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but scored two runs, walked and the one hit was a solo home run.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 5.
Brian Johnson allowed 2 inherited runners to score but only one of his own in 2 1/3 innings.
Honorable Mention:
Brock Holt pinch ran for Moreland in the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
What more can be said apart from the Sox weren't ready to start the season. The Mariners hit everything a mile or simply stuck their bats out and the balls dropped in somewhere. This was a four game mugging with an audience. The Mariners scored 34 runs in four games and the Sox needed a miracle rally to win one game. The only bright side is the New York Yankees lost two of three at home against Baltimore, games they need to win. Hopefully the starters got their rust off and can come back this coming week after first game jitters are gone. The Sox look to bounce back in a four game set in Oakland starting tomorrow night. David Price makes his season debut opposite Aaron Brooks at 10:00 PM Eastern time at the Oakland Coliseum.
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