As for the game, NOW its time to panic. The Red Sox have basically sleptwalked through the first 17 games of the season heading into this two game set in New York against the Yankees. Red Sox fans figured if the Sox were going to wake up it would be against the Yankees. It didn't happen, instead the opposite happened. James Paxton pitched an 8 inning, no run, 12 strikeout gem for the Yankees while Chris Sale (0-4, 8.50 ERA) got hammered again. The Yankees pounded out 11 hits and 8 runs and the Sox got wiped out on both sides of the ball for the second straight game. The fading Sox were shut out 8-0 at Yankee Stadium. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?
Paxton began his dominance in the top of the first inning when Mookie Betts ran out of the batters box screaming, taking strike three to start the game. Xander Bogaerts and JD Martinez both hit weak pop ups to left to end the inning. Sale miraculously struck out DJ LeMahieu to open the bottom of the first before Jackie Bradley Jr had to climb the centerfield wall to rob Aaron Judge of a home run. JBJ then had to climb the wall again to rob Luke Voit of a home run to end the inning.
Steve Pearce, Mitch Moreland and Eduardo Nunez all whiffed in short order in the top of the second but Sale somehow struck out Gleyber Torres to open the bottom of the second. Bogaerts had to make a diving stop to rob Clint Frazier of a sure triple before Rafael Devers had to make the greatest throw ever to rob Gio Urshela of a sure single to end the inning.
Devers hit a weak grounder to second to begin the top of the third before the returning Sandy Leon weakly popped up to second. JBJ weakly grounded out to second to end the inning. The Yankees took command in the bottom of the third as Brett Gardner easily doubled to start. JBJ had to climb the wall for a third time to rob someone of a home run, this time it was Romine but Gardner moved to third. Somehow Sale struck out Mike Tauchman but LeMahieu effortlessly singled to right to put the Yankees up for good. The scared Sale walked Judge and Voit effortlessly singled to center to score LeMahieu. Somehow Torres whiffed to end the inning but the game was over, 2-0 Yankees.
Betts drew a lucky walk to open the top of the fourth before Bogaerts doubled off the top of the wall. Naturally Martinez and Pearce popped up to right and Moreland whiffed to end the only threat the Sox had. Frazier laughed as he effortlessly crushed a 50,000 foot bomb to increase the lead to start the bottom of the fourth. Devers had to make a diving stop to rob Urshela of a sure triple before JBJ had to climb the wall a fourth time to rob Gardner of a home run. Romine easily singled to center and Tauchman just stuck his bat out and doubled him home. LeMahieu felt sorry for Sale and let him have strike three to end the inning with the Yankees knowing the game was over 4-0.
Nunez popped up to right to begin the top of the fifth before Devers was luckily hit with a pitch. Naturally Leon whiffed and JBJ weakly popped up to left to end the inning. Sale returned for the bottom of the fifth for another beating as Judge closed his eyes and still singled to left. Voit whiffed and Judge took off for second, Leon throwing the ball behind him into the stands for an error that sent Judge to third. Judge was too busy laughing at Leon to score on the fly out to left by Torres before somehow Sale got Frazier to ground to third to end the inning. Sox manager Alex Cora had seen enough of the fallen ace and pulled Sale. The former good pitcher lasted just 5 innings and allowed 4 runs that should have been more if it wasn't for JBJ robbing homers left and right.
Meanwhile the Sox did nothing against Paxton in the top of the sixth inning. Betts and Bogaerts weakly grounded out to third before Martinez whiffed on a pitch 100 feet over his head to end the inning. Reclamation project Erasmo Ramirez made his Sox debut in the bottom of the sixth and pissed down his leg. Urshela effortlessly doubled before Ramire walked Gardner on four pitches not even close. Romine dropped down a bunt to move both runners along before Tauchman swatted a 500,000 foot bomb to ice the game and send Yankee fans into a frenzy. Ramirez had to make a diving stop to rob LeMahieu of a sure double before Judge stuck his bat out and still singled. Voit grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 7-0 Yankees.
Pearce yawned as he watched strike three go by to start the top of the seventh inning. Moreland whiffed on a pitch that bounced in the dirt for the hat trick and Nunez whiffed on a pitch that went to the backstop to end the inning. Ramrez wasn't done sucking yet as he came back for the bottom of the seventh just to serve up a 8,000 foot jack to Torres to wrap up the scoring. Frazier somehow grounded out to third before Urshela popped up to short. The frustrated Ramirez plunked Gardner and Romine grounded out to third to end the inning with the Yankees up 8-0.
Paxton returned for one more inning and he easily struck out both Devers and Leon to start. Somehow JBJ hit a lucky double but Betts popped up weakly to right to end the inning. Paxton easily dominated the Red Sox and laughed at them as he strutted to the dugout. Meanwhile Ramirez trudged to the mound to eat up one more inning in the bottom of the eighth. Tauchman popped up to short, LeMahieu grounded out to third and Judge whiffed to end the inning.
Joe Harvey came in to finish off the Sox in the top of the ninth and Bogaerts grounded out to short to start. Martinez singled but Pearce popped up to left. Moreland popped up to right to end the game. The Yankees easily beat the Red Sox 8-0 at Yankee Stadium.
Jackass of the Night should be the whole team for purposely quitting this game early but I'll go with Chris Sale. The ex-ace was batting practice again giving up 4 runs in 5 innings for another loss on the season.
The Good:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3.
The Bad:
Steve Pearce was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Erasmo Ramirez gave up 4 runs in 3 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but was hit with a pitch.
Final Thoughts:
If this won't wake up the Red Sox, nothing will. They have been completely lifeless for the first month of the season and it doesn't appear to be ending any time soon. Paxton effortlessly dominated the Sox and Sale still can't get anyone out. Fans are already talking about trading Betts, Bogaerts and Sale so frustration as set in early. It wasn't just that they lost, they didn't even bother to show up after getting their brains beat in by Baltimore yesterday. The miserable season trudges on and tomorrow night the Yankees beat the crap out of the Red Sox again. Nathan Eovaldi takes the beating as JA Happ will shut down the Sox at the special start time of 6:30 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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