As the season continues to circle the drain tonight's loss is just another of many, many frustrating ones this season. The Boston Sox reverted back to 2017 in their inability to hit in the clutch, getting just 8 hits in the game. Compare that to the Kansas City Royals who scored 5 runs on just 6 hits. "Slick" Rick Porcello (11-10, 5.49 ERA) couldn't get the job done, the Sox committed 2 errors and it all led to yet another ignominious defeat. The Phillies had swept this brief two game set with a 5-2 win at Fenway Park.
Porcello got the ball in the top of the first inning and froze Rhys Hoskins for strike three to begin. Bryce Harper grounded back to the mound before JT Realmuto walked. Corey Dickerson popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first against Phillies starter Drew Smyly when Mr. Mookie doubled to center and Rafael Devers doubled him home. Xander Bogaerts whiffed but a wild pitch moved Devers to third. JD Martinez walked to put runners at the corners but Andrew Benintendi whiffed. Sam Travis flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Jean Segura lined out to center to begin the top of the second before Logan Morrison grounded out to second. Scott Kingery walked but Cesar Hernandez flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the second but was foolish again. Christian Vazquez walked but was forced at second by Marco Hernandez. Hernandez was thrown out trying to steal and that was important as Jackie Bradley Jr smashed his 16th home run of the season to increase the lead. Mr. Mookie lined out back to the mound to end the inning but it was 2-0 Sox.
Porcello got in trouble in the top of the third inning although Adam Haseley whiffed to start. Hoskins doubled and Harper walked but Realmuto flied out to left. Dickerson whiffed to end the inning. The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the third as Devers grounded out to second to start. Bogaerts looked at strike three before Martinez grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Porcello cruised in the top of the fourth as Segura flied out to left to begin. Morrison flied out to right and Kingery grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox inablity to hit in the clutch last night carried over to tonight as Benintendi struck a ground rule double to right to start the bottom of the fourth. Travis singled to short to put two on with none out as Vazquez dropped down a bunt to move the runners into scoring position. The rally ended as JBJ whiffed and Phillies manager Gabe Kapler brought in Jared Hughes to pitch to Betts. Betts grounded out to third to end the inning, another waste.
Right on cue the Phillies took the lead in the top of the fifth as Hernandez doubled to right to begin. Porcello threw a pitch to the backstop and Vazquez threw the ball out of Fenway Park for an error to score Cesar. Haseley walked but Hoskins flied out to center. Harper ended the game with a 567,000 foot bomb to put Philly up for good. Realmuto flied out to center and Dickerson grounded out to third to end the inning but it was 3-2 Phillies.
The Sox blew another rally when Devers walked to start the bottom of the fifth only for Bogaerts to ground into a double play. Martinez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Porcello was finished after 5 innings and Ryan Brasier came on for the top of the sixth inning. Segura singled to left but Morrison lined out to center. Kingery whiffed but Hernandez walked. Haseley struck out swinging to end the inning. Ranger Suarez replaced Hughes for the bottom of the sixth and Benintendi looked at strike three to start. Travis grounded out to third but Vazquez singled. Hernandez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Andrew Cashner came in to pitch the top of the seventh inning and poured gas on the fire. Hoskins walked and took second on a wild pitch but Harper grounded back to the mound. Realmuto grounded out to third but Dickerson tripled into the right field corner to ice the game. Segura whiffed to end the inning but it was 4-2 Phillies.
JBJ whiffed to start the bottom of the seventh before Mike Morin was brought in to pitch to Betts. Naturally Mr. Mookie whiffed although Hernandez booted a ball by Bogaerts to allow him to reach. Bogaerts popped up to second to end the inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in for the top of the eighth and Sean Rodriguez pinch hit for Morrison. Rodriguez walked and took second on a passed ball. Hernandez punched out Kingery and got Cesar Hernande to ground out to third. Haseley whiffed to end the inning. The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the eighth as Martinez singled to left to begin. Benintendi whiffed and Martinez was forced at second by Travis, but Vazquez doubled Sam to third. For some really stupid reason, Sox manager Alex Cora bypassed Brock "The Hitman" Holt in order to send the 1-12 Chris Owings to the plate to pinch hit for Hernandez. Naturally Owings whiffed on 3 pitches to end the inning. Nice job Cora!
The Phillies hit the knockout punch in the top of the ninth inning against Brandon Workman. Hoskins walked to start but Harper took strike three. Realmuto flied out to right but Hoskins moved to third on a balk and scored on the Dickerson single. Segura whiffed to end the inning but it was 5-2 Phillies.
Mercifully the game ended in the bottom of the ninth with Hector Neris on the mound. JBJ whiffed before Mr. Mookie grounded out to third. Devers popped up to third to end the game. The Phillies swept the Sox out of Fenway 5-2 and Boston was now 3-59 when trailing after 6 innings.
Jackass of the Night is Rick Porcello. Not that the offense was going to score much anyway, but giving up 3 runs in just 5 innings isn't going to get the job done.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Christian Vazquez was 2 for 2 with a walk.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Chris Owings struck out as a pinch hitter.
Andrew Cashner allowed a run in the 7th inning.
Brandon Workman allowed a run in the 9th inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with an error but walked and drove in a run.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Sam Travis was just 1 for 4.
Marco Hernandez was 0 for 2 and got caught stealing but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but hit a home run.
Final Thoughts:
Can this season just end yet? Its bad enough the Sox pretty much laid down after the trade deadline but the only thing keeping them watchable was the offense. Now the past two games the offense has disappeared and they're completely unwatchable. The good news is there's only a month and change yet until Dave Dombrowski is sent packing. Someone has to be held accountable for 22 blown saves and the bullpen turning 1 run deficits into 7. The worst part is he himself doesn't believe there's anything wrong with the team and can't fathom why he's on the hot seat. The Red Sox fired Terry Francona and John Farrell 4 years after winning the World Series so he should be the first to know that no one is safe under John Henry. As for this game, what more can be said other than they lost another winnable game. The loss dropped the Sox to 67-61, 7 games behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card spot. Tomorrow is the conclusion of the August 7th game against the Kansas City Royals. The game resumes in the 10th inning at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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