The good news was the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their NBA East Finals series but the bad news was the Atlanta Braves beat the Boston Red Sox. In one of the sorriest affairs in Major League history, the Red Sox and Braves tried to hand each other the game over and over again in an unnecessary extra inning affair. Once again the Sox went to the bullpen too early and they allowed 7 runs in 6 innings. Sox starter Chris Mazza held the Braves to just 1 run in 5 innings as the Sox took a 2-1 lead. Naturally the Braves came back to take a 4-2 lead going into the ninth. Somehow the Sox tied it to send it to the tenth inning. The Sox took the lead in the 10th just for the Braves to tie it. The Sox took the lead in the 11th just for Freddie Freeman to smash a 2 run walkoff home run to win it for the Braves. This year can't end fast enough after the 8-7 Braves win at Truist Field.
Braves starter Kyle Wright got the ball in the top of the first inning and the Sox beat the ball in the dirt. Alex Verdugo grounded out to first, Christian Arroyo grounded out to short and JD Martinez grounded out to short as well to end the inning. Mazza got tagged in the bottom of the first when Ronald Acuna hit the fifth pitch Chris threw for a 495 foot home run to put Atlanta on top. Ozzie Albies lined out to center but Marcell Ozuna doubled to center. Adam Duvall grounded out to short to move Ozuna to third but Dansby Swanson struck out swinging to end the inning with the Braves ahead 1-0.
Wright cruised in the top of the second as Jackie Bradley Jr grounded back to the mound to start. Kevin Plawecki and Bobby Dalbec both whiffed to end the inning. Mazza cruised in the bottom of the first as Austin Riley whiffed to start. Nick Markakis flied out to left and Tyler Flowers struck out swinging to end the inning.
Tzu-Wei Lin flied out to right to start the top of the third before Michael Chavis grounded out to short. Jonathan Arauz struck out swinging to end the inning. Adeiny Hechavarria flied out to right to start the bottom of the third but Acuna was plunked. Acuna swiped second but Albies whiffed. Ozuna walked but Duvall took strike three to end the inning.
Wright cruised in the top of the fourth as Verdugo lined out to left to start. Arroyo flied out to right but Martinez whiffed to end the inning. Swanson lined out to center to begin the bottom of the fourth but Riley singled to left. Markakis popped up to third but Flowers singled to left. Hechavarria flied out to left to end the inning.
JBJ broke up the perfect game by swatting his 6th home run of the season to start the top of the fifth. Plawecki singled to center but was forced at second by Dalbec. Lin flied out to right and Chavis lined back to the mound to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Acuna struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Albies popped up to short. Ozuna walked but Duvall flied out to center to end the inning. Mazza had thrown 83 pitches through 5 and allowed just one run, but Sox manager Ron Roenicke felt he was doing too well.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the sixth as Arauz lined out to center to start. Verdugo grounded out to short and Arroyo also grounded out to short to end the inning. Darwinzon Hernandez came in for the bottom of the sixth and Swanson flied out to center to start. Riley walked but Markakis took strike three. Flowers was plunked and Hechavarria flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox took the lead in the top of the seventh although Martinez flied out to right to start. JBJ, Plawecki and Dalbec all walked to load the bases and Rafael Devers pinch hit for Lin. Devers hit an absolute rocket but was robbed of a hit by Riley. JBJ scored the go-ahead run but that could have been a 3 run triple. Darren O'Day came in to pitch and Chavis flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Ryan Weber came on for the bottom of the seventh and damn near blew the lead. Acuna grounded out to second but Albies was plunked. Ozuna singled to left and Duvall was plunked to load the bases. Somehow Weber struck out Swanson swinging and got Riley grounded out to first to end the inning.
Will Smith came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Arauz took strike three to start. Alex Verdugo whiffed and Arroyo grounded out to third to end the inning. Ryan Brasier came in to cough up the lead in the bottom of the eighth as Markakis singled to right to start. Flowers took strike three but Hechavarria doubled to right and Acuna was intentionally walked to load the bases. Albies flied out to left but Ozuna singled up the middle to score Markakis and Hechavarria. Duvall hit a routine grounder to Devers who threw it into the stands to score Acuna with another run. Swanson flied out to center to end the inning as Devers pitched a fit in the dugout after helping the Braves take a 4-2 lead.
Braves closer Mark Melancon came in for the top of the ninth with Ender Inciarte in for Markakis. Martinez started the rally with a base hit to center but was forced at second by JBJ. Plawecki singled and Dalbec walked to load the bases to bring up Devers. Devers hit a ground ball to third that ate up Hechavarria, causing him to airmail the throw into the dugout. JBJ and Plawecki scored to tie the game. Xander Bogaerts pinch hit for Chavis and he was intentionally walked to load the bases. Naturally Arauz forced Dalbec at home on a grounder to first. Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning with the game tied 4-4. Once again Roenicke pinch hit for the wrong guy and it cost him.
Cesar Puello came in to play left with Matt Barnes on the mound for the bottom of the ninth. Riley popped up to second and Ender Inciarte whiffed, but Freddie Freeman pinch hit for Flowers. Freeman walked and Travis d'Arnaud pinch hit for Hechavarria, walking as well. Acuna grounded into a force to end the inning.
Chris Martin came in for the top of the tenth inning with Alex Verdugo starting at second. Arroyo grounded out to third but Martinez was intentionally walked. JBJ whiffed but Plawecki got a base hit to right that scored Verdugo and sent Martinez to third. Dalbec stepped up with a base hit to center to score Martinez to give the Sox the lead. Devers lined out to short to end the inning but the Sox were ahead 6-4.
Jeffrey Springs came on to pitch the bottom of the tenth and naturally he pissed down his leg. Acuna started at second and Albies effortlessly singled him in. Ozuna whiffed and Duvall popped up to short, but a wild pitch moved Albies to second. Verdugo then went OLE! on a fly ball by Swanson to score Albies to tie the game. Riley was intentionally walked and Inciarte lined out to second to end the inning with the game tied again 6-6.
Shane Greene came in to pitch the top of the 11th with Devers starting at second. Puello dropped down a bunt to move Devers to third and Arauz walked to put runners at the corners. Verdugo hit a sac fly to score Devers to give the Sox the lead. Arroyo grounded into a force to end the inning but it was 7-6 Sox.
After taking out his pitchers after one inning all damn season, NOW Sox manager Ron Roenicke let Springs throw another inning. Inciarte started at second and Springs threw an 80 mph straight fastball right down the middle that Freeman hit to Jupiter to end the game. The Sox bullpen allowed 7 runs in 6 innings and the Braves had won it 8-7 in 11 innings.
Jackass of the night is Jeffrey Springs. He was tasked to protect leads twice and allowed 4 runs to lose the game.
The Good:
Jackie Bradley Jr scored 3 runs, walked and hit a home run.
Kevin Plawecki was 3 for 4 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and an rbi.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts walked as a pinch hitter.
Cesar Puello dropped down a bunt in his only at bat that led to the run scoring.
Chris Mazza tossed 5 innings of 1 run ball allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks.
Darwinzon Hernandez tossed a scoreless 6th inning.
Ryan Weber tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 6.
Tzu-Wei Lin was 0 for 2.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 3.
Ryan Brasier allowed 3 runs in the bottom of the eighth.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was 0 for 5 but drove in a run and scored a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Jonathan Arauz was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Final Thoughts:
This season can't end fast enough. The only positive is that if Sox GM Chaim Bloom is good at his job, we'll never have to see Ron Roenicke manage or the bums in the bullpen ever again. There's scrap heap pickups and then there's dumpster diving, the Sox dumpster dived for their pitchers this year. The Sox had the lead THREE times and blew all three of them. Brasier and Springs managed to allow 7 runs between them and any other season, fans would complain. The Sox have two games left and are still locked in to the #3 pick in the draft. As it stands now if Pittsburgh takes Kumar Rocker and Texas takes Jack Leiter, the Sox can choose the top 5 tool bat in the country. That's if they remain in the number 3 position. Chris Mazza surprised everyone by going 5 strong with only 1 run allowed, its a shame the bullpen couldn't hold it. Once again Roenicke pulling him after 83 pitches when he has all winter to rest proves Roenicke is not a manager. Two more games and he's gone, thankfully. The loss drops the Sox to 22-36, last place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to bounce back when they send the rookie Tanner Houck (2-0, 0.00 ERA) up against Atlanta's rookie Tucker Davidson at 7:10 PM at Truist Park.
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