As for the game, Sox fans are actually cheering every single Sox loss. Today in Game 1 the Sox were down 4-1 after Martin Perez got his lunch handed to him. Somehow the Sox rallied to take a 5-4 lead in the 6th inning. Have no fear Sox fans, Matt Barnes (1-3, 5.40 ERA) blew the game in the bottom of the seventh. With 2 outs and 2 on, Alec Bohm's 2 run base hit to left won the game for the Phillies 6-5 in Game 1 of today's doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park.
Phillies starter Zach Eflin got the ball in the top of the first inning and Alex Verdugo whiffed to start. Rafael Devers took strike three but Xander Bogaerts lined a base hit to left. JD Martinez grounded out to second to end the inning. Perez got the ball in the bottom of the first and Andrew McCutchen whiffed to start. Rhys Hoskins walked but was forced at second by Bryce Harper. JT Realmuto flied out to right to end the inning.
Christian Vazquez singled in the hole at third to start the top of the second but Jackie Bradley Jr struck out swinging. Michael Chavis flied out to left but Bobby Dalbec walked. Christian Arroyo made his Sox debut by getting an infield single to short to load the bases. Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning. Naturally the Phillies had no problem hitting in the bottom of the second although Jean Segura grounded out to second to start. Didi Gregorius then blasted a 11,000 foot home run to give the Phillies the lead. Phil Gosselin popped up a bunt past the diving Vazquez for a hit and Alex Bohm singled to short. Andrew Knapp banged into a double play to end the inning....but wait! The Phillies challenged the call an and Knapp was ruled safe after the replay to put runners at the corners. McCutchen walked to load the bases but Hoskins lined out to left to end the inning with the Phillies ahead 1-0.
The Sox struck back in the top of the third when Devers pounded his 8th home run of the season to tie the game. Bogaerts whiffed and Martinez grounded out to short but Vazquez singled to right. JBJ took strike three to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Phillies exploded in the bottom of the third when Harper walked to start. Harper moved to second on the grounder by Realmuto and to third on the Segura grounder to second. Vazquez tried to pick Harper off of third but threw the ball all the way to Pittsburgh to score Harper with the go-ahead run. Gregorius and Gosselin both walked and moved over on a wild pitch, both scoring on the Bohm single to center. Knapp flied out to right to end the inning but the Phillies were up 4-1.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth when Chavis whiffed to start. Dalbec grounded back to the mound and Arroyo grounded out to second to end the inning. Perez recovered to strike out McCutchen swinging to start the bottom of the fourth. Hoskins walked but Harper banged into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox roared back in the top of the fifth when Verdugo smashed his 6th home run of the year to cut the lead. Devers followed with his second home run of the day to bring the Sox closer. Bogaerts grounded out to short and Martinez flied out to right, but Vazquez singled to right. JBJ flied out to left to end the inning but the Sox inched closer 4-3.
Perez returned for one final inning in the bottom of the fifth and Realmuto grounded out to short to start. Segura singled to center but Gregorius popped up to first. Gosselin lined out to left to end the inning. Perez stunk again by allowing 4 runs in just 5 innings.
Somehow the Sox jumped ahead in the top of the sixth with Adam Haseley taking over for Gosselin and Tommy Hunter on the mound. Chavis lined out to right but Dalbec pounded his fourth home run of the season to tie the game. Verdugo was hit with a pitch and Devers doubled him home to give the Sox the lead. Hector Neris came in and Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-4.
Ryan Brasier came in for the top of the seventh and Bohm grounded out to short to start. Knapp walked and McCutchen singled to left, but Hoskins whiffed. Harper flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox looked to add insurance when Martinez walked to start the top of the seventh. Vazquez got another base hit to left but JBJ whiffed and Chavis banged into a double play to end the inning. Matt Barnes came on to close out the game in the bottom of the seventh and crapped his pants. Realmuto walked to start but Segura whiffed. Gregorius singled Realmuto to third and stole second on the Haseley called strike three. One strike away from victory....Barnes served up a 2 run, walkoff single to Bohm to lose the game. The Phillies had pulled it out 6-5 in 7 innings.
Jackass of the Night is Matt Barnes. He blew the game in the bottom of the seventh to take the loss.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored, a hit by pitch and a home run.
Rafael Devers was 3 for 4 with 3 total rbis, 2 runs scored and a home run.
Christian Vazquez was 4 for 4.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 2 with a walk and a home run.
Christian Arroyo was 1 for 3.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 6th inning.
The Bad:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Martin Perez allowed 4 runs in 5 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
JD Martinez was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
For all the Sox fans that went them to lose to get the number one overall pick, there, happy now? Barnes is not a closer and probably never will be again once the season is over. The encouraging sign is the offense is starting to pick up, namely Devers and Vazquez. Bobby Dalbec is pulling a Chavis from last year and Sam Horn from 1987. He's picking up where Mitch Moreland left off and hopefully he can keep that up in 2021. Speaking of 2021, Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale better come back because fans aren't going to sit through 162 games of "openers". It was good to see the Sox show some balls to take the lead late in the game but Sox fans are apparently happy they blew the game. The loss dropped the Sox to 14-29, last place in the AL East. In about a half hour the Sox play game two against the Phillies when they send Chris Mazza (0-1) opposite Vince Velasquez at Citizen's Bank Park.
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