The bad news was the Miami Heat eliminated the Boston Celtics with their Game 6 win in the NBA East Finals, the good news was the Boston Red Sox won their final regular season game. HALLELUJA!!! HALLELUJA! The 2020 Boston Red Sox season is over! One of the worst seasons in franchise history is finally over after 2 agonizing months of torture. After the year began with Alex Cora fired in January, Mookie Betts was traded in February. Chris Sale announced he needed Tommy John just as Covid-19 hit in March. The season was postponed until July and at that point, Eduardo Rodriguez developed a serious heart condition due to Covid and was forced to miss the season. Sox GM Chaim Bloom decided to take a knee on fourth down this season by not putting together a legitimate starting rotation, which led to the Sox falling into the last place for the fourth time in nine years. The season ended on a high note though as the Sox made mincemeat out of the Atlanta Braves in the final game of the season. Nick Pivetta (2-0, 6.89 ERA) once again tossed 5 innings of 1 run ball before departing manager Ron Roenicke pulled him. In what could be Jackie Bradley Jr's final game, he led the offensive charge by going 3 for 6 with a home run. Xander Bogaerts, JD Martinez and Jonathan Arauz all hit home runs as the Sox closed the book on their last place season on a high note, beating the Braves 9-1 at Truist Field.
Braves starter Bryse Wilson got tagged immediately in the top of the first inning as Jackie Bradley Jr led off his possible final game in Boston with a double to left to start. Rafael Devers singled down the right field line to score Bradley to put the Sox on top. Xander Bogaerts whiffed but JD Martinez moved Devers to second with a grounder. Kevin Plawecki walked but Bobby Dalbec grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
The Braves fought back against Pivetta in the bottom of the first as Ozzie Albies flied out to left to start. Freddie Freeman grounded out to second but Marcell Ozuna hit a home run to Denmark to tie the game. None other than old friend Pablo Sandoval drew a walk and Adam Duvall singled to center. Nick Markakis grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Michael Chavis grounded out to short to start the top of the second but Tzu-Wei Lin singled to left. Jonathan Arauz singled Lin to third but Tzu was out at home on a grounder by JBJ. Devers grounded out to short to end the inning. Pivetta cruised in the bottom of the second as Dansby Swanson whiffed to start. Tyler Flowers took strike three and Ender Inciarte popped up to short to end the inning.
Bogaerts singled to short to start the top of the third before moving to second on the Martinez grounder. Plawecki took strike three but Dalbec walked. Chavis grounded out to second to end the inning. The departing JBJ made one final highlight reel catch in the bottom of the third when he robbed Albies of a triple at the centerfield wall too start. Freeman singled to center but JBJ robbed Ozuna of extra bases as well. Sandoval struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox took command in the top of the fourth with Will Smith now on the mound. Lin lined out to short and Arauz whiffed, but today's star JBJ pounded his 7th home run of the year to put the Sox up for good. Devers whiffed to end the inning but it was 2-1 Sox.
Pivetta cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Duvall popped up to second to start. Markakis flied out to center and Swanson took strike three to end the inning,
The Sox got another run in the top of the fifth against Darren O'Day. Bogaerts smashed his 11th home run of the season to increase the lead before Martinez flied out to left. Plawecki and Dalbec both went down hacking to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1.
Pivetta returned for one final inning in the bottom of the fifth as Flowers whiffed to start. Inciarte walked and Albies singled off the glove of Arauz, but Freeman lined out to right. Ozuna lined out to second to end the inning. Despite having all winter to rest, Sox manager Ron Roenicke felt that was enough from Pivetta and pulled him after allowing just the home run in 5 innings.
Shane Greene came in for the top of the sixth and Chavis lined out to right to start. Lin grounded out to second but Arauz walked. JBJ flied out to left to end the inning. Cesar Puello took Bogaerts' spot in the batting order but went to right with Lin moving to second base and Arauz to short to start the bottom of the sixth. Darwinzon Hernandez took the mound and somehow walked Sandoval to start. Duvall lined out to left but Markakis singled and everyone moved over on the passed ball by Plawecki. Swanson walked to load the bases but Flowers took strike three and Hernandez blew away Inciarte on a 94 mph fastball to end the inning.
Chris Martin came in to pitch the top of the seventh but after throwing one pitch, he fell to the ground clutching his groin. He had to be carried out on a stretcher and Luke Jackson came in ice cold to replace him. The Sox feasted although Devers grounded out to second to start. Puello singled to right and Martinez smashed his seventh home run of the season to increase the lead. Plawecki walked, Dalbec was plunked and Chavis doubled home Plawecki. Lin grounded out to first but Arauz singled home Dalbec and Chavis to ice the game. JBJ singled to left but Devers grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-1.
Ryan Weber took over for the bottom of the seventh and Albies flied out to right to start. Freeman grounded out to first but Ozuna singled to left. Sandoval grounded into a force to end the inning.
Mark Melancon came in for the top of the eighth and Puello singled to left to start. Martinez took strike three but Plawecki singled to center. Dalbec and Chavis both took strike three to end the inning. Weber got Duvall to hit one up the elevator shaft to begin the bottom of the eighth. Markakis doubled to center but Swanson grounded out to short. Flowers took strike three to end the inning.
Josh Tomlin came on for the top of the ninth and the Sox tagged him. Lin grounded out to first but Arauz struck his only home run of the season to wrap up the scoring. JBJ and Devers whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-1.
Mike Kickham had mop up duty in the bottom of the ninth and Inciarte lined out to center to start. Albies whiffed and Adeiny Hechavarria pinch hit for Freeman. Hechavarria grounded out to short to end the game and the season for the Red Sox. The Sox ended 2020 on a high note by winning 9-1.
Hero of the Night is Jackie Bradley Jr. In what could be his last game for the Red Sox, Bradley scored the game's first run, robbed Albies of a triple and his home run in the fourth put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 3 with a home run before leaving.
Cesar Puello was 2 for 2 with a run scored.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Jonathan Arauz was 3 for 4 with a walk, 3 total rbis and a home run.
Nick Pivetta earned the win by tossing 5 innings while allowing one run for hits and 2 walks.
Darwinzon Hernandez tossed a scoreless sixth inning.
Ryan Weber tossed two scoreless innings.
Mike Kickham tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 6 but drove in a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 5 but the one hit was a 2 run home run.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 but walked, was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Michael Chavis was just 1 for 5 but drove in a run.
Tzu-Wei Lin was just 1 for 5.
Final Thoughts:
WE MADE IT!!! After 60 agonizing games and 65 days, the 2020 season is over for the Red Sox. This was as bad as it gets considering the Red Sox didn't have a rotation until the middle of September when Tanner Houck was brought up and Nick Pivetta was activated. In fact, if this was the middle of June and the Sox were 24-36, with the way the offense was gelling and the rotation improving, the Sox may have made a comeback during a full season. As it was, Sox management didn't even try this year. Losing Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez and Colin McHugh to either injury or Covid related issues hurt but Sox GM Chaim Bloom didn't even replace them. The Sox went into the season back in July with only two starters, Nathan Eovaldi and Martin Perez. Those guys would be 4-5 in a real rotation. Meanwhile the Sox sent a production line of bums to pitch this season and that's the real reason they finished last. The offense was as good as anyone but 4 games out of 5 they were down 5-6 runs by the third inning. There were some bright spots this season with Houck being the first. If he can build on this season, he could be their first homegrown ace since Clay Buchholz. Bobby Dalbec replaced Mitch Moreland and hit almost as many home runs as Moreland did. Phillips Valdez was one of the only guys that could get anyone out in the bullpen and the Sox may want to keep him around next year. Alex Verdugo was never going to replace Mookie Betts but in his own way, he became a stud. The Sox have a lot of work to do in the off-season to repair the damage but with all the prospects Bloom orchestrated to acquire plus the additions of Verdugo and Pivetta, rebuilding just got a lot easier. The Sox need to rebuild their bullpen and make a decision on who's in the outfield. If they don't want to bring Jackie Bradley Jr back they better hope this was just an off-year for Andrew Benintendi. Still, unlike last year things are looking up with a re-stocked farm system, a potential new ace and a younger offense that gelled. The Sox finished their season in last place at 24-36 on the season. If MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred doesn't screw with the draft order, the Sox will get the number 4 overall pick since they finished ahead of Pittsburgh, Texas and Detroit. The Sox will most certainly miss out on Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter and the number one bat in the country....but that doesn't mean they can't draft a stud anyway. Who knows what the world will look like come February when spring training begins but with Alex Cora possibly returning, Tanner Houck & Nick Pivetta shoring up the starting pitching, Chris Sale & Eduardo Rodriguez coming back and Alex Verdugo gelling with Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez, things are looking a hell of a lot better for 2021 than they did in 2020. Let us never speak of this disaster ever again.
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