The word going around is the Boston Red Sox bullpen is one of their weaknesses. The bullpen wouldn't be that much of an issue if the offense could score runs. The Sox have hit a cold patch lately, namely in the bottom of the order and it cost them against the AL West leading Oakland A's. Just like last night, the Sox only mustered 4 total hits although Nathan Eovaldi kept the Sox in the game with 6 innings of 1 run ball. Darwinzon Hernandez (0-2, 4.63 ERA) allowed 2 runs in the top of the seventh to put the A's up for good. Rafael Devers homered to cut the lead to 1 and the Sox had the tying run on in the 8th and 9th but couldn't cash in. It all added up to a 3-2 A's win over the Sox at Fenway Park.
Eovaldi got the ball in the top of the first and Mark Canha lined out to left to start. Seth Brown lined out to center and "Razor" Ramon Laureano flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time getting to Bassitt in the bottom of the first although Marwin Gonzalez grounded out to first to start. Alex Verdugo took second then third on wild pitches before scoring on a JD Martinez sac fly. Xander Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning but the Sox led 1-0.
Matt Olson struck out swinging to begin the top of the second and old friend "Glassbones" Jed Lowrie popped up to third. Matt Chapman walked but old pal Mitch Moreland grounded out to first to end the inning. Rafael Devers struck out swinging to start the bottom of the second and Christian Vazquez went down hacking as well. Hunter Renfroe grounded out to third to end the inning.
Sean Murphy flied out to right to begin the top of the third but Elvis Andrus flied out to right as well. Canha took strike three to end the inning. Franchy Cordero struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third before Michael Chavis also went down hacking. Gonzalez flied out to right to end the inning.
The A's struck back in the top of the fourth inning as Brown walked to start. Laureano grounded back to the mound to move Brown to second and Seth scored on the base hit to right by Olsen to tie the game. Lowrie banged into a double play to end the inning but the game was tied 1-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Verdugo lined out to center to start. Martinez flied out to right and Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning.
Chapman grounded out to first to begin the top of the fifth and Moreland flied out to left. Murphy struck out swinging to end the inning. Devers whiffed to begin the bottom of the fifth and Vazquez grounded out to short. Renfroe struck out swinging to end the inning.
Eovaldi returned for one last inning in the top of the sixth as Andrus grounded out to short to start. Canha doubled to center but Brown whiffed. Laureano grounded out to second to end the inning. Eovaldi lasted 6 innings and allowed just 1 run to keep the Sox in the game.
Cordero struck out swinging to start the bottom of the sixth but Chavis singled to right. Gonzalez took strike three and Verdugo flied out to left to end the inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in for the top of the seventh and crapped his pants. He walked Olson to start and Lowrie singled him to third. Chapman singled home Olsen to give the A's the lead. Both runners moved over on the grounder by Moreland and that was it for Hernandez. Adam Ottavino came in and got Murphy to force Lowrie at home, but Andrus singled to right to score Chapman with the insurance run. Canha lined out to left to end the inning with the A's ahead 3-1.
The Sox did try to fight back in the bottom of the seventh although Martinez grounded back to the mound to start. Bogaerts struck out swinging but Devers clobbered his 9th home run of the season to cut the lead. Vazquez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
Hiro Sawamura came in for the top of the eighth and Brown struck out swinging to start. Laureano singled in the hole at short but Olson flied out to right. Lowrie struck out swinging to end the inning. Yusmeiro Petit came in for the bottom of the eighth and Renfroe grounded out to short to start. Cordero flied out to center but Chavis beat out an infield single to the mound. Gonzalez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Sawamura returned for the top of the ninth and Chapman whiffed to start. Moreland singled to short but Murphy struck out swinging. Andrus lined out to left to end the inning. Jake Diekman came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Verdugo walked to start. Martinez took strike three but Bogaerts walked to put the winning run on. Devers just barely beat out a double play ball but Vazquez popped up to first to end the game. The A's had won it 3-2
A's win
Jackass of the Night is Darwinzon Hernandez. He was charged with 2 runs to put the game out of reach
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 3.
Nathan Eovaldi tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks.
Hiro Sawamura tossed 2 scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Hunter Renfroe was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but the one hit was a solo home run.
Adam Ottavino allowed an inherited runner to score in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
This one hurts because the Sox had their chances all night but couldn't get a clutch hit when it counted. Even with Darwinzon Hernandez struggling, the Sox should have scored more than 2 runs. Eovaldi pitched his ass off and had nothing to show for it. Something has to be done about the bottom of the order because Cordero, Bobby Dalbec and most of the time Renfroe are just automatic outs. The Sox have a legit shot to contend this season but can't if they can't hit. The pitching isn't lights out enough to win every game 3-2 or 2-1 so the offense has to pick up at some point. The last two nights have been dreadful to watch and hopefully the offense can snap out of this funk soon. The loss dropped the Sox to 23-15, 2 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to rebound when Eduardo Rodriguez (5-0, 3.82 ERA) takes on James Kaprielian of the A's at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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