As for the game, what did I tell ya? After the Sox scored 20 runs last night against the Tampa Bay Rays they scratched out just ONE tonight as the AL East front runners dominated the Sox on their home field. Tanner Houck (0-3, 2.92 ERA) remains winless on the season as he was smacked around for 4 runs in just 5 innings. Meanwhile the Rays "bullpen game" actually worked as Drew Rasmussen and Colin McHugh held the Sox to just 1 run in 6 innings combined. The Rays put the game away with a four run rally in the eighth against Austin Davis and Yacksel Rios to take two of three in this crucial series with the Sox including this game 8-1 at Fenway Park.
Austin Meadows grounded out to first to start the top of the second before Joey Wendle flied out to center. Yandy Diaz singled to right but Brett Phillips struck out swinging to end the inning. Rafael Devers popped up to short to start the bottom of the second before JD Martinez took strike three. Huntr Renfroe grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Rays struck first in the top of the third inning as Kevin Kiermaier singled to center to start, Mike Zunino struck out swinging but Kevin Plawecki inexplicably threw the ball into the right field bleachers to allow Kiermaier to take second and third on the error. Lowe made Plawecki pay with a sac fly to score Kiermaier but Franco grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Rays up 1-0.
Plawecki flied out to right to start the bottom of the third before Marwin Gonzalez took strike three. Franchy Cordero struck out swinging to end the inning.
Houck cruised in the top of the fourth as Cruz struck out swinging to start. Meadows lined out to short and Wendle took strike three to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Hernandez walked to start. Duran flied out to center and Bogaerts flied out to right but Devers doubled to center to score Hernandez with the tying run. Martinez grounded out to third to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Houck struck out Diaz swinging to start the top of the fifth before Phillips went down hacking. Kiermaier singled to right but Zunino went down swinging to end the inning. Collin McHugh came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Renfroe grounded out to third to start. Plawecki beat out an infield single to short but Gonzalez took strike three. Cordero whiffed to end the inning and the Sox wouldn't have a hit the rest of the game.
Houck fell apart in the top of the sixth as Lowe singled off the glove of Devers to start. Franco then hit a home run off the centerfield wall and Cruz doubled to left to chase Tanner. The one time Houck was allowed to go 6 innings he crashed and burned, being charged with 4 runs in 5 plus innings. Josh Taylor came in to pitch and Meadows grounded out to second to move Cruz to third but Wendle struck out swinging. Diaz was intentionally walked and Kevin Cash sent in Manny Margot to pinch hit for Phillips. Sox manager Alex Cora countered by bringing in Hansel Robles to pitch to Margot but he walked him anyway to load the bases. Robles then BALKED home Cruz and intentionally walked Kiermaier to reload the bases. Zunino struck out swinging to end the inning with the Rays up 4-1.
The Sox quit in the bottom of the sixth as Hernandez grounded out to short to start. Duran struck out swinging again and Bogaerts grounded out to short to end the inning.
Lowe walked to start the top of the seventh before Franco flied out to left. Cruz flied out to right and that was it for Robles. Austin Davis came in to punch out Meadows swinging to end the inning. JT Chargois came in for the bottom of the seventh and Devers lined out to center to start. Martinez flied out to right and Renfroe struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Rays pounced in the top of the eighth as Wendle tripled to right to start. Diaz was intentionally walked and Yacksel Rios came in to vomit up his intestines. Margot hit a sac fly to center to score Wendle and Kiermaier doubled to left. Zunino then iced the game with a home run all the way to Nigeria to put the game out of reach. Lowe flied out to center and Franco grounded out to first to end the inning with the Rays ahead 8-1.
Louis Head came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Plawecki flied out to right to start. Gonzalez popped up to first and Cordero struck out swinging to earn the hat trick to end the inning.
Rios returned for the top of the ninth and Cruz flied out to right to start. Meadows grounded out to first and Wendle grounded out to short to end the inning. Ryan Sherriff came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Hernandez walked for the third time today. Duran took strike three for his third strikeout of the day and Bogaerts forced Hernandez at second. Devers took strike three to end the game. The Rays had won it 8-1.
Jackass of the Night is Tanner Houck. He got lit up for 4 runs in just 5 plus innings and put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
The Good:
Kike Hernandez walked 3 times and scored a run.
Josh Taylor got the first two outs of the sixth inning.
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4.
JD Martinez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Hunter Renfroe was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Marwin Gonzalez was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Hansel Robles balked in a run in an inning of work.
Austin Davis was charged with 2 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
Yacksel Rios allowed 2 inherited runners to score and two of his own in 2 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 3 but made an error.
Final Thoughts:
What an utter disaster. The Sox usually never score runs after winning a blowout but there's a difference in not scoring and looking completely lifeless. The Sox amassed just 2 hits in the game and 3 walks by Hernandez. The most concerning thing is the lack of offense from Duran, Gonzalez and Cordero at the bottom of the order. Its obvious Duran isn't ready yet, Gonzalez should be riding the bench and trading Andrew Benintendi for Cordero and "prospects" has completely blown up in Sox GM Chaim Bloom's face. He was supposed to be home run or nothing like Wily Mo Pena but he can't even get on base yet alone hit home runs. The Sox ship is sinking with their bullpen arms tired from overuse and now a black hole in the bottom of the order. There's rumors Kyle Schwarber won't even be back until the end of August and who knows when Chris Sale will pitch. All in all the Rays are starting to pull away in the AL East and the Sox are running out of time to get their act together. The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are right behind them and the Sox may not even make the playoffs if they keep sliding the way they are. Unless Schwarber comes out of the gate swinging and Sale pitches like he does in 2017, the Sox are in big trouble. The loss dropped the Sox to 66-51, 5 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox now welcome in the horrible Baltimore Orioles and hope to get back on track against a team that's 38-75 going into the series. Tomorrow night Nick Pivetta (8-4) takes the mound against Spenser Watkins of Baltimore. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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