It was bad news all around for the city of Boston as the Boston Celtics choked away Game 5 of their second round NBA playoff series to the Milwaukee Bucks and it was Groundhog Day for the Boston Red Sox all over again. Stop me if you've heard this....Sox take early lead, opposing team comes back to tie the game, the offense doesn't do a damn thing the rest of the game and the opposing team hits a walkoff home run to win the game. Its been going on all season and tonight was no different. Nathan Eovaldi had Dice K Disease in the third inning but overall allowed just 3 runs in 6 1/3 innings. The Sox got a 2 run home run by Trevor Story in the second inning and a rbi single by JD Martinez in the third, but as usual they did nothing the rest of the game. The key to the game was the sixth inning where the Sox had the bases loaded by Kevin Plawecki was called out on a strike three ball at the ankles. Plawecki and Sox manager Alex Cora were ejected then Ryan Brasier served up a two run walkoff home run three innings later to Orlando Arcia. Its been that kind of season for Boston as the Braves walked off the Sox 5-3 at Truist Park.
Ian Anderson got the ball in the top of the first for Atlanta and Kike Hernandez lined out to left to start. Rafael Devers grounded out to first and JD Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning. Eovaldi got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Dansby Swanson lined out to left to start. Matt Olson struck out swinging and Travis d'Arnaud struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning although Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging to start. Alex Verdugo doubled to right and Trevor Story hit his first home run of the season to dead center to put Boston on top. Franchy Cordero grounded out to third and Kevin Plawecki flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-0.
Austin Riley grounded out to third to start the bottom of the second before Marcell Ozuna flied out to center. Ozzie Albies lined out to center to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the third inning although Jackie Bradley Jr was thrown out at second trying to steal after getting a base hit to right to start. Hernandez grounded out to short but Devers doubled to right and Martinez lined a base hit to center to score Rafael with another run. Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 3-0.
Devers drives in a run
Braves tie it up
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as Verdugo popped up to first to start. Story took strike three and Cordero grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Eovaldi recovered in the bottom of the fourth as Ozuna grounded out to third to start. Albies grounded out to short but Duvall singled off the glove of Bogaerts. Arcia flied out to center to end the inning.
Plawecki doubled to left to start the top of the fifth before JBJ struck out swinging. Hernandez lined out to center and Devers grounded out to second to end the inning. Demeritte struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Swanson flied out to center. Olson grounded out to short to end the inning.
Things went south in the top of the sixth as Martinez ripped a base hit to left to start. Bogaerts popped up to third but Verdugo walked to chase Anderson. Collin McHugh came in to pitch and Story beat out a double play ball. Cordero walked to load the bases but home plate umpire Adam Beck called a full count strike three at Plawecki's ankles to end the inning. Both Plawecki and Sox manager Alex Cora were ejected for telling Beck to stick it, its been that kind of year.
Christian Vazquez came in to catch the bottom of the sixth and d'Arnaud flied out to left to start. Riley doubled to right but Ozuna flied out to right. Albies grounded out to first to end the inning.
AJ Minter came in to pitch the top of the seventh and JBJ struck out swinging again to start. Hernandez lined out to center and Devers went down hacking to end the inning. Eovaldi returned briefly for the bottom of the seventh as Duvall struck out swinging to start. Arcia got a base hit to center and at 98 pitches, Eovaldi's day was done. Nate allowed 3 runs in 6 1/3 innings mainly due to Dice K Disease. Matt Strahm came in to pitch and Demeritte went down hacking before Swanson also whiffed to end the inning.
Will Smith came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Martinez went down hacking to start. Bogaerts drew a walk but Verdugo struck out swinging and Story flied out to left to end the inning. Olson flied out to center to start the bottom of the eighth and that was it for Strahm. John Schreiber came in and d'Arnaud grounded out to third, but Riley was hit with a pitch. Ozuna flied out to center to end the inning.
Kenley Jansen came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Cordero struck out swinging to start. Vazquez walked but JBJ earned the hat trick by striking out swinging. Hernandez flied out to left to end the inning. Bobby Dalbec came in for defense with Ryan Brasier coming in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Albies singled to left but Duvall flied out to center. Arcia then hit a home run all the way to Georgia Tech University to end the game. The Braves had walked it off 5-3.
Jackass of the Night is Ryan Brasier. He served up the game ending jack to Arcia.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with a home run.
Alex Verdugo was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Kevin Plawecki was 1 for 3 before being ejected.
Christian Vazquez walked in his only plate appearance.
Nathan Eovaldi tossed 6 1/3 solid innings allowing just 3 runs while striking out 6.
Matt Strahm tossed a full scoreless inning.
John Schreiber tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 5.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Trevor Story was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but the one hit was a 2 run home run.
Franchy Cordero was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Honorable Mention:
Bobby Dalbec played first base in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Same old stuff for the Red Sox. Not much offense, bad breaks and bad bullpen. Fans were screaming to put Garrett Whitlock back in the bullpen but now they can't out of necessity. Rich Hill is out with Covid and Michael Wacha is out with injury. The Sox now need to find another starter because they're down to Eovaldi, Tanner Houck, Whitlock and Nick Pivetta. They could do "bullpen games" to put people to sleep or call up Connor Seabold. Seabold is 3-1 with a 2.93 ERA in 6 starts for Worcester this season so it may be him to get the call. The offeense once again was stagnant after the third inning even though Plawecki got screwed in the sixth inning. The only silver linings to this game was Story finally hit one out, Strahm and Schreiber continued to be solid in the later innings and Cora getting ejected shows that he cares. He may not make the right decisions but sticking up for his players go a long way. Who knows, maybe they'll get good eventually. Things may suck now but maybe a month from now they'll be respectable again. The loss dropped the Sox to 11-20, good for last place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Friday night in Texas for a set with the Rangers. Nick Pivetta (0-4, 6.08 ERA) takes the mound for the Sox up against Captain TBD for the Rangers. The game begins at 8:05 PM Eastern time at Globe Life Field.
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