All good things must come to an end and the Boston Red Sox seven game win streak was broken by the Los Angeles Angels who also snapped their fourteen game losing streak. Shohei Ohtani got it done on both sides of the ball, throwing 101 miles an hour to hold the Sox to just 1 run in seven innings pitched. Offensively he belted a 2 run home run off Nick Pivetta (5-5, 3.78 ERA) to give the Angels the lead. The Angels iced it in the bottom of the sixth as the light hitting Andrew Velazquez hit a 3 run home run off Hiro Sawamura. The Red Sox offense has scuffled the last three games against the Angels and this one was no different, falling to LA 5-2 to break the winning streak at Angel Stadium.
Ohtani got the ball in the top of the first and Christian Arroyo flied out to left to start. Rafael Devers struck out swinging and JD Martinez grounded out to third to end the inning. Pivetta got the ball in the bottom of the first and Juan Lagares flied out to center to begin. Ohtani struck out swinging but Max Stassi doubled to center. Jared Walsh was frozen for strike three to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the second inning as Alex Verdugo doubled to center to start and moved to third on the grounder to second by Christian Vazquez. Franchy Cordero hit a grounder to short but Verdugo was thrown out at the plate. Jackie Bradley Jr struck out swinging to end the inning. it was the Angels turn to blow a rally in the bottom of the second as Jo Addell doubled to left to begin. Dillon Thomas was hit with a pitch but Jack Mayfield took strike three. Tyler Wade got a base hit to right but Adell stopped at third when the third base coach said go. That mistake cost the Angels as Andrew Velazquez struck out swinging and Lagares flied out to right to end the inning.
Bobby Dalbec got a base hit to center to begin the top of the third and moved to second on the Jonathan Arauz grounder to third. Arroyo flied out to center but a wild pitch moved Dalbec to third, only for Devers to strike out swinging on a 101 mph fastball to end the inning. Ohtani himself struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third and Stassi took strike three. Walsh grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Martinez flied out to right to start. Verdugo flied out to right and Vazquez grounded out to short to end the inning. Adell got a base hit off the glove of Arauz to begin the bottom of the fourth but Thomas took strike three. Mayfield flied out to right and Wade struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the fifth as Cordero walked to start and JBJ singled to left. A passed ball moved Cordero to third and he scored on a sac fly to center by Dalbec. A wild pitch moved JBJ to second and he took third on a grounder to second by Arauz. Arroyo grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Velazquez struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth but Lagares got a base hit to center. Ohtani helped his own cause by hitting a home run all the way to Havana, Cuba to put the Angels on top. Stassi struck out swinging and Walsh went down hacking to end the inning with the Angels up 2-1.
Ohtani does it all
The Sox blew yet another rally in the top of the sixth as Devers grounded out to third to start. Martinez doubled to right but Verdugo went down hacking. Vazquez walked but Cordero grounded out to short to end the inning. The Angels iced the game in the bottom of the sixth as Adell walked to start. Thomas walked and that was it for Pivetta. He struck out 11 batters in 5 plus innings but was failed by his offense and bullpen. Hiro Sawamura came in and got Mayfield to force Adell at third and Wade went down hacking. One strike away from getting out of it.....Sawamura coughed up a 3 run bomb to Bangkok by Velazquez to ice the game. Lagares popped up to first to end the inning with the game all but over 5-1.
Brandon Marsh took over for Adell in the top of the seventh and JBJ struck out swinging to start. Dalbec flied out to left and Arauz struck out swinging to end the inning. Ohtani put the Angels ahead with his bat and kept the Sox to just 1 run in 7 innings. Austin Davis came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Ohtani singled to right to start. Stassi walked but Walsh flied out to left to move Shohei to third. Marsh took strike three and Thomas grounded out to first to end the inning.
Ryan Tepera came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Arroyo got a base hit to center to begin. Devers flied out to left but Arroyo stole second base. Martinez took strike three but Verdugo got a base hit to center to score Arroyo and cut the lead. Vazquez forced Verdugo at second to end the inning with the Sox down 5-2.
Hansel Robles came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Mayfield flied out to right to start. Wade and Velazquez both struck out swinging to end the inning.
Raisel Iglesias came in to close out the top of the ninth and Cordero struck out swinging to start. JBJ lined out to right and Dalbec struck out swinging to end the game. The Angels had won it 5-2.
Angels win
Keep screaming, Jackass
Jackass of the Night is Hiro Sawamura. His 3 run jack he allowed to Velazquez was the difference in the game.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Austin Davis pitched a a scoreless seventh inning.
Hansel Robles pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jonathan Arauz was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Christian Arroyo was just 1 for 4 but stole a base and scored a run.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 3 but walked.
Franchy Cordro was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Nick Pivetta struck out 11 batters but took the loss by getting charged with 4 runs. He allowed 6 hits and walked 2.
Final Thoughts:
It was bound to come to an end, especially the way the Sox have struggled offensively the last three games. The offense regressed back to April form in this one and with Alex Cora resting Bogaerts or Devers, the bats sputtered. Hopefully this was a temporary funk since they were facing a desperate Angels team just dying for a win. Hopefully the bats will return to form in the upcoming series. Pivetta looked strong but he and Sawamura giving up the longballs sealed their doom in this one. Someone will have to explain why Arauz got the call to replace Hernandez and not Jarren Duran but not even Duran would have been able to hit Ohtani tonight. Hopefully another long winning streak is in order to get them back in the AL East race but for now, just tip your caps to the Angels for wanting it more tonight. The loss dropped the Sox to 30-28, good for 4th place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to Seattle to conclude their west coast trip beginning tomorrow night against the Mariners. Rich Hill (2-3, 4.40 ERA) takes on Captain TBD of Seattle at 10:10 PM Eastern time at T-Mobile Park.
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