As for the game, what an unmitigated disaster. The Pirates were still fuming after Dennis Eckersley's comments on Tuesday night and they took their frustrations out on the mostly lifeless Red Sox. Josh Winckowski (5-6, 5.19 ERA) got hammered by one of the worst teams in baseball. Bryan Reynolds hit not one but two 2 run home runs and the normally punchless Pirates offense scored six runs against the rookie. Meanwhile on the other side of the ball JT Brubaker came into the game at 2-10 yet looked like a prime Roy Face. He dominated the Sox holding them to just 2 hits in 7 shutout innings while striking out 7. The Pirates got two more runs off Austin Davis but the Sox tried to fight back in the eighth inning, only to once again leave the bases loaded. It all added up to a humiliating 8-2 defeat at PNC Park.
JT Brubaker got the ball in the top of the first inning and Tommy Pham led off by swinging and missing at three straight pitches that went sailing over his head to start. Rafael Devers swung and missed at three straight pitches that bounced in the dirt and Xander Bogaerts hit a weak tapper to the mound to end the inning. Winckowski got the ball in the bottom of the first and Tucupita Marcano grounded out to first to begin. Kevin Newman effortlessly singled to left and Bryan Reynolds repeated yesterday when he hit a home run all the way to Philadelphia to put the Pirates up for good early. Ben Gamel grounded out to short and Rodolfo Castro grounded out to second to end the inning with the Pirates ahead 2-0.
Alex Verdugo tried to start a rally with a base hit to right to begin the top of the second but was thrown out trying to steal on a strike three pitch right down the middle to JD Martinez. Christian Arroyo swung and missed at strike three that bounced 8 feet before home plate to end the inning. Oneil Cruz grounded out to second to start the bottom of the second before Greg Allen grounded out to short. Bligh Madris lined out to left to end the inning.
Brubaker dominated the top of the third as Reese McGuire popped up weakly to short to start. Bobby Dalbec literally took 3 straight fastballs down the middle for a strikeout and Jarren Duran popped up weakly to center to end the inning. Tyler Heineman grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third before Marcano flied out to left. Once again Newman effortlessly singled to center and Reynolds easily singled to left to bring up Gamel. Gamel hit a routine pop up to Pham WHO MISSED THE CATCH! Both runners scored on the "double" to ice the game but Castro grounded out to third to end the inning with Pirates ahead 4-0.
The Sox quit in the top of the fourth as Pham grounded out weakly to short to start. Devers grounded out weakly to first and Bogaerts got hit with a pitch. Verdugo popped up weakly to right to end the inning with everyone in the country laughing at the Sox. Cruz took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth but Allen drew a walk. Madris flied out to left and Heineman flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox looked lifeless in the top of the fifth as Martinez grounded out weakly to third to begin. Arroyo took a straight fastball right down the middle for strike three and McGuire was called out on strike three on a clear ball to end the inning. Marcano struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth but Newman effortlessly singled to center and Reynolds clobbered yet another two run homer as PNC Park pointed and laughed at Winckowski. Gamel lined out to center and Castro grounded out to first but it was 6-0 Pittsburgh. That was mercifully it for Winckowski who crapped his pants in a game Boston had to win. He allowed 6 runs in just 5 innings to one of the worst teams in baseball.
The Sox laid down in the top of the sixth inning as Dalbec grounded out weakly to short to start. Newman booted a grounder by Duran for an error but Pham banged into a double play to end the inning. Sox manager Alex Cora sent up the white flag as Austin Davis came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth as Cruz struck out swinging to start. Allen walked and Michael Chavis pinch hit for Madris, effortlessly doubling to left to score Allen. Heineman easily singled to left to score Chavis as the laughter continued. Marcano popped up to short and Newman struck out swinging to put the Pirates ahead 8-0.
Brubaker laughed in the top of the seventh as Devers grounded out weakly to second to start the top of the seventh. Bogaerts got a lucky single to left and the only reason Verdugo didn't hit into a double play is Cruz threw the relay throw away. Marty grounded out weakly to short to end the inning. Brubaker came into the game 2-10 and naturally shut out the Sox for seven inning allowing just 4 baserunners, three of them by accident. Davis returned for the bottom of the seventh and somehow struck out Reynolds swinging to start. Gamel flied out to left and Castro grounded out to first to end the inning.
Zach Thompson replaced Brubaker for the top of the eighth and Arroyo grounded out weakly to the mound to start. Suddenly the Sox sprang to life as McGuire lined a base hit to center and Dalbec singled to right. Duran walked and Pham beat out a roller to third to score McGuire and chase Thompson. Manny Banuelos came in to face Devers but all Rafael could do was hit a sac fly to center to score Dalbec. Bogaerts walked to re-load the bases and with a chance to make it interesting...Verdugo swung at strike three in the dirt which would have been ball four to end the inning with the Sox down 8-2.
Cruz singled to left to start the bottom of the eighth but Allen took strike three. Chavis flied out to right and Heineman forced Cruz at second to end the inning. At least Davis saved the bullpen for the Baltimore series.
Colin Holderman came in to close out the top of the ninth and Martinez popped up to second to start. Arroyo struck out swinging and McGuire went down hacking to end the game. The Pirates humiliated the Sox 8-2.
Jackass of the Night is Josh Winckowski. He got lit up by one of the worst teams in baseball by allowing 6 runs in just 5 innings.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 2 with a hit by pitch and a walk.
Bobby Dalbec was 1 for 3 with a run scored.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of three strikeouts.
Austin Davis allowed 2 runs in 3 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Tommy Pham was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Reese McGuire was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but scored a run.
Jarren Duran was 0 for 2 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
Murphy's Law season continued as more bad news came out in the aftermath of his humiliating loss. James Paxton strained his lat in his rehab start in Florida and will be out for the season while Connor Seabold got hammered for 5 runs in the first inning of his start in Worcester. Niko Kavadas went 0 for 4 in Portland, Marcello Mayer is down to .240 in Greenville and Hunter Dobbins allowed 5 runs down in Salem. Chaim Bloom paid 10 million dollars for James Paxton to record two outs this year, just another sign that he's been a complete failure as GM that happened to get lucky last year. Losing to the Pirates, especially getting hammered is inexcusable. Every day the Andrew Benintendi trade haunts them even more as he hits .300 for the New York Yankees while Franchy Cordero and Winckowski continue to struggle in Boston. A lot of Pirates media personnel danced around on this one after the Eckersley comments even though what he said was true. The bottom line was the Sox had a chance to gain some ground and have momentum going into Baltimore and pissed it away. Its been that kind of season for them that can't end fast enough. A lot of Sox media personnel are grumbling that Bogaerts is unhappy that he wasn't traded or extended so he's tanking it. It makes perfect sense as he and Martinez haven't done a damn thing since June and now Devers is slumping. The Sox can't rely on Arroyo and Verdugo every day so this upcoming AL East stretch could very well put the Sox out of their misery. The loss dropped the Sox to 59-60, 5 games behind the Blue Jays for the third wild card. The Sox now begin their 9 game death March through the AL East tomorrow night in Baltimore. Kutter Crawford (3-4, 4.18 ERA) takes on Jordan Lyles of Baltimore. The game begins at 7:05 PM at Oriole Park in Camden Yards.
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