It took five games but the explosive Boston Red Sox offense crashed down to earth in tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Roansy Contreras held the explosive Sox bats to just 3 hits and a run before leaving in the sixth inning. The bats managed just 1 hit the rest of the way and sputtered for the first time all season. On the other side of the ball, Nick Pivetta (0-1, 1.80 ERA) was victimized by bad defense and a lack of run support as he allowed 3 runs but only 1 earned. Josh Winckowski allowed 1 run in 3 innings as the Pirates beat the Sox 4-1 at Fenway Park.
Pivetta got the ball in the top of the first and Oneil Cruz walked to start. Bryan Reynolds took strike three and Andrew McCutchen flied out to right, but Cruz stole second. Carlos Santana struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first against Contreras as Alex Verdugo singled to right to start. Rafael Devers lined out to right but Justin Turner got a base hit to right to move Alex to third. Verdugo scored on the Masa Yoshida ground out to second but Adam Duvall hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Naturally the Pirates stormed ahead immediately in the top of the second as Ji-Man Choi grounded out to second to start. Ke'Bryan Hayes grounded out to short and Canaan Smith-Njigba struck out swinging to end the....oh...wait. Apparently Sox catcher Reese McGuire muffed the ball and Njigba reached first on the passed ball. Naturally Ji Hwan Bae hit a home run to the moon to put the Pirates up for good. Tyler Heineman walked and Cruz grounded out to short to end the inning but the rout was on, 2-1 Pirates.
The Sox rolled over in the bottom of the second as Triston Casas lined out to right to start. Kike Hernandez took strike three and McGuire grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Pirates poured it on in the top of the third as Reynolds hit yet another home run to Las Vegas to increase the lead. McCutchen struck out looking, Santana flied out to left and Choi lined out to first to end the inning with the Pirates up 3-1.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the third as Yu Chang struck out swinging to start. Verdugo grounded out to first and Devers grounded out to first to end the inning.
Pivetta cruised in the top of the fourth as Hayes flied out to center to start. Njigba and Bae both struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox went quietly in the bottom of the fourth as Turner grounded out to short to start. Yoshida grounded out to first and Duvall lined out to third to end the inning.
Pivetta ran into trouble in the top of the fifth inning as Heineman grounded out to first to start. Cruz flied out to left but Reynolds doubled to left. McCutchen walked but Santana flied out to right to end the inning. That was it for Pivetta who struggled, allowing 3 runs in just 5 innings on 87 pitches. He could have gone one more but Sox manager Alex Cora didn't want to risk it.
Casas lined out to short to start before Hernandez flied out to right. McGuire doubled to left but Chang grounded out to third to end the inning.
Josh Winckowski came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Choi popped up to short to start. Hayes flied out to right and Njigba struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the sixth as Verdugo lined out to right to start. Devers grounded out to second but Turner walked. Cruz threw a grounder by Yoshida away for an error to put runners at first and third. That was it for Contreras as Dauri Moreta came in to face Duvall, naturally Adam looked at strike three right down the middle to end the inning.
The Pirates iced the game in the top of the seventh as Bae grounded out to first to start. Heineman singled to center but Cruz struck out swinging. Naturally Heineman swiped second base and Reynolds ripped a base hit to center to score him. McCutchen walked but Santana grounded out to short to end the inning with the Pirates ahead 4-1.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the seventh as Casas popped up to first to start. Hernandez popped up to short but McGuire cracked a double to right. Raimel Tapia pinch hit for Chang and Jose Hernandez was brought in to pitch to him. Sox manager Alex Cora then called back Tapia and had Christian Arroyo pinch hit. Arroyo took strike three nowhere close to the zone to end the inning. Arroyo went nuts on the umpire after and he did have a beef, but the Sox were out of the inning.
Choi grounded out to first to start the top of the eighth before Hayes lined out to right. Njigba took strike three to end the inning. Rodolfo Castro took over for Njigba with Colin Holderman came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Verdugo lined out to center, Devers flied out to center and Turner grounded out to short to end the inning.
Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the top of the ninth as Bae flied out to center to start. Heineman grounded out to second and Cruz popped up to second to end the inning. David Bednar came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Santana booted a grounder by Yoshida to start. Duvall popped up to third, Casas flied out to center and Hernandez struck out swinging to end the game. The Pirates had won it 4-1.
Jackass of the Night is a tough one but I have to go go with Adam Duvall. He came up three times with mean on base and failed to get on.
Jackass Duvall
The Good:
Justin Turner was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4.
Triston Casas was 0 for 4.
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Yu Chang was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Christian Arroyo struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Masa Yoshida was 0 for 4 but drove in a run.
Reese McGuire was 2 for 3 but his passed ball cost the Sox two crucial runs.
Nick Pivetta got saddled with the loss but only allowed 1 earned run through 5 innings, striking out 6 batters.
Josh Winckowski allowed a run in 3 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Raimel Tapia was supposed to pinch hit in the ninth inning.
Final Thoughts:
It was only a matter of time before the bats cooled off and this is the result. The problem is the bottom of the lineup is going to be a black hole, even on days the team does hit. Arroyo, Hernandez, Wong and or Reese is going to be a problem moving forward. The Sox made the statement that guys like Bobby Dalbec and Jarren Duran had to earn back their trust but what they have right now isn't going to work. The Sox better pray Duran, Dalbec or Enmanuel Valdez light it up in Worcester because this is a very thin bench with Trevor Story out most of the year. Still, they have enough talent to not be THIS bad offensively, just tip your cap to Roensy Contreras for a game well pitched. Pivetta looked good as long as he isn't pitching to Bryan Reynolds and so far Winckowski has looked like a valuable weapon in the bullpen. Last year people compared him to Derek Lowe but he may be a Mike Timlin if he thrives in the bullpen with that heavy sinker. All in all, the Sox still were in the game and hope they have better luck tomorrow. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon when Corey Kluber goes for the Sox against Mitch Keller of Pittsburgh. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
It was only a matter of time before the bats cooled off and this is the result. The problem is the bottom of the lineup is going to be a black hole, even on days the team does hit. Arroyo, Hernandez, Wong and or Reese is going to be a problem moving forward. The Sox made the statement that guys like Bobby Dalbec and Jarren Duran had to earn back their trust but what they have right now isn't going to work. The Sox better pray Duran, Dalbec or Enmanuel Valdez light it up in Worcester because this is a very thin bench with Trevor Story out most of the year. Still, they have enough talent to not be THIS bad offensively, just tip your cap to Roensy Contreras for a game well pitched. Pivetta looked good as long as he isn't pitching to Bryan Reynolds and so far Winckowski has looked like a valuable weapon in the bullpen. Last year people compared him to Derek Lowe but he may be a Mike Timlin if he thrives in the bullpen with that heavy sinker. All in all, the Sox still were in the game and hope they have better luck tomorrow. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon when Corey Kluber goes for the Sox against Mitch Keller of Pittsburgh. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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