Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Joe Jacques was sent back to the Worcester Red Sox and Nick Robertson was called up to replace him. Robertson was the centerpiece of the Kike Hernandez deal and now we see if he's worth anything. Christian Arroyo also was outrighted to Worcester so he's not going anywhere yet. In other moves, the Greenville drive released 24 year old catcher Jonathan Diaz and the Salem Red Sox released right handed pitcher Matt Litwicki. Diaz played in just 36 games the last 3 years and wasn't really improving. Litwicki was Boston's 10th round pick in 2021 as an injury risk pick and couldn't stay healthy. He pitched in just 6 games between the Florida Complex and Salem before being released. He becomes the second member of the Class of 2021 (that signed anyway) to be released after BJ Vela.
As for the game, what an unmitigated disaster. The Red Sox had been 7-0 against the Jays this year and the Jays offense had been utter trash....and they knock the Sox around for 16 hits and 13 runs. Rookie Davis Schneider had 4 hits and 4 rbis, the big one being a two run bomb off Chris Murphy (1-1, 3.23 ERA). The Sox once again had a "bullpen" game thinking they're the Tampa Bay Rays and the duo of Murphy and Mauricio Llovera gave up 10 hits, 11 runs, and 4 walks in 4 innings combined. Richard Bleier and Nick Robertson each got tagged for a run and things got so bad that Pablo Reyes had to pitch the ninth inning. Meanwhile Chris Bassitt held the Sox to one measly run in 7 strong innings. Apart from Alex Verdugo, the anemic Red Sox offense had just 5 hits as the Jays routed the Sox 13-1 at Fenway Park.
Chris Murphy came in to pitch the top of the second and Cavan Biggio grounded out to second. Alejandro Kirk singled to left but Kevin Kiermaier popped up to short. Paul DeJong struck out swinging to end the inning. Luis Urias beat out a roller to third to start the bottom of the second but Reese McGuire lined out to center. Pablo Reyes walked but Duran banged into a double play to end the inning.
The floodgates opened in the top of the third as Merrifield grounded out to short to start. Belt caught Murphy asleep with a bunt single but Schneider struck out swinging. One out away from getting out of it....Springer hit a ground rule double into the bullpen and Chapman doubled to left to score both runners to ice the game already. Biggio doubled in Chapman, Kirk walked and Kiermaier singled to left to score Biggio. DeJong forced Kiemaier at second to end the inning with the Jays up 4-0.
Yoshida took strike three to start the bottom of the third and Turner grounded out to short. Devers struck out swinging to end the inning.
Defying all logic, Sox manager Alex Cora brought Murphy back for the top of the fourth and Merrifield walked to start. Belt took strike three and Schneider hit a home run all the way to Cancun to increase the lead. FINALLY that was it for Murphy and Mauricio Llovera came in to pitch. Springer popped up to first but Chapman flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 6-1.
He's having fun
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Casas launched his 17th home run of the season to inch the Sox closer. Verdugo got a base hit to left but Urias flied out to center. McGuire struck out swinging but Reyes walked. Duran struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 6-1.
The Jays poured it on in the top of the fifth as Biggio walked to start. Kirk was hit with a pitch and Kiermaier got a base hit to center to score Biggio. DeJong got a base hit to left to load the bases and Merrifield beat out a double play ball to score Kirk. Belt walked to reload the bases and Schneider was hit with a pitch to score Kiermaier. Springer hit a sac fly to left to score DeJong and Chapman got a base hit to right to score Belt. Once again Sox manager Alex Cora waited too long to take his pitcher out and Richard Bleier came in with the game out of reach. Biggio lined back to Bleier to end the inning with the Sox down 11-1.
Yoshida doubled to center to start the bottom of the fifth and Connor Wong pinch hit for Turner. Wong flied out to left and Yu Chang pinch hit for Devers. Chang grounded out to second to move Yoshida to third and Casas grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Kirk popped up to first to start the top of the sixth before Kiermaier struck out swinging. DeJong grounded out to short to end the inning. Verdugo got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the sixth and Kiermaier crashed into the centerfield garage door to rob Urias of a double. Kiermaier had to leave the game and Daulton Varsho came in to replace him. McGuire and Reyes both struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Jays poured it on in the top of the seventh as Merrifield grounded out to first to start. Belt doubled to left and Schneider got a base hit to left to score Belt. Springer grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Jays up 12-1.
Santiago Espinal took over for Chapman to start the bottom of the seventh and Duran flied out to left to start. Yoshida flied out to center and Wong grounded out to first to end the inning.
Nick Robertson came in to take a beating in the top of the eighth and Espinal grounded out to third to start. Biggio grounded out to second but Kirk walked. Varsho tripled to right to score Kirk and DeJong struck out swinging to end the inning with the Jays up 13-1.
Bowden Francis came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Chang lined out to center to start. Casas struck out swinging but Verdugo singled in the hole at short. A wild pitch moved Verdugo to second but Urias grounded out to third to end the inning.
Pablo Reyes the infielder took the mound to start the top of the ninth and Merrifield grounded out to second to start. Belt walked and Schneider singled to center. A wild pitch moved both runners over and Springer grounded back to the mound. Espinal walked to load the bases and Biggio flied out to left to end the inning. Sad that an infielder had a better outing than four relief pitchers.
Jay Jackson came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and McGuire grounded out to second to start. Reyes flied out to right and Duran struck out swinging to end the game. The Jays had won it 13-1.
Jackass of The Night is Chris Murphy. He allowed 6 runs in 2 1/3 innings to put the game out of reach.
The Good:
Justin Turner was 1 for 2.
Rafael Devers was 1 for 2.
Triston Casas was 1 for 3 with a home run and a walk.
Alex Verdugo was 3 for 4.
Brennan Bernardino pitched a scoreless first inning.
Pablo Reyes walked twice and pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Connor Wong was 0 for 2.
Yu Chang was 0 for 2.
Reese McGuire was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mauricio Llovera allowed 5 runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Nick Robertson allowed a run in the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Masataka Yoshida was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Luis Urias was just 1 for 4.
Richard Bleier allowed a run in 2 1/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
That's four losses in a row after Chaim Bloom sat on his hands at the trade deadline. The Sox desperately miss Trevor Story, Chris Sale and James Paxton and refused to trade for another starter or a big bat. Basically Bloom pulled a 2019 Dave Dombrowski and time will tell if he gets fired in September or not just like Dave did. This game was pure trash and maybe Bloom should get fired for these "bullpen" games that clearly don't work. Rather than spend money or trade prospects for an ace, we're down to bullpen games and mediocre starting pitching. This is going to backfire big time, the only question is how bad are things going to get? They got pulverized in this one and have lost four in a row. It doesn't look like they have the high end talent to get back in the race and that's entirely on the front office. The loss dropped the Sox to 57-54, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night against the Kansas City Royals when Brayan Bello takes the mound against Cole Ragans of Kansas City. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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