So THAT'S the Boston Red Sox we should have been expecting. After somehow winning on Opening Day the 2024 Red Sox suffered their first of many losses this season due to a pathetic offense. Rafael Devers was scratched before the game with a bad shoulder and Bobby Dalbec was put in the starting lineup. That worked out about as much as everyone expected as the Sox got shut out by George Kirby and the Seattle Mariners. In a hell of a pitcher's duel, Nick Pivetta (0-1, 1.50 ERA) went mano e mano for 5 innings but the Mariners broke through in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run by JP Crawford. The Sox offense had a few chances against Kirby and the Seattle bullpen but couldn't cash in. The Sox as a team had just four hits while striking out 13 times in the game. It all added up to a 1-0 Mariners win at T-Mobile Park. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?
Kirby got the ball in the top of the first and Jarren Duran walked to start. Tyler O'Neill hit one up the elevator shaft but Duran swiped second. A wild pitch moved Duran to third and Masataka Yoshida walked to put runners at the corners. Naturally Trevor Story struck out swinging and Triston Casas flied out to center to end the inning. Pivetta got the ball in the bottom of the first and JP Crawford lined out to center to start. Julio Rodriguez popped up to second and Jorge Polanco struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as Ceddanne Rafaela popped up to first to start. Enmanuel Valdez popped up to third and Bobby Dalbec struck out swinging....stop me if you've heard that before. Mitch Haniger struck out swinging to lead off the bottom of the second and Cal Raleigh flied out to left. Ty France got a base hit to center but Dominic Canzone struck out swinging to end the inning.
Reese McGuire grounded out to second to start the top of the third before Duran grounded back to the mound. O'Neill ripped a base hit to right but Yoshida grounded out to short to end the inning. Luis Urias lined out to left to start the bottom of the third before Luke Raley grounded out to third. Crawford grounded out to first to end the inning.
Kirby dominated the top of the fourth as Story flied out to left to start. Both Casas and Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning. Rodriguez singled to left to start the bottom of the fourth but Polanco struck out swinging. Haniger hit a rocket.....right to Dalbec for the out and Raleigh struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox continued to struggle in the top of the fifth as Valdez grounded out to first to start. Dalbec flied out to right and McGuire struck out swinging to end the inning. France struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Canzone grounded out to first. Urias took strike three to end the inning. Pivetta was dominating.
Kirby continued to dazzle in the top of the sixth as Duran and O'Neill both struck out swinging to start the inning. Yoshida also struck out swinging to end the inning. The Mariners finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth although Raley struck out swinging to start. Crawford then hit a home run all the way to Samoa to put the Mariners up for good. Rodriguez took strike three and Polanco struck out swinging to end the inning but it was all but over, 1-0 Mariners. That was also it for Pivetta who tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball allowing 3 hits while striking out 10. He deserved better.
Kirby finished his masterpiece in the top of the seventh as Story flied out to right to start. Casas grounded out to short but Rafaela got a base hit to right to finally chase Kirby after 6 2/3 dominant innings. Gabe Speier came in and Sox manager Alex Cora countered by pinch hitting Pablo Reyes for Valdez. Reyes got a base hit to right but as usual Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning. Josh Winckowski came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Haniger struck out swinging to start. Raleigh grounded out to second and France struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ryne Stanek came in to pitch the top of the eighth and McGuire walked on four pitches to start. Duran struck out swinging and O'Neill popped up to short, but Yoshida ripped a base hit to center to move McGuire to third. That was it for Stanek as Andres Munoz came in to pitch to Story. Trevor grounded out to third to end the inning. Winckowski returned for the bottom of the eighth and Canzone struck out swinging to start. Urias struck out swinging but Raley got a base hit to right. A wild pitch moved Raley to second and Crawford walked. Rodriguez walked to load the bases but Polanco lined out to first to end the inning.
Munoz returned to close out the top of the ninth and Casas watched strike three go by to start. Rafaela struck out swinging and Reyes struck out swinging to end the game. The Mariners had won it 1-0.
Jackass of the Night is Trevor Story. He was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and failed to tie the game in the eighth inning.
The Good:
Masataka Yoshida was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Pablo Reyes was 1 for 2.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher ended up on the Good list but Nick Pivetta allowed just 1 run in 6 innings of work. He allowed 3 hits and struck out 10.
Josh Winckowski tossed two scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Triston Casas was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Enmanuel Valdez was 0 for 2.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked and stole a base.
Tyler O'Neill was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Reese McGuire was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Final Thoughts:
The lack of power in this lineup reared its ugly head but sometimes you have to tip your cap to a good pitcher. Kirby has been one of the better starters in the American League the past two seasons and tonight was no different. Pivetta did the best he could and normally 6 innings of 1 run ball would be enough to win the game. Worst part, all the clutch hits they got last night didn't translate into tonight's game at all. Story and Dalbec came up with the game on the line and failed both times. Dalbec we all know shouldn't be here but Story is supposed to be one of the leaders. Its a young and hungry team but Kirby pitched a gem for sure. Its only the second game of the season so its not worth going crazy about the first of many losses this season. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night against the Mariners with Kutter Crawford making his season debut against Logan Gillbert of the Mariners. The game begins at 9:40 PM Eastern time at T-Mobile Park.
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