Its only three games but the Boston Red Sox offense is not in sync at all. After being shut down for most of last night's game, tonight's game against the Texas Rangers was just as frustrating. Walker Buehler (0-1, 8.31 ERA) allowed 4 runs in just 4 1/3 innings as the Rangers broke out to a quick 2-0 lead. A Rafael Devers walk and Kristian Campbell's first major league home run tied the game but the Rangers knocked Buehler out in the fifth inning. The Sox managed to scratch out a run in the eighth inning but the trio of Devers, Triston Casas and Trevor Story combined to go 1 for 13 with 7 strikeouts. The Rangers hung on to win the game 4-3 at Globe Life Field.
Tyler Mahle got the ball to start the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran walked to start. Rafael Devers struck out swinging but Alex Bregman got a base hit to left. Triston Casas took strike three and Trevor Story forced Bregman at second to end the inning, another two runners left on. Buehler made his Sox debut in the bottom of the first and got lit up. Marcus Semien popped up to short but Corey Seager got a base hit to center. Wyatt Langford got a base hit to left but Joc Pederson struck out swinging. Adolis Garcia doubled to center to score both runners. Jake Burger was hit with a pitch and for some reason Ezequiel Duran pinch hit for Josh Smith. Duran grounded out to first to end the inning with the Rangers up 2-0.
Wilyer Abreu doubled to left to start the top of the second before Kristian Campbell walked. David Hamilton struck out swinging but Carlos Narvaez made his Sox debut by drawing a walk to load the bases. Duran popped up to short but Devers drew a walk to score Abreu. That was it for Mahle and Jacob Webb came in to face Bregman. Alex flied out to center to leave the bases loaded with the Sox down 2-1.
Jonah Heim flied out to left to start the bottom of the second before Leody Taveras flied out to center. Semien struck out swinging to end the inning.
Casas took strike three right down the middle to start the top of the third before Story grounded out to short. Abreu flied out to right to end the inning. Seager flied out to left to start the bottom of the third before Langford flied out to right. Narvaez interfered with Pederson but made up for it by picking him off to end the inning.
The Sox tied the game in the top of the fourth when Campbell belted his first career home run to start the inning. Hamilton lined out to first and Narvaez struck out swinging to bring Hoby Milner in the game to face Duran. Jarren grounded out to second to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
The tie lasted 8 seconds when Garcia hit a home run all the way to Neptune to start the bottom of the fourth. Burger grounded back to the mound, Duran flied out to center and Heim lined out to right to end the inning with the Rangers up 3-2.
Devers grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth but Bregman drew a walk. Casas ripped a base hit to center but Story took strike three right down the middle. Abreu forced Casas at second to end the inning with another two left on base. The Rangers finished off Buehler in the bottom of the fifth as Taveras caught the Sox asleep with a bunt single in front of the plate. Taveras swiped second and Semien got a base hit to center to score him. Seager got a base hit to right to move Semien to third but Langford struck out swinging. Rather than let Buehler finish the inning, here came Alex Cora to take the ball after just 80 pitches. Buehler sucked in his debut, allowing 4 runs in just 4 1/3 innings off 7 hits. Justin Wilson made his Red Sox debut by getting Pederson to ground into a double play to end the inning with the Rangers up 4-2.
The Sox blew another rally in the top of the sixth with Gerson Garabito on the mound. Campbell doubled to right but only moved to third on a grounder by Hamilton. Narvaez grounded out to third and Duran struck out swinging to end the inning. Zack Kelly came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Garcia doubled to center to start. Burger lined out to center to move Garcia to third but Duran struck out swinging, Heim flied out to center to end the inning.
Devers watched strike three go by to start the top of the seventh but Bregman got a base hit to center. Casas flied out to right and Story forced Bregman at second to end the inning with another runner left on base. Taveras grounded out to first to start the bottom of the seventh before Semien grounded out to third. Seager flied out to left to end the inning.
Robert Garcia came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Romy Gonzalez pinch hit for Abreu. Gonzalez walked and moved to second on the Campbell grounder to third. Connor Wong pinch hit for Hamilton and looked at strike three right down the middle. Narvaez somehow got a base hit to right to score Gonzalez and Ceddanne Rafaela pinch ran for him. Duran popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Langford struck out swinging to start. Pederson walked and Garcia was hit with a pitch, but Burger grounded into a double play to end the inning....but wait! Rangers manager Bruce Bochy challenged that Burger was safe at first. Sure enough, the call was overturned. Duran grounded out to third anyway to end the inning.
Chris Martin came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Devers struck out badly to start. Bregman flied out to center and Casas struck out swinging to end the game. The Rangers had won the game 4-3.
Rangers win
"Gimmie the ball, Jackass" - Cora
Jackass of The Night is Walker Buehler. He got tagged for 4 runs and failed to get out of the fifth inning. He allowed 7 hits while striking out 3.
The Good:
Alex Bregman was 2 for 4 with a walk.
Wilyer Abreu was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Romy Gonzalez walked and scored as a pinch hitter.
Kristian Campbell was 2 for 3 with a walk and a home run.
Carlos Narvaez was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Justin Wilson tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Zack Kelly tossed 2 scoreless innings.
Greg Weissert tossed a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
David Hamilton was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Connor Wong struck out as a pinch hitter.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked and scored a run.
Triston Casas was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Honorable Mention:
Ceddanne Rafaela pinch ran in the top of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
Its only 3 games but Rafael Devers, Trevor Story and Triston Casas look like Schmidt. The lack of clutch hitting is what's killing them the last two games. Apart from Abreu's go-ahead home run, they haven't led in a game since. The pitching hasn't even been that bad, the Sox offense just dies when there's men on base. Duran popping up with the tying run on, Narvaez not being able to drive in a run earlier, it all added up. Worst, Walker Buehler not only sucked but protested being taken out so early. To be fair, he wasn't pitching well, but pulling guys early killed them in three of the last four years (2022 they were dead anyway) down the stretch. Still, the positives are there. Campbell looks like belongs and Abreu is hitting well so far. The others will come around, just a question of when. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow when "Big" Dick Fitts makes his season debut against Jake deGrom of Texas. The game begins at 2:35 PM Eastern time at Globe Life Field.
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