For the third straight game the Boston Red Sox offense went ice cold against the Toronto Blue Jays. After scoring 18 runs on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals, they've scored just four since. Kevin Gausman allowed an unearned run in eight innings against the pathetic Sox bats that once again went 0-11 with runners in scoring position. Tanner Houck went 6 2/3 strong innings to keep the Sox in the game but the story was the inept offense failing to do anything. Both bullpens remained strong into extra innings. In the top of the 11th, Bo Bichette hit a sacrifice fly off Josh Winckowski (0-1, 0.00 ERA) to put the Jays up. The Sox didn't even hit the ball out of the infield after the eighth inning and suffered an ignominious 2-1 defeat by the Jays at Fenway Park.
The Jays wasted no time getting to Houck in the top of the first inning as Bo Bichette grounded out to short to start. Vladimir Guerrero Jr singled to third, Anthony Santander got a base hit to center and Andres Gimenez got a base hit to left to load the bases. Will Wagner beat out a double play ball to put the Jays on top by scoring Guerrero. Alejandro Kirk flied out to center to end the inning with the Jays up 1-0.
The Sox answered against Gausman in the bottom of the first as Jarren Duran got a base hit to center to start. Duran took off for second and Kirk's throw went into centerfield allowing Duran to take second and third. Rafael Devers struck out swinging but Alex Bregman hit a sac fly to center to score Duran to tie the game. Triston Casas flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Alan Roden grounded out to first to start the top of the second before Ernie Clement struck out swinging. Nathan Lukes grounded out to third to end the inning. Trevor Story lined out to right to start the bottom of the second before Wilyer Abreu grounded back to the mound. Kristian Campbell took strike three to end the inning.
Bichette grounded out to first to start the top of the third before Guerrero Jr popped up to first. Santander flied out to right to end the inning. Hamilton flied out to left to start the bottom of the third before Carlos Narvaez struck out swinging. Duran grounded out to first to end the inning.
Gimenez walked to start the top of the fourth before Wagner hit a bullet to Abreu, who doubled off Gimenez for the double play. Kirk struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fourth as Devers smacked a double to center to start. Bregman, Story and Casas all struck out swinging to end the inning.
Roden grounded out to second to start the top of the fifth before Clement flied out to right. Lukes lined out to left to end the inning. Abreu struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Campbell took strike three. Hamilton flied out to center to end the inning.
Bichette grounded out to second to start the top of the sixth but Guerrero Jr lashed a base hit to center. Santander hit a bullet to Casas who doubled off Guerrero to end the inning. The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the sixth as Narvaez struck out swinging to start. Duran struck out swinging but Devers pounded a ground rule double down the right field line. Once again with a runner on second....Bregman grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Jays went up for good in the top of the seventh as Gimenez got a base hit to right to start. Wagner walked but Kirk grounded into a double play to chase Houck. For whatever reason, Sox manager Alex Cora left Garrett Crochet in to freeze to death last night but yanks Houck after just 90 pitches with the inning not even over. Houck allowed just 1 run in 6 2/3 innings giving up just 5 hits and 2 walks. Justin Wilson came in to get Roden to ground out to second to end the inning.
Casas flied out to left to start the bottom of the seventh before Story flied out to right. Abreu popped up to third to end the inning.
Justin Slaten came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Clement grounded out to short to start. Lukes lined out to a running Duran and Bichette lined out to short to end the inning. Gausman returned for the bottom of the eighth but Campbell got a base hit to left to start. Hamilton flied out to right and Narvaez grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning and Guerrero Jr singled to left to start. Santander struck out swinging and Gimenez also went down hacking. George Springer pinch hit for Wagner and flied out to center to end the inning. Jeff Hoffman came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Duran grounded out to second to start. Devers popped up to third and Bregman took strike three to end the inning.
Greg Weissert came in to pitch the top of the tenth inning with Gimenez starting at second base. Kirk popped up to first but Roden grounded out to second to move Gimenez to third. Clement flied out to left to end the inning. Bregman started the bottom of the tenth and second and moved to third on the Casas grounder to second. With a chance to end it....Story struck out swinging on a pitch not even close. Abreu was intentionally walked and he took second on defensive indifference. Campbell struck out swinging to end the inning.
Josh Winckowski came in to pitch the top of the eleventh with Clement starting at second base. Lukes grounded out to short to move Ernie to third and Clement scored on the sac fly to center by Bichette. Guerrero Jr grounded out to third to end the inning with the Jays up 2-1.
Nick Sandlin came in to pitch the bottom of the eleventh with Campbell starting at second. Hamilton struck out swinging and Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for Narvaez. Refsnyder hit one up the elevator shaft and Duran grounded out to second to end the game. The Jays had won it 2-1.
Jays win
Jackass Story
Jackass of the Night is Trevor Story. He was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts including with the winning run on third in the tenth.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4.
Tanner Houck tossed 6 2/3 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2.
Justin Wilson got the final out of the seventh inning.
Justin Slaten pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Greg Weissert pitched a scoreless tenth inning.
The Bad:
Triston Casas was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
David Hamilton was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Carlos Narvaez was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but stole a base and scored a run.
Alex Bregman was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Kristian Campbell was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Josh Winckowski took the loss by allowing an unearned run in the 11th inning.
Final Thoughts:
This is a team wide epidemic that was masked by a brief hot streak by Wilyer Abreu and Kristian Campbell. Once those two cooled off, the offense has been pretty much non-existent all season with men on base. The Sox were 0 for 11 with a runner in scoring position and had not one but two chances to win or tie the game in extra innings. The Sox aren't just not hitting, they're not even making contact. Some of the pitches they're missing are straight fastballs right down the middle, in the dirt or 3 feet over their heads. Fans on social media are upset at Alex Cora for his in-game managerial decisions but he himself could grab a bat and it won't make a difference. Fans are also calling for the head of hitting coach Pete Fatse. At some point the players are going to have to execute, coaching won't matter when the bat is in their hands. Hopefully this is just cold April jitters because this is going to be a long season if this continues. The sad part was the pitching was outstanding tonight and Tanner Houck deserved better. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon against the Jays when Walker Buehler (1-1, 8.68 ERA) takes on Chris Bassitt of Toronto. The game begins at 4:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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