Well that game didn't end so well for the Boston Red Sox. Sometimes manager Alex Cora managing every game like its Game 7 of the World Series backfires and this is one of those times. Ace Garrett Crochet and the Boston bats built a 3-1 lead after 5 innings. Rather then send Crochet out for the 6th at just 89 pitches, Cora went to the bullpen and paid for it. Garrett Whitlock was asked to pitch 2 innings and he ran out of gas allowing 2 runs to score in the seventh. Justin Slaten (0-3, 6.57 ERA) then allowed 2 in the eighth to give Minnesota the lead. Wilyer Abreu hit a home run in the eighth and the Sox got the tying run on base in the ninth but the Twins held on to win 5-4 at Fenway Park.
Crochet got the ball in the top of the first inning and Byron Buxton hit the first pitch of the game all the way to Mongolia for a home run just like that. Ryan Jeffers grounded out to short and Ty France struck out swinging, but Carlos Correa singled off the glove of David Hamilton. Jonah Bride struck out swinging to end the inning with the Twins up 1-0.
Chris Paddack got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Trevor Larnach made a running catch at the wall on a Jarren Duran liner. Rafael Devers walked but Alex Bregman struck out swinging. Kristian Campbell lined out to right to end the inning.
Brooks Lee flied out to right to start the top of the second and Harrison Bader struck out swinging. Romy Gonzalez booted a grounder by Larnach but Trevor was then thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. The Sox fought back in the bottom of the second as Wilyer Abreu singled to left to start. Gonzalez atone for his error with a base hit to right and Hamilton dropped down a bunt to move the runners over. The gamble worked as Carlos Narvaez got a base hit to left to score both Abreu & Gonzalez to put the Sox ahead. Ceddanne Rafaela doubled to left but Duran popped up to short. Devers flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Christian Vazquez struck out swinging to start the top of the third and Buxton did the same. Jeffers got a base hit to center but France lined out to second to end the inning. The Sox got another run in the bottom of the third as Bregman walked to start. Campbell lined out to a running Buxton but Abreu singled to center to move Bregman to third. Gonzalez hit a sac fly to center to score Bregman but Hamilton flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 3-1.
Correa grounded back to the mound to start the top of the fourth inning and Bride struck out swinging. Lee singled to left but Bader grounded out to short to end the inning. Narvaez struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fourth and Rafaela flied out to right. Duran hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
Larnach walked to start the top of the fifth amd Vazquez did the same. Buxton lined out to left, Jeffers flied out to center and France forced Larnach at third to end the inning. Foolishly Sox manager Alex Cora pulled Crochet at just 89 pitches and forced the bullpen to pitch the rest of the game. Crochet allowed 1 run in 5 innings off 4 hits and 2 walks.
Devers popped up to first to start the bottom of the fifth and Bregman grounded out to short. Campbell flied out to right to end the inning.
Garrett Whitlock came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Correa flied out to right to start. Bride and Lee both struck out swinging to end the inning. Brock Stewart came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Abreu flied out to right to start. Gonzalez was hit with a pitch and stolen second while Hamilton struck out looking. Narvaez flied out to left to end the inning.
The Twins fought back in the top of the seventh as Bader walked to start. Larnach popped up to short but Vazquez singled to center. Buxton grounded out to short to move the runners over and they both scored on the base hit to left by Jeffers. France struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
Jeffers ties it
Louis Varland came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Rafaela grounded out to short to start. Duran grounded out to second and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning.
Justin Slaten came in to crap his pants in the top of the eighth as Correa got a base hit to left to start. Kody Clemens pinch hit for Bride and lined out to second. Lee flied out to center but Bader doubled to center to score Correa. Larnach got a base hit to right to score Correa and DaShawn Keirsey Jr ran for Trevor. Vazquez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Twins up 5-3.
The Sox did fight back in the bottom of the eighth with Griffin Jax now on the mound. Bregman grounded out to short and Campbell did the same, but Abreu smashed his 7th home run of the year to cut the lead. Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 5-4.
Liam Hendriks came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Buxton lined out to center to start. Jeffers flied out to center and France struck out swinging to end the inning. Jhoan Duran came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Hamilton grounded out to second to start. Abraham Toro pinch hit for Narvaez to make his Red Sox debut and grounded out to first. Rafaela beat out a roller to third but Duran struck out swinging to end the game. The Twins had won it 5-4.
Jackass of The Night is Justin Slaten. He gave up the 2 runs in the eighth inning to lose the game.
The Good:
Wilyer Abreu was 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 runs scored.
Romy Gonzalez was 1 for 2 with a hit by pitch, stolen base, rbi and a run scored.
Carlos Narvaez was 1 for 3 with 2 rbis.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 2 for 4.
Garrett Crochet tossed 5 strong innings allowing just 1 run off 4 hits and 2 walks.
Liam Hendriks pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Abraham Toro was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Kristian Campbell was 0 for 4.
David Hamilton was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Garrett Whitlock allowed 2 runs in 2 innings.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Alex Bregman was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
There comes a time when you realize a manager needs to go and this might be it for Alex Cora. How many times are the Sox going to come out flat as a pancake to begin the season and how many times is he going to yank a starter early only for the bullpen to blow it? Slaten & Whitlock are normally reliable but why was Whitlock asked to go 2 innings? Throw the analytics out the window and use your head. The season is young but this is the 4th year in a row the Sox are .500 are below by this point in the season or at least feels like it. If thst wasn't bad enough, the Boston front office apparently asked Rafael Devers to play first base rather than do what they did last year and get Garrett Cooper. Devers reportedly refused and the fanbase is divided. Half of them are smart enough to realize you dont put a 9 year vet out of position with no warning like that and the other half are screaming "grab a mitt and help da teammm". Either way this season sucks already and May just started. The loss dropped the Sox to 18-18, 2 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Tuesday night at home against the Texas Rangers. Lucas Giolito gets the start against old pal Nathan Eovaldi of Texas at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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