Three games into the season and the sky is already falling for Boston Red Sox fans. Chad Durbin, the man the Sox traded to replace Rafael Devers is 0 for 12 with 3 strikeouts, Greg Weissert has given up back to back big home runs and there's been almost no offense against the Cincinnati Reds. Connelly Early picked up where he left off last year by tossing 5 1/3 strong innings, holding the Reds to just 1 run. Unfortunately the Sox bats were held to just 7 hits and 2 measly runs by Rhett Lowder and the Reds bullpen. Wilyer Abreu smacked a 2 run home run in the top of the fourth and Sox manager Alex Cora pulled Early for Greg Weissert in the bottom of the sixth. Eugenio Suarez promptly hit a 3 run home run and that was basically it. The Sox had the tying run in scoring position in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings but couldn't bring them in. It all added up to a 3-2 loss to the Reds at Great American Ballpark.
Lowder got the ball in the top of the first inning and Roman Anthony struck out swinging to start. Trevor Story flied out to center and Jarren Duran popped up to short to end the inning. Early got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and TJ Friedl dumped the second pitch to left for a base hit. A wild pitch moved Friedl to second but Matt McLain took strike three. Elly De La Cruz flied out to center but Sal Stewart walked. Eugenio Suarez took strike three to end the inning.
Willson Contreras lined out to center to open the top of the second before Wilyer Abreu flied out to left. Caleb Durbin grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Spencer Steer lined out to center to start the bottom of the second but Dane Myers singled to left. Tyler Stephenson grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the third as Masataka Yoshida walked to start. Marcelo Mayer lined out to a running Friedl but Connor Wong blooped a base hit to right. Anthony struck out swinging and Story grounded out to short to end the inning. Noelvi Marte popped up to Yoshida to begin the bottom of the second and Friedl was rung up for strike three. McLain walked and took second on a wild pitch but De La Cruz took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the fourth as Duran popped up to second to start. Contreras ate up De La Cruz on a grounder that was ruled a single and Abreu hit a no doubt two run homer to put the Sox on top. Durbin was rung up for strike three and Yoshida walked. Mayer was called out on strikes but Mayer challenged the call. The ump correctly upheld it for strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
The Reds fought back in the bottom of the fourth as Stewart singled to center to begin. Suarez hit a fly ball to the centerfield wall to move Stewart to second and Sal moved to third on a base hit past Story by Steer. Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey made a mad dash to the mound to tell Early that Blue Bloods was on in the clubhouse. Early was so inspired he induced a 3-6 double play from Contreras to Story to end the inning.
Wong grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth before Anthony grounded out to short. Story looked at strike three down the middle to end the inning. Stephenson struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Marte grounded out to third. Friedl grounded out to third to end the inning.
Brock Burke came in to pitch the top of the sixth and the Reds challenged a walk by Duran to start. The call was upheld but Contreras grounded into a double play. Abreu doubled off the centerfield wall but Durbin grounded out to second to end the inning. McLain singled off the right field wall but De La Cruz struck out swinging to end Early's day. He tossed 5 1/3 innings on 96 pitches allowing just 5 hits and 2 walks. Greg Weissert came in and walked Stewart on 5 pitches not even close. Suarez then hit a 3 run bomb to put the Reds up for good. Steer took strike three and Myers flied out to right to end the inning with the Reds up 3-2.
Yoshida grounded out to second to start the top of the seventh and Andruw Monasterio pinch hit for Mayer. Pierce Johnson came in to pitch to him and Andruw flied out to right. Wong doubled too the centerfield wall but Anthony popped up to center to end the inning. Jovani Moran came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Stephenson flied out to right to start. Marte struck out swinging and Friedl was retired on a swinging bunt to end the inning.
Tony Santillan came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Story struck out swinging to start. Duran walked but was foolishly picked off. The out hurt when Contreras walked and Abreu singled to center to move Contreras to third. Durbin naturally struck out swinging to end the inning. McLain grounded out to short to start the bottom of the eighth and De La Cruz struck out swinging. Stewart doubled to left and Suarez walked, forcing Reds manager Terry Francona to pinch run Ke'Bryan Hayes for Suarez. Steer flied out to right to end the inning.
Emilio Pagan came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Yoshida flied out to left to start. Monasterio doubled to left and Ceddanne Rafaela pinch hit for Wong. Rafaela lined out to left but Anthony was intentionally walked. Story popped up to center on the first pitch to end the game. The Reds had won it 3-2.
Jackass of the Night is Greg Weissert. He allowed the 3 run bomb to put the Reds up for good.
The Good:
Wilson Contreras was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Wilyer Abreu was 3 for 4 with a 2 run home run.
Masataka Yoshida walked twice in four plate appearances.
Andruw Monasterio was 1 for 2 at the plate.
Connor Wong was 2 for 3.
Connelly Early allowed just 1 run in 5 1/3 innings off 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6.
Jovani Moran tossed two scoreless innings.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Marcelo Mayer was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 1 at the plate.
The Ugly:
Roman Anthony was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Jarren Duran was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts and got picked off, but walked twice.
Final Thoughts:
Sox fans are already angry at Durbin having a bad 3 game stretch, the bullpen and Sonny Gray. After last year ended with a whimper against the New York Yankees, Sox fans wanted some big bats and power arms to compete with them and instead the Sox got a lot worse in a lot of ways just to save money. Connelly Early pitched his ass off in this one but has nothing to show for it because of Weissert's meatball and the offense being inept for the second time in three days. The Sox are going to try to win a lot of low scoring games but so far they're failing miserably. Its still early but fans were already mad going into the season and yet another slow start like the last 4 years will send them over the edge. If losing 2 of 3 to the Reds isn't bad enough, now they travel to Houston to play the Astros. Tomorrow night Ranger Suarez makes his Red Sox debut against Lance McCullers of Houston. The game begins at 8:10 PM Eastern time at Daikin Park.
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