The good feeling of yesterday's Fenway opener lasted less than 24 hours as the San Diego Padres exposed the Boston Red Sox lack of offense and defense big time. The Padres broke out to a 2-1 lead over the hapless Sox bats and knocked Connelly Early out of the game after just four ineffective innings. Due to the Red Sox bullpen tossing four shutout innings and an 8th inning rally, the Sox tied it up. There, Sox manager Alex Cora made a big mistake by putting Roman Anthony in left field. Ramon Laureano hit a ball to Roman in the top of the ninth that Roman threw away for an error to allow the winning run to sore, making a loser out of Aroldis Chapman (0-1, 2.25 ERA). The Padres held the Sox to just 8 hits and 2 runs as they knocked off the Sox 3-2 at Fenway Park.
Early got the ball in the top of the first inning and Fernando Tatis Jr struck out swinging to start. Ramon Laureano walked but Miguel Andujar struck out swinging. Manny Machado walked but Xander Bogaerts popped up to right to end the inning. Vasquez got the ball in the bottom of the first and Roman Anthony grounded out to first to start. Trevor Story grounded out to short and Jarren Duran struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Padres struck first in the top of the second as Freddy Fermin walked to start. Ty France singled to left to move Fermin to third but Jake Cronenworth grounded out to first. Bryce Johnson grounded out to short to score Fermin to put San Diego ahead. Tatis Jr struck out swinging to end the inning with the Padres up 1-0.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the second as Willson Contreras singled to left to begin. Wilyer Abreu walked but Caleb Durbin forced him at second. Marcelo Mayer hit a sac fly to center to score Contreras and Carlos Navaez flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Padres scored again in the top of the third as Laureano flied out to center to start. Andujar doubled to left but Machado walked. Bogaerts lined out to left but Fermin doubled to left to score Andujar. France grounded out to third to end the inning with San Diego ahead 2-1.
Ceddanne Rafaela singled to center to start the bottom of the third but Anthony popped up to second. Rafaela was thrown out trying to steal second and Story grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Padres finished off Early in the top pf the fourth as Cronenworth grounded out to second to start. Johnson flied out to right and Tatis Jr struck out swinging to end the inning. Early had zero command and lasted just 4 innings allowing 3 hits and 4 walks on 88 pitches.
The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fourth as Duran singled to right to start. Contreras grounded into a double play but Abreu got a base hit to center. Durbin got a base hit in the hole at short but Mayer struck out swinging.
Ryan Watson came in to pitch the top of the fifth and Laureano grounded out to third to start. Andujar singled to left and Machado walked, but Bogaerts struck out swinging. Fermin flied out to center to end the inning. Narvaez grounded out to second to start the bottom of the fifth and Rafaela struck out swinging. Anthony tripled into the right field corner but Story grounded out to second to end the inning.
France flied out to right to start the top of the sixth and Danny Coulombe came in to pitch. Cronenworth grounded out to short and Johnson took strike three to end the inning. Duran grounded out to third to start the bottom of the sixth and Contreras lined out to right. Abreu grounded out to second to end the inning.
Justin Slaten came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Tatis Jr struck out swinging to start. Laureano flied out to left but Andujar got a base hit to left. Machado grounded out to third to end the inning. Jeremiah Estrada came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Durbin popped up to second to start. Mayer flied out to left and Narvaez flied out to center to end the inning.
Zack Kelly came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Bogaerts grounded out to short to start. Fermin struck out swinging and France grounded out to short to end the inning. Adrian Morejon came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Rafaela singled in the hole at short to start. Anthony got a base hit to right to move Rafaela to third but Story struck out swinging. Andruw Monasterio pinch hit for Duran and beat out a double play ball to score Rafaela. Contreras struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the top of the ninth with Anthony moving to left....which killed them in this inning. Cronenworth lined out to short and Nick Castellanos pinch hit for Johnson. Castellanos struck out swinging but Tatis Jr doubled to center. Laureano got a base hit to left and noodle armed Anthony threw the ball halfway to first base for an error to score Tatis. Andujar popped up to short to end the inning with the Padres up 3-2.
Mason Miller came in to close out the top of the ninth and Abreu struck out swinging to start. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit for Durbin and struck out swinging. Mayer went down hacking to end the game. The Padres had won 3-2.
Jackass of the Night is Aroldis Chapman. He allowed the game winning run in the top of the ninth.
The Good:
Jarren Duran was 1 for 3.
Andruw Monasterio drove in a run as a pinch hitter.
Wilyer Abreu was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Caleb Durbin was 1 for 3.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Ryan Watson tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Danny Coulombe tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Justin Slaten tossed a scoreless inning.
Zack Kelly pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Trevor Story was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Carlos Narvaez was 0 for 3.
The Ugly:
Roman Anthony was 2 for 4 but failed to throw out the winning run at home with an error.
Willson Contreras was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Marcelo Mayer was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Connelly Early allowed 2 runs in just 4 innings of work off 3 hits and 4 walks.
Final Thoughts:
There's trouble in paradise for sure as the Sox have lost 6 of their first eight games. The offense continues to sputter which anyone could have seen a mile away. Now it seems Alex Cora is losing his grip as his decisions haven't worked so far. Putting Roman Anthony in left seems to be a failure as his throwing arm is now called into question. Early didn't look great at all although the bullpen looked good for the second straight day....except Chapman anyway. Once again the lack of offense is dooming this team and its going to become critical in the next few weeks. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow afternoon when Ranger Suarez takes on old friend Walker Buehler of San Diego. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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