Its become an epidemic at this point just how bad the Boston Red Sox offense is. After being held to 3 runs in 2 games by the Tampa Bay Rays, tonight it was Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies that held the Sox to just 1 measly run in 7 1/3 innings. The sad part was Jovani Moran (0-1, 3.18 ERA) allowed a run as the "opener" and Brayan Bello allowed just 1 run in 6 1/3 innings piggybacking. The Boston bats outhit the Phillies 7 to 5 but went 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position with 6 men left on base. Jhoan Duran locked it down in the bottom of the ninth and the Phillies had won the game 2-1 at Fenway Park.
Jovani Moran got the ball in the top of the first inning and Trea Turner grounded out to third to start. Naturally old pal Kyle Schwarber hit a home run all the way to Philadelphia to remind Red Sox ownership of their failure. Bryce Harper took strike three and Adolis Garcia struck out swinging to end the inning with the Phillies up for good 1-0.
Wheeler utterly dominated the Sox in the bottom of the first as Jarren Duran grounded out to short to start. Mickey Gasper flied out to right and Wilyer Abreu flied out to left to end the inning with Wheeler throwing just 6 pitches.
Brayan Bello came in to pitch the top of the second and Brandon Marsh got a base hit got a base hit to right. Right on cue Bello melted as JT Realmuto grounded back to the mound to move Marsh to second and Brandon scored on the ground rule double by Bryson Stott into the right field stands. Abreu had to climb the wall to rob Alec Bohm of a home run and Justin Crawford walked. Both runners pulled off a double steal but somehow Turner struck out swinging to end the inning with the Phillies up 2-0.
The Sox rolled over in the bottom of the second as Masataka Yoshida was hit with a pitch to start....but Trevor Story was royally booed for hitting into a double play. Ceddanne Rafaela hit a weak ground out to short to end the inning.
Schwarber flied out to left to start the top of the third and Harper took strike three. Garcia grounded out to third to end the inning. Somehow Marcelo Mayer got a lucky base hit to center to start the bottom of the third but naturally Carlos Narvaez flied out to center. Sox fans booed loudly as Chad Durbin grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Marsh flied out to right to start the top of the fourth before Realmuto grounded back to the mound. Stott got a base hit to center but Bohm forced him at second to end the inning. Duran swung at strike three 8 feet over his head to start the bottom of the fourth and Gasper flied out to left. Abreu got a base hit to left but Yoshida lined out to short to end the inning.
Crawford struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Turner grounded back to the mound. Schwarber flied out to the right field wall to end the inning. Story got booed loudly for grounding out to short to start the bottom of the fifth. Rafaela struck out swinging and Mayer grounded out to short to end the inning with Wheeler at just 44 pitches.
Abreu made a great sliding catch to rob Harper of extra bases to start the top of the sixth and Garcia grounded out to short. Marsh grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Narvaez grounded out to short to start the bottom of the sixth and Durbin got booed for taking strike three down the middle. Duran was also booed as he struck out swinging to end the inning.
Realmuto struck out swinging to open the top of the seventh and Stott grounded out to second. Bohm got a base hit to center but Crawford took strike three to end the inning. Somehow Gasper got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the seventh but naturally Abreu flied out to right. Yoshida flied out to center but somehow Story got a base hit to left. Rafaela shocked the world with a base hit to right that scored Gasper and moved Story to third. Naturally with a chance to tie the game, Mayer grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
Bello got Turner to ground out to third to start the top of the eighth and that was it for him. He allowed just 1 run in 6 1/3 innings on 4 hits and a walk. If it wasn't for bad offense, he'd be winning this game. Tyler Samaniego came in and walked Schwarber, but Harper lined out to third. Garcia struck out swinging to end the inning.
Somehow Narvaez got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the eighth and Connor Wong pinch ran for him. Durbin was booed for flying out to center and that was it for Wheeler. Jose Alvarado was brought in to face Duran and Jarren hit a grounder to short. Turner fired to second base and Wong was ruled safe....but wait! Phillies manager Don Mattingly challenged he was out. Sure enough, the umpires called Wong out. Duran took off for second and catcher Realmuto threw the ball away allowing Jarren to reach third on the error. With the tying run 90 feet away....Gasper struck out swinging to end the inning.
Zack Kelly came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Marsh flied out to center to start. Realmuto grounded out to third and Stott struck out swinging to end the inning. Jhoan Duran came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Abreu struck out swinging to start. Yoshida got a base hit to left and Isiah Kiner-Falefa ran for him. Kiner stole second to put the tying run in scoring position and Story walked. With the game on the line....Rafaela struck out swinging and Mayer grounded out to second to end the game. The Phillies had won it 2-1.
Jackass of the Night is Marcelo Mayer. He had two chances to tie the game and failed both times.
The Good:
Masataka Yoshida was 1 for 3.
Trevor Story was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa stole a base in the ninth inning.
Carlos Narvaez was 1 for 3.
Brayan Bello tossed 6 1/3 innings of 1 run ball allowing 4 hits and a walk.
Tyler Samaniego got the final two outs of the eighth inning.
Zack Kelly pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Jovani Moran allowed a run in the first inning.
The Ugly:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but stole a base.
Mickey Gasper was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run.
Honorable Mention:
Connor Wong caught the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
This can't go on all season can it? Red Sox fans are already screaming to blow the team up, sell it and fire the front office and we're not even half way through May yet. Who can blame the fans after they were promised a good season after picking up Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Ranger Suarez only for the ones expected to do well to fall flat on their faces. Duran, Story and Durbin have been automatic outs with Narvaez, Mayer and Anthony pretty close. Anthony's gone now and it looks like addition by subtraction with Gasper in there but how long will his initial push last before it runs out of gas? If the Sox are banking on Mickey Gasper to save the season they're screwed. Bello didn't pitch that bad and one home run with a man on base wins this thing. That's how bad this team is, one home run makes a difference nearly every night and there aren't any coming. The loss dropped the Sox to 17-24, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night against the Phillies when Sonny Gray (3-1) takes on Andrew Painter of Philadelphia. The game begins at 6:40 PM at Fenway Park.
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