As for the game, looks like the wrong team got fired up. One day after the Washington Nationals scored 8 unanswered runs after a bench clearing fight between Jose Contreras and Nate Eaton with Cade Cavalli and Miles Mikolas, they kept up the attack by pounding out 10 runs and 13 hits against Payton Tolle (4-6, 3.39 ERA) and the Red Sox bullpen. The Nationals got a two run Andres Chaparro home run before most fans were in their seats and rallied for five runs in the top of the third to ice it early. Meanwhile the Angels bullpen led by Brad Lord allowed just 2 runs to the once again silent Boston bats. The Sox bullpen allowed four runs in the final six innings as the Nationals made this one a laugher 10-2 at Fenway Park.
The Nationals jumped on Tolle right off the bat in the top of the first as James Wood struck out swinging to start. Curtis Mead tripled into the right field corner and Andres Chaparro hit his first home run of the season into the Charles River to put the Nationals on top. Dylan Crews walked but Daylen Lile line out to right. Jacob Young doubled to center and Jorbit Vivas grounded out to second to end the inning with the Nationals up 2-0.
The Sox failed to respond against Lord in the bottom of the first as Anthony Seigler grounded out to second to start. Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging but Wilyer Abreu singled past the mound. Willson Contreras walked but Romy Gonzalez grounded out to second to end the inning.
Nasim Nunez struck out swinging to start the top of the second and Drew Millas took strike three. Wood singled in the hole at third and Mead lined out to third to end the inning. Caleb Durbin grounded out to first to start the bottom of the second and Nate Eaton grounded out to third. Andruw Monasterio grounded out to third to end the inning.
Chaparro struck out swinging to start the top of the third and Crews got a base hit to left. Monasterio failed to throw out Crews at second on a grounder to short by Lile but Young struck out swinging. Vivas grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the third as Connor Wong blooped a base hit over the head of Vivas to start. Seigler walked but Rafaela flied out to right to move Wong to third. It looked like Abreu beat out a double play ball to score Wong but the Nationals challenged Abreu was out. Sure enough, Abreu was out to end the inning.
The Nationals knocked out Tolle in the top of the fourth as Nunez hit his first home run of the season into the Atlantic Ocean to start. Millas got a base hit to left, Wood walked and Mead walked to load the bases. That was it for Tolle who'd be charged with 6 runs in just 3 plus innings. Yikes. Ryan Watson came in to pour gas on the fire as Luis Garcia Jr pinch hit for Chaparro. Garcia got a base hit to left to score Millas and Wood, then Crews singled in the hole at third to reload the bases. Lile grounded into a double play to score Mead and Young doubled to left to score Garcia. Vivas grounded out to second to end the inning with the Nationals up by a touchdown 7-0.
Contreras grounded out to third to start the bottom of the fourth and Gonzalez struck out swinging. Durbin grounded out to short to end the inning.
Nunez walked to start the top of the fifth but Millas walked. Wood grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the fifth as Eaton was hit with a pitch to start. Monasterio doubled to right but Eaton was thrown out at home on a grounder to the mound by Wong. Seigler struck out swinging and Rafaela walked to load the bases. With a chance to get back in the game...Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jovani Moran came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Mead flied out to left to start. Garcia Jr grounded out to first and Crews walked. Crews stole second and Lile struck out swinging to end the inning. Contreras got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the sixth but Gonzalez struck out swinging. Durbin forced Conteras at second but Eaton struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Nationals struck again in the top of the seventh as Young walked to start. Vivas was rung up for strike three and Nunez struck out swinging. Sox manager Chat Tracy wanted Alec Gamboa to face Millas. Millas walked and Wood clobbered a home run all the way to Brazil to increase the lead. Mead grounded out to first to end the inning with the Nationals ahead 10-0.
Monasterio grounded out to short to start the bottom of the seventh and Wong struck out swinging. Seigler flied out to center to end the inning.
Garcia Jr grounded out to short to start the top of the eighth and Crews struck out swinging. Lile doubled to center but Young walked. Vivas grounded out to second to end the inning. Riley Cornelio came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and the Sox finally woke up. Rafaela got a base hit to left but Abreu struck out swinging. Contreras got a base hit to center and Gonzalez got a base hit to right to load the bases. Durbin walked to score Rafaela and Eaton beat out a double play ball to score Contreras. Monasterio took strike three to end the inning with the Sox down 10-2.
Nunez walked to start the top of the ninth but Millas flied out to left. Wood walked and MEad singled to left, but Nunez was thrown out at home by Eaton. Garcia grounded out to second to end the inning. Carson Palmquist came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Wong got a base hit in the hole at third to start. Seigler flied out to center but Rafaela doubled to center. Abreu struck out swinging and Contreras popped up to second to end the game. The Nationals had won 10-2.
Nationals win
"Get out of here, Jackass" - Tracy
Jackass of The Night is Payton Tolle. He was charged with 7 runs in just 3 plus innings to put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
The Good:
Ceddanne Rafaela was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Willson Contreras was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Connor Wong was 2 for 4.
The Bad:
Ryan Watson allowed a run and 3 inherited runners to score in two innings.
Jovani Moran was charged with a run in 1 2/3 innings.
Alec Gamboa allowed 2 runs and an inherited runner to score in 2 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Anthony Seigler was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Romy Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Caleb Durbin was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run.
Nate Eaton was 0 for 3 but was hit with a pitch and drove in a run.
Andruw Monasterio was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
What a complete disaster the past two days have been. After riding high on a five game winning streak, the Sox lose two in a row, it was announced Willson Contreras and Nate Eaton have been suspended and Connelly Early got hurt. Its amazing how fans went from "they might have a chance" to "sell the team" again. Fans need to realize the Sox had a historically bad offense for the first two months and only slightly improved it. If the rookies Jake Bennett, Tolle and Early hit a rookie wall, this year's over. Garrett Crochet isn't coming back and who knows what the mental state of Brayan Bello is. Sox might have to make a move at the trade deadline just to field a competitive team. This game also showed the black hole in middle relief pitching with Chris Murphy & Brenan Bernardino gone and Johan Oviedo out. Moran, Watson and Gamboa turned a 3-0 game into 10-0 and THAT can't happen. The Sox did manage to scratch out two runs and if the game was 3-2 going into the ninth, you never know what can happen. The Sox have nine games left before the All-Star break and as unfair as it sounds, they might have to win all nine to have any short of hope for the second half of the season. The loss dropped the Sox to 37-48, good for last place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back on the road for the rest of the first half. On Friday night the Sox are in Anaheim to play the Los Angeles Angels in a three game set. Jake Bennett (2-3) takes on Reid Detmers of the Angels at 9:30 PM eastern time this Friday night at Angel Stadium.
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