Cubs Pound Paxton, Sox (7/15/23)

It took James Paxton's (5-2, 3.51 ERA) worst start all season to snap the Boston Red Sox's six game win streak as the Chicago Cubs took their advantage. After bad defense put the Sox in a 2-0 hole in the bottom of the third, Cody Bellinger hit a backbreaking grand slam to put the game out of reach. Triston Casas hit a 2 run bomb to put the game at 8-3 but Brandon Walter allowed two runs in the seventh inning. The Cubs pounded out 12 hits and 10 runs to take the game 10-4 at Wrigley Field.

                                                           Angry Sox fan

Marcus Stroman got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran grounded out to second to start. Masataka Yoshida took strike three but Justin Turner pounded a ground rule double down the left field line. Rafael Devers grounded out to short to end the inning. Paxton got the ball in the bottom of the first and Nico Hoerner struck out swinging to start. Seiya Suzuki struck out swinging and Ian Happ grounded out to second to end the inning.

Alex Verdugo struck out swinging to open the top of the second before Triston Casas grounded out to short. Christian Arroyo flied out to right to end the inning. Cody Bellinger flied out to right to start the bottom of the second before Yan Gomes flied out to right. Trey Mancini struck out swinging to end the inning.

Connor Wong singled to center to start the top of the third before Enrique Hernandez flied out to center. Duran walked but Yoshida banged into a double play to end the inning. The floodgates opened in the bottom of the third as Christopher Morel walked to start. Miguel Amaya was plunked and Patrick Wisdom walked to load the bases with nobody out. Hoerner then hit a routine grounder that Hernandez failed to corral for a "base hit" to score Morel, putting the Cubs up for good. Suzuki then hit a grounder to Devers who stepped on third to force Wisdom then turned and inexplicably fired the ball into the left field bleachers for an error to score Amaya. Hoerner and Suzuki pulled off a double steal and Happ drew a walk. Bellinger then crushed a grand slam all the way to Edenia, Minnesota to ice the game. Gomes singled to center but Mancini forced him at second. Morel struck out swinging to end the inning with the Cubs up 6-0. That was it for Paxton who allowed 6 runs in just 3 innings

                                                               So much for this game

The Sox tried to fight back in the top of the fourth as Turner doubled to right to begin. Devers grounded out to short to move Turner to third and Justin scored on the grounder to short by Verdugo. Casas grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 6-1.

                                                                Sox get one back

Tayler Scott came in to crap his pants in the bottom of the fourth as Amaya doubled to right to start. Wisdom hit a home run all the way to Bombay, India to make this one a laugher. Hoerner lined out to right but Suzuki got a base hit to right. Happ popped up to second but Bellinger walked. Gomes struck out swinging to end the inning with the Cubs up 8-1.

                                                        That one's out of here

Arroyo grounded out to second to start the top of the fifth and Wong lined out to right. Hernandez flied out to center to end the inning. Joely Rodriguez came in to pitch the bottom of the fifth and Mancini grounded out to third to start. Morel struck out swinging and Amaya took strike three to end the inning.

Duran took strike three to start the top of the sixth and Yoshida flied out to left. Turner flied out to center to end the inning. Joe Jacques came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Wisdom grounded out to third to start. Hoerner grounded out to second and Suzuki took strike three to end the inning.

Julian Merryweather took over for Stroman in the top of the seventh and Dervers doubled to center to start. Verdugo flied out to center but Casas belted his 11th home run of the season to cut the lead. Arroyo and Wong both struck out swinging to end the inning but the Sox were down 8-3.

                                                           Casas gets two back

Jorge Alfaro came in for Wong and Brandon Walter came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh only for Happ to get a base hit to center to start. Bellinger got a base hit to center and Gomes flied out to right. Both Bellinger and Happ got into rundowns but Happ was thrown out at third. Mancini got a base hit to right and Morel got a base hit to left to score Bellinger. Amaya got a base hit to center to score Mancini but Wisdom flied out to right to end the inning with the Cubs up 10-3.

                                                     The beating continues

Michael Fulmer came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Hernandez walked to start. Duran walked and Yoshida moved both runners over with a grounder to first. Turner grounded out to third but Hernandez scored to cut the lead. Devers took strike three to end the inning with the Sox down 10-4.

                                                          Sox get a run back

Walter returned for the bottom of the eighth and Hoerner struck out swinging to start. Suzuki struck out swinging but Happ got a base hit to right. Bellinger struck out swinging to end the inning. 

Daniel Palencia came in to close out the top of the ninth and Verdugo lined out to right to start. Casas struck out swinging but Arroyo doubled to left. A wild pitch moved Arroyo to third but Alfaro was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to end the game. The Cubs had won it 10-4.

                                                               Cubs win

Jackass of The Night is James Paxton. He allowed 6 runs in 3 innings to put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of.

                                                          Nice going Jackass

The Good:

Jarren Duran walked twice in four plate appearances.

Justin Turner was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.

Connor Wong was 1 for 3.

Joely Rodriguez pitched a scoreless fifth inning.

Joe Jacques pitched a scoreless sixth inning.

The Bad:

Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Jorge Alfaro was 0 for 1 at the plate.

Tayler Scott allowed 2 runs in the fourth inning.

Brandon Walter allowed 2 runs 2 innings of work.

The Ugly:

Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout and an error but scored a run.

Alex Verdugo was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.

Triston Casas was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but the one hit was a two run home run.

Christian Arroyo was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Enrique Hernandez was 0 for 2 but walked and scored a run.

Final Thoughts:

That game was a root canal with no painkiller. The Cubs beat their brains in for 12 hits and 10 runs. The sad part was that was James Paxton's worst start all season as he had been solid up to this point. Another problem the Sox have is relief pitching, especially when they're down. A good bullpen has relievers that can settle things down for the bats to bop their way back but Tayler Scott and Brandon Walter prevented any hope of a comeback. Granted some of the Sox best relievers are down but this is a concern moving forward. The Sox bullpen turned a 6-1 game into 10-4 and that can't happen in the second half. Rafael Devers and Kenley Jansen are practically screaming at Sox GM Chaim Bloom to do something to help the team at the trade deadline and another good reliever will help. The best thing to do about this game is to forget about it and try to start a new win streak. The loss dropped the Sox to 49-44, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to take the series with the Cubs tomorrow afternoon when Kutter Crawford (3-4) takes on Justin Steele of Chicago. The game begins at 2:20 PM eastern time at Wrigley Field.

Sox Bats Punish Twins For 5th Straight Win (6/19/23)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox sent Chris Murphy back to Worcester after the doubleheader. They'll see him again soon.

                                                                   OUT

As for the game, suddenly the Boston Red Sox got hot. After sweeping the New York Yankees in Fenway Park the Sox took their hot streak on the road and laid waste to the bungholes of the Minnesota Twins. The Sox beat up Pablo Lopez of the Twins for 5 runs and knocked him out in the sixth inning. They then scored four runs off Jovani Moran and Jose De Leon to put the game away. Meanwhile James Paxton (3-1, 3.29 ERA) started to look more himself as he tossed 6 1/3 gutty innings allowing 3 runs to keep the Sox on it. The tag team of Josh Winckowski and Justin Garza finished off the Twins as the Sox took this one 9-3 at Target Field.

                                                    Jagar Tharn approves of the win

Lopez got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran doubled to left to start. Alex Verdugo lined out to right to move Duran to third and Rafael Devers struck out swinging. Adam Duvall grounded out to short to end the inning. Paxton got the ball in the bottom of the first and Verdugo made a great diving catch to rob Donovan Solano of a hit to start. Edouard Julien grounded out to short and Byron Buxton struck out swinging to end the inning.

Masataka Yoshida popped up to third to start the top of the second and Christian Arroyo lined out to right. Triston Casas popped up to third to end the inning. Carlos Correa flied out to right to start the bottom of the second and Alex Kirilloff grounded out to first. Will Castro grounded out to short to end the inning.

Connor Wong flied out to center to start the top of the third but Pablo Reyes walked. Duran doubled to center and Verdugo was hit with a pitch to load the bases. Devers struck out swinging but Duvall walked to score Reyees. Yoshida struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.

                                                              Sox strike first

Kyle Farmer struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third and Joey Gallo got a base hit to right. Old friend Christian Vazquez lined out to third and Solano struck out swinging to end the inning.

Arroyo took strike three to start the top of the fourth and Casas grounded out to second. Wong walked and Julien threw a grounder away by Reyes for an error. Duran made him pay by ripping a double to right to score both runners. Verdugo struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.

                                                          Duran drives in a pair

Julien grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fourth and Buxton walked. Correa grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Devers grounded out to first to start the top of the fifth and Duvall struck out swinging. Yoshida also went down hacking to end the inning. The Twins fought back in the bottom of the fifth as Kirilloff struck out swinging to start. Castro got a base hit to right and Farmer was hit with a pitch, but Gallo flied out to center. Who else but Vazquez hit a home run all the way to Milwaukee to tie the game. Solano popped up to second to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.

                                                          Vazquez hits one out

The Sox took command in the top of the sixth as Arroyo struck out swinging to start. Casas got a base hit to right and Wong doubled to center, but Reyes struck out swinging. Jovani Moran came in to pitch to Duran but Sox manager Alex Cora countered by sending in Rob Refsnyder to pinch hit. Refsnyder walked to load the bases and Verdugo tripled into the right field corner to clear them. Devers grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-3.

                                                                   A triple for Verdugo

Julien struck out swinging to start the bottom of the sixth and Buxton watched strike three go by. Correa grounded out to third to end the inning.

Jose De Leon came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Duvall flied out to center to start. Yoshida also flied out to center but Arroyo walked. Casas pounded his 8th home run of the season to ice the game but Wong grounded out short to end the inning with the Sox up 7-3.

                                                           Home run Casas

Paxton came back briefly in the bottom of the second just to strike out Kirilloff swinging. He was pulled after allowing 3 runs in 6 1/3 innings off 3 hits and a walk. Josh Winckowski came in and Castro got a base hit to left followed by a Farmer base hit to right. Gallo popped up to third and Vazquez struck out swinging to end the inning.

                                                                Good job Paxton

The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the top of the eighth as Reyes got a base hit to left. Refsnyder grounded back to the mound to move Rob to second and Verdugo got a base hit off the glove of Julien to score Reyes. Emilio Pagan came in to pitch and Devers walked. Duvall walked to load the bases but Yoshida grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Sox up 9-3.

                                                             Verdugo drives in another run

Justin Garza came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Solano got a base hit to right to start. Julien struck out swinging and Buxton forced Solano at second. Correa got a base hit to left but Kirilloff grounded out to short to end the inning.

Griffin Jax came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Arroyo grounded out to second to start. Casas flied out to center and Wong grounded out to third to end the inning. Castro struck out swinging to start the bottom of the ninth but Farmer walked. Gallo took strike three but Vazquez walked. Solano forced Christian at second to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-3.

                                                                 Sox win

Hero of The Night is Alex Verdugo. His 2 run triple put the Sox up for good.

                                                                Hero Verdugo

The Good:

Jarren Duran was 3 for 3 with 2 rbis.

Rob Refsnyder walked and scored a run.

Triston Casas was 2 for 5 with a 2 run home run and 2 total runs scored.

Pablo Reyes was 2 for 3 with a walk and 3 runs scored.

James Paxton got the win by firing 6 1/3 innings allowing 3 runs off 3 hits and a walk.

Josh Winckowski got the final 2 outs of the seventh inning.

Justin Garza pitched the final two scoreless innings.

The Bad:

Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.

The Ugly:

Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.

Adam Duvall was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked twice and scored a run.

Christian Arroyo was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked and scored.

Connor Wong was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored 2 runs.

Final Thoughts:

Looks like not only is Paxton coming around but the Sox bats as well. Casas, Duran and Verdugo were the stars of this one and are supposed to be the future of the team. It was good to see the trio perform well and better to see Paxton start to find his form. It would be unfair to expect him to pitch like he did in his prime but something close might be what the Sox need this season to get over the hump. A healthy Sale, Paxton and one of the younger starters developing would start to draw some interest. Still, the Sox need to take a game at a time and after knocking off the Yankees, taking out the Twins would be nice. The Sox are a month and change away from the trade deadline and the picture will be more clearer on team needs once we get closer. As for now, good win and hopefully they can keep this momentum going. The win improved the Sox to 38-35, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to make it five wins in a row and second straight against the Twins tomorrow night when Kutter Crawford (1-3) takes on Bailey Ober of Minnesota. The game begins at 7:40 PM eastern time at Target Field.

Bard, Rockies Beat Sox in Ten Innings (6/12/23)

Funny how things work out in life. Daniel Bard's career completely fell to pieces ten years ago and people simply forgot about him. Through hard work, dedication and a never say die attitude he worked his way back and is now the best relief pitcher on the Colorado Rockies. Unfortunately, that was bad news for the Boston Red Sox in tonight's game. The lowly Rockies led by Bard handed the Sox an extra innings loss, spoiling a good start by James Paxton. The Rockies scored a run in the top of the fourth but the Sox got a Justin Turner rbi double in the sixth. The Sox took the lead with a Christian Arroyo home run in the seventh but Elias Diaz tagged Josh Winckowki for an rbi to tie the game. The Rockies got two runs off Nick Pivetta (3-4, 5.40 ERA) thanks mostly to an error by Triston Casas in the top of the tenth but the Sox got one in the bottom of the frame. With the tying run at first, Alex Verdugo grounded into a double play to end the game with the Rockies winning 4-3 over the Sox in 10 innings at Fenway Park.

                                                          Great comeback story for Bard

Paxton got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jurickson Profar doubled to center to start. Ezequiel Tovar grounded out to third and Profar moved to third on a grounder to second by Ryan McMahon. Elias Diaz flied out to center to end the inning. Old pal Connor Seabold got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jarren Duran got a base hit to right to start. Alex Verdugo and Justin Turner both struck base hits to center to load the bases. Unfortunately Rafael Devers hit into a 1-2-3 double play and Adam Duvall struck out swinging to end the inning.

Randal Grichuk struck out swinging to start the top of the second and Nolan Jones took strike three. Coco Montes struck out swinging to end the inning. Triston Casas struck out swinging to start the bottom of the second and Christian Arroyo did the same. Connor Wong got a base hit to left but Enrique Hernandez popped up to short to end the inning.

Elehuris Montero flied out to right to begin the top of the third and Brendon Doyle struck out swinging. Profar grounded out to short to end the inning. Durna grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third and Verdugo grounded back to the mound. Turner struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Rockies struck first in the top of the fourth as Tovar grounded back to the mound to start. McMahon doubled to left but Diaz grounded out to third. Grichuk hit a routine grounder to Hernandez who spiked the ball to first base for an error to score Ryan. Jones grounded out to first to end the inning with the Rockies up 1-0.

                                                         "I don't got it" - Casas

The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fourth as Devers flied out to right to start. Duvall struck out swinging and Casas grounded out to second to start.

Montes struck out looking to begin the top of the fifth and Montero struck out swinging. Doyle singled to right and Profar did the same, but Tovar struck out swinging to end the inning. Arroyo flied out to right to start the bottom of the fifth but Wong was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single to left into a double. Hernandez was retired on a nubber in front of the plate to end the inning.

McMahon lined out to center to start the top of the sixth and Diaz grounded out to third. Grichuk struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the sixth as Duran grounded out to second to start. Verdugo walked and Turner doubled to center to score him to tie the game. Devers struck out swinging and Duvall popped up to first to end the inning. The game was tied 1-1 but the Sox managed to score just one run off Connor Seabold, pathetic.

                                                             Turner flashes his muscle

Paxton returned briefly in the top of the seventh as Jones walked to chase him. He did well, holding the Rockies to just 1 run in 6 plus innings off 4 hits and a walk. Josh Winckowski came in to pitch and Montes struck out swinging. Montero grounded into a double play to end the inning.

                                                                Paxton deserved better

The Sox took command in the bottom of the seventh as Brent Suter took over on the mound. Casas grounded out to first but Arroyo belted his second home run of the year to put the Sox on top. Wong popped up to second and Hernandez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.

                                                         Sox take the lead

The lead lasted five seconds in the top of the eighth as Doyle lined out to first to start. Profar doubled to right but Tover lined out to third. McMahon walked and Diaz got a base hit to center to score Profar. Grichuk walked and that was it for Winckowski. Brennan Bernardino came in and struck Jones out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.

                                                          Diaz ties it

Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for Duran to start the bottom of the eighth and lined out to right. Verdugo grounded out to second and Pierce Johnson was brought in to face Turner. Turner walked and Pablo Reyes ran for him. Devers looked to have hit the go ahead 2 run home run by Jones lept over the wall to grab it to end the inning....damn.

                                                                   What a catch

Kenley Jansen came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Montes struck out swinging to start. Harold Castro pinch hit for Montero and grounded out to second. Mike Moustakas pinch hit for Doyle and popped up to third to end the inning. Old friend Daniel Bard came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth and Duvall walked to start. Casas grounded into a double play but Arroyo doubled to center. Wong grounded out to short to end the inning.

Nick Pivetta came in to pitch the top of the tenth with Moustakas at second base to start. Profar flied out to left and Tovar lined out to left, but for some reason McMahon was intentionally walked. The gamble backfired as Diaz walked to load the bases and Grichuk walked to score Moustakas. That was it for Pivetta as Joe Jacques made his Red Sox debut by getting Jones to hit a grounder to first....booted by Casas for an error to score McMahon. One and done for Jacques as a rain delay pushed the game long enough that Justin Garza had to finish the inning. Montes grounded out to first to end the inning with the Rockies ahead 4-2.

                                                            Rockies take the lead.

The Sox did rally in the bottom of the tenth with Wong at second base and Matt Carasiti on the mound. Masataka Yoshida pinch hit for Hernandez and got a base hit to left to move Wong to third. Refsnyder beat out a double play ball to score Wong but Verdugo grounded into a double play to end the game. The Rockies had won it 4-3 over the Sox in 10 innings.

                                                               Rockies win

Jackass of The Night is Triston Casas. His error in the 10th allowed the eventual winning run to score.

                                                           Nice going Jackass

The Good:

Jarren Duran was 1 for 3.

Justin Turner was 2 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.

Christian Arroyo was 2 for 4 with a home run.

Connor Wong was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Masataka Yoshida singled as a pinch hitter.

James Paxton tossed 6 innings of 1 run ball allowing 4 hits and a walk while striking out 8.

Brennan Bernardino struck out the only man he faced.

Kenley Jansen tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

Justin Garza got the final out of the tenth inning.

The Bad:

Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Kike Hernandez was 0 for 3 with an error.

Josh Winckowski allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings.

Nick Pivetta took the loss by allowing 2 runs in the tenth.

The Ugly:

Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 2 but drove in a run.

Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.

Adam Duvall was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.

Joe Jacques technically allowed an inherited runner to score but it was on an error.

Honorable Mention:

Pablo Reyes ran for Turner in the eighth.

Final Thoughts:

That was one of the worst losses of the season for a variety of reasons. Only getting one run off Connor Seabold who couldn't get anyone out last year was awful and Winckowski coughing up the lead was just as bad. Devers was about 3 feet higher from a game winning home run but it wasn't meant to be. The Rockies scored two runs off two errors and that ended up being the difference in the game. The Sox simply can't have losses like this against anyone, let alone the lowly Rockies. Its was a nice feel good story to see Daniel Bard have success again, just wish it wasn't against the Red Sox. The Sox just can't get out of their own way this season as bad defense, shoddy relief and bad luck have turned this season sour real quick. Still, unlike last year there's still hope if the Sox cut down on errors and get more consistency with their offense. The loss dropped the Sox to 33-34, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow night against the Rockies when Kutter Crawford goes for the Sox against Chase Anderson of Colorado. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.

Sox Rally Past Guardians (6/6/23)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. The Sox pulled the plug on the Kaleb Ort experiment by sending him down to Worcester. The Sox called up 2019 6th round pick, left handed pitcher Chris Murphy to make his MLB debut. Ort can throw gas but its straight as an arrow so it'll be fun to see how Murphy does.

                                                                       OUT

                                                                    IN

As for the game, better late than never for the Boston Red Sox. The Guardians broke out to an early 2-0 lead over James Paxton (2-1, 3.81 ERA) but an Enrique Hernandez rbi single in the sixth chased Cleveland starter Shane Bieber. In the top of the eighth, the Sox rallied for five runs with Hernandez drawing a game tying walk. Rob Refsnyder put the Sox ahead and the lead was 5-2. Unfortunately Chris Martin was shelled in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one run game. Kenley Jansen slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth and the Sox had won it 5-4 at Progressive Field.

                                                          Reagan Foxx approves of the win

Bieber got the ball in the top of the first inning and Alex Verdugo lined out to left to start. Masataka Yoshida got a base hit to center but Justin Turner forced him at second. Rafael Devers grounded out to second to end the inning. Paxton got tagged in the bottom of the first as Steven Kwan got a base hit to left to start. Gabriel Arias struck out swinging and Jose Ramirez popped up to short, but Josh Naylor doubled to right to score Kwan. Josh Bell also doubled to right to score Naylor and Andres Gimenez walked. Mike Zunino struck out swinging to end the inning with the Guardians up 2-0.

                                                     Bell drives in a run

Triston Casas walked to start the top of the second but Enrique Hernandez flied out to center. Jarren Duran lined out to left and Enmanuel Valdez grounded out to second to end the inning. Will Brennan doubled to left to start the bottom of the second but Myles Straw flied out to right, moving Will to third. Kwan flied out to center and Arias struck out swinging to end the inning.

Reese McGuire flied out to center to start the top of the third and Verdugo grounded out to short. Yoshida got a base hit to left and Turner flied out to right to end the inning. Ramirez grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Naylor flied out to left. Bell struck out swinging to end the inning.

Devers flied out to left to start the top of the fourth before Casas grounded out to second. Hernandez grounded out to second to end the inning. Gimenez grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fourth but Zunino walked. Brennan singled to center but Straw struck out swinging. Kwan grounded out to first to end the inning.

Duran doubled to left to start the top of the fifth before Valdez popped up to first. McGuire struck out swinging and Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning. Arias struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth before Ramirez popped up to first. Naylor singled to left but Bell struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Sox struck back in the top of the sixth as Yoshida doubled to right to start. Turner dropped down a bunt and Bieber threw to second...safe. Devers took strike three and Casas flied out to left, but Hernandez got a base hit to center to score Yoshida. That was it for Bieber as Sam Hentges came in to pitch. Sox manager Alex Cora countered by pinch hitting Rob Refsnyder for Duran. Refsnyder lined out to left to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.

                                                       Sox get a run back

Gimenez flied out to center to start the bottom of the sixth and Zunino struck out swinging. Brennan grounded out to short to end the inning.

Pablo Reyes pinch hit for Valdez to start the top of the seventh and he reached on an error by Arias. Connor Wong pinch hit for McGuire and grounded into a double play. Verdugo waked but Yoshida grounded out to first to end the inning. Paxton came back for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh and Straw lined out to right to begin. Kwan took strike three and Arias grounded out to second to end the inning. Paxton was great, holding the Guardians to two runs in 7 innings allowing 6 hits and 2 walks.

                                                             Good work by Paxton

Suddenly the Sox exploded in the top of the eighth with Enyei De Los Santos now on the mound. Turner doubled to right to begin and Devers drew a walk. Casas got a base hit to center to load the bases and Hernandez walked home Turner to tie the game. Nick Sandlin came in to face Refsnyder and Rob got a base hit to right to score Devers and Reyes got a base hit to right to score Casas. Wong struck out swinging and that was it for Sandlin. James Karinchak came in to face Verdugo and Alex hit a sac fly to center to score Hernandez. Yoshida struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 5-2.

                                                       Sox rally to take the lead

Chris Martin came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Ramirez singled to left to start. Naylor forced Jose at second but Bell got a base hit to right. Gimenez struck out swinging and Amed Rosario pinch hit for Zunino. Rosario got a base hit to center to score Naylor and Tyler Freeman pinch ran for Bell. Brennan doubled to center to score Freeman but Straw struck out swinging to end the inning with the Guardians down 5-4.

                                                           Brennan inches Cleveland closer

David Fry came in for Rosario with Eli Morgan now on the mound for the top of the ninth. Turner grounded out to third to start and Devers flied out to left. Casas doubled to center but Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning. Kenley Jansen came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Kwan grounded out to short to start. Arias struck out swinging and Ramirez flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-4.

                                                               Sox win

Hero of The Night is Rob Refsnyder. His rbi single in the eighth put the Sox on top.

                                                        Hero Refsnyder

The Good:

Masataka Yoshida was 3 for 5.

Triston Casas was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

Jarren Duran was 1 for 2.

Pablo Reyes was 1 for 2 with an rbi.

James Paxton got the win tossing 7 innings of 2 run ball allowing 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9.

Kenley Jansen earned his 13th save with a scoreless ninth.

The Bad:

Enmanuel Valdez was 0 for 2.

Reese McGuire was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

Connor Wong was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

Chris Martin allowed 2 runs in the eighth inning.

The Ugly:

Alex Verdugo was 0 for 3 but walked and drove in a run.

Justin Turner was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.

Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.

Enrique Hernandez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked, drove in 2 runs and scored a run.

Final Thoughts:

Its too bad the Sox are so inconsistent because on nights when the starting pitching holds up, they're tough to beat. The Sox definitely miss Xander Bogaerts and JD Martinez in the starting lineup but Paxton is starting to justify waiting a year for. He had the Guardians confused for seven innings and apart from the hiccup by Martin, things turned out well this time. Refsnyder and Hernandez led the charge but you can't expect them to do it consistently. Still, sometimes the role players need to step up and this game they did. There's a long way to go in the season but if the Sox can get a rhythm in the starting rotation, they might have a chance to turn things around. The win improved the Sox to 31-30, 12 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. The Sox look to make it two in a row against the Guardians tomorrow night when Kutter Crawford (1-2) takes on Tanner Bibee of Cleveland. The game begins at 8:10 PM eastern time at Progressive Field.

Sox Blow Lead, Game To Reds (5/31/23)

Pitching and defense wins championships. It also gets you in last place if they both suck. The Boston Red Sox are the latter after dropping a very winnable game to the Cincinnati Reds. James Paxton held the Reds to just 1 run in 5 innings as the Sox took a 3-1 lead over Luke Weaver. Then the bullpen imploded as Nick Senzel drove in a run against Kutter Crawford and a seventh inning error by Rafael Devers led to three runs crossing the plate against Josh Winckowski (2-1, 2.14 ERA) in the top of the seventh. The Sox did manage to get a run in the bottom of the eighth but Buck Farmer slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth. The Reds closed out the month of May with a 4-3 victory over the Sox at Fenway Park.

                                                     The Boston bullpen

Paxton got the ball in the top of the first and Kevin Newman grounded out to second to start. Matt McLain singled to right but Jonathan India struck out swinging. Spencer Steer flied out to right to end the inning. Weaver got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Alex Verdugo grounded out to short to start. Rafael Devers flied out to right and Justin Turner struck out swinging to end the inning.

Tyler Stephenson flied out to right to start the top of the second before Stuart Fairchild struck out swinging. Nick Senzel pounded a ground rule double down the right field line but Jose Barrero popped up to short to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Masataka Yoshida smashed his seventh home run of the season to put Boston on top. Rob Refsnyder grounded out to short and Jarren Duran struck out swinging. Kike Hernandez also went down hacking to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.

                                                    Yoshida's home run is confirmed

Luke Maille struck out swinging to start the top of the third before Newman lined out to third. McLain grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Enmanuel Valdez flied out to left to start the bottom of the third but Connor Wong drilled a base hit to center. Verdugo grounded out to first but Devers doubled to left to score Wong. Turner grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.

                                                       Devers drives in a run

India flied out to center to start the top of the fourth before Steer struck out swinging. Stephenson struck out swinging as well to end the inning.

                                                            Good work Paxton

Yoshida grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fourth before Refsnyder struck out swinging. Duran popped up to third to end the inning.

Fairchild struck out swinging to begin the top of the fifth and Senzel also went down hacking. Barrero walked and Maile doubled to center to score Barrero. Newman got a base hit to right to move Maile to third but McLain struck out swinging again to end the inning with the Reds down 2-1.

                                                            Maile drives in a run

The Sox answered in the bottom of the fifth as Hernandez flied out to right to start. Valdez then blasted his fourth home run of the season to increase the lead. Wong flied out to center but Verdugo singled to right. Devers struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 3-1.

                                                           Valdez hits one out

That was it for Paxton who tossed five innings of one run ball, striking out eight. Kutter Crawford came in to pitch the top of the sixth and India walked to start. Steer walked but Stephenson flied out to left. Jake Fraley pinch hit for Fairchild and flied out to center, but Senzel singled to center to score India. Josh Winckowski came in to pitch to Barrero and struck him out swinging to end the inning with the Reds down 3-2.

                                                            Senzel drives in a run

Turner got a base hit to left to start the bottom of the sixth but Yoshida grounded into a double play. Refsnyder doubled to left to chase Weaver. Ian Gibaut got Duran to ground out to first to end the inning.

The Reds tied it in the top of the seventh as Devers threw a grounder by Maile away for an error to start. Newman got a base hit to right and Will Benson pinch ran for Maile. McLain got a base hit to left to load the bases and India grounded into a double play, scoring Benson to tie the game. Steer then hit a home run all the way to Munich, Germany to ice the game. Stephenson struck out swinging to end the inning with the Reds up 5-3.

                                                                Reds take the lead

Curt Casali took over for Barrero to start the bottom of the seventh and Hernandez grounded out to first to start. Valdez reached on catcher's interference but Wong flied out to center. Alex Young came in to face Verdugo and Alex singled to left. Devers walked to load the bases....but Turner grounded out to short to end the inning.

Chris Martin came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Fraley struck out swinging to start. Senzel grounded back to the mound and Casali struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Lucas Sims took over on the mound. Yoshida doubled to center to start but Refsnyder flied out to left. Duran doubled to left to score Yoshida and Raimel Tapia pinch hit for Hernandez. Tapia lined out to center and Valdez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 5-4.

                                                             Duran drives in a run

Pablo Reyes took over for Tapia with Nick Pivetta now on the mound for the top of the ninth. Benson grounded out to first to start but Newman was hit with a pitch. McLain flied out to center and India struck out swinging to end the inning. Buck Farmer came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Wong struck out swinging to start. Verdugo grounded out to third and Devers flied out to the centerfield wall to end the game. The Reds had won it 5-4.

                                                              Reds win

Jackass of The Night is Josh Winckowski. He got no help from Devers but he still allowed 3 runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

                                                             Jackass Winckowski

The Good:

Alex Verdugo was 2 for 5.

Masataka Yoshida was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 runs scored.

Enmanuel Valdez was 1 for 3 with a home run.

James Paxton allowed just 1 run in 5 innings off 4 hits and a walk while striking out 8.

Chris Martin pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Nick Pivetta pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bad:

Kike Hernandez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

Raimel Tapia was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.

Kutter Crawford allowed a run in the sixth inning.

The Ugly:

Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout and an error but walked and drove in a run.

Justin Turner was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Rob Refsnyder was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.

Connor Wong was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.

Honorable Mention:

Pablo Reyes played short in the top of the ninth.

Final Thoughts:

A mediocre team plays mediocre games and this was one of them. James Paxton had zero command as he was only able to go 5 innings which led to the bullpen melt-down. Kutter Crawford and Josh Winckowski allowing 4 runs combined led to their doom. The Sox still had their chances at the plate but Turner failing with the bases loaded and the peculiar decision to pinch hit Tapia for Hernandez. Sometimes move work, sometimes they don't. That didn't work. Still, if Valdez had gotten another hit then it would have been a moot point. The Sox have been in a rut for pretty much all season so this was just par for the course. If Paxton rediscovers his command, things will go better for him and the rest of the team. The less said of this disaster, the better. The loss dropped the Sox to 28-27, good for last place in the AL East. The Sox look to get revenge on the Reds tomorrow night when Chris Sale goes one on one with Hunter Greene of Cincinnati. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.