Twins Drop Sox for 11th Straight Win (5/3/24)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a much needed roster move. Bobby Dalbec was mercifully sent back to Worcester in favor of the activated Vaughn Grissom. Grissom went 4 for 4 in one of his last rehab games so he's finally ready for action. He's not the greatest fielding second baseman but he can definitely hit, which is much needed.

                                                                        OUT

                                                                         IN

 

As for the game, the Minnesota Twins came into this game on a ten game winning streak and the Red Sox were powerless to stop it. Chris Paddack pitched a two hit shutout through six innings to keep the streak going. Tanner Houck (3-3, 2.18 ERA) stayed strong for six innings but everything fell apart in the bottom of the seventh. He left trailing 2-0 and Naoyuki Uwasawa allowed a bases loaded walk and a double to Ryan Jeffers to ice the game. Rafael Devers knocked in two runners in the bottom of the seventh but that was it as the Twins won it 5-2 at Fenway Park.

The Sox blew a rally instantly in the top of the first against Paddack as Carlos Correa booted a grounder by Jarren Duran for an error to start. Rafael Devers doubled to center but Tyler O'Neill struck out swinging. Wilyer Abreu popped up to short and Garrett Cooper grounded out to second to end the inning. Houck got the ball in the bottom of the first as Alex Kirilloff struck out swinging to start. Edouard Julien walked before he stole second on the swinging strikeout by Ryan Jeffers. Max Kepler grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the second as Dominic Smith grounded out to second to start. Vaughn Grissom made his Sox debut with a grounder to second and Reese McGuire completed the trifecta with a grounder to second to end the inning. Correa lined out to center to start the bottom of the second before Trevor Larnach grounded out to second. Carlos Santana also lined out to center to end the inning. Ceddanne Rafaela beat out a roller to second to start the bottom of the second but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Duran grounded out to first and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Twins struck first in the top of the third as Willi Castro doubled to left to start. Jose Miranda hit a comebacker to Houck and Kirilloff grounded out to second to move Castro to third. Naturally Julien got a base hit to left to score Castro to put the Twins up for good. Jeffers flied out to left to end the inning but the Twins ended it 1-0.

                                                            Twins go up

The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as O'Neill flied out to left to start. Abreu struck out swinging and Cooper grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Kepler walked to start the bottom of the fourth before Correa ripped a base hit to center. Larnach grounded into a double play and Santana grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Smith grounded out to second to start. Grissom flied out to center and McGuire popped up to short to end the inning. Castro flied out to left to start the bottom of the fifth and Miranda went down hacking. Kirilloff grounded out to second to end the inning. 

Rafaela struck out swinging to start the top of the sixth and Duran took strike three. Devers walked but O'Neill struck out swinging to end the inning. Julien grounded out to second to start the bottom of the sixth and Jeffers was frozen for strike three. Kepler got a base hit to center but Correa struck out swinging to end the inning. 

Griffin Jax came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Abreu struck out swinging to start. Cooper went down hacking and Smith also whiffed to end the inning. The Twins exploded in the bottom of the seventh as Larnach singled to left. Austin Martin ran for Larnach and Santana singled to right. Castro then dropped down a bunt but McGuire threw the ball into centerfield for an error to score Martin. That was it for Houck who had to extend into the seventh because of the bullpen game tomorrow. He was charged with 4 runs in 6 innings allowing 6 hits and 2 walks. Naoyuki Uwasawa came in and walked Miranda to load the bases. Kirilloff forced Santana at home but Julien walked to to score Castro. Jeffers ended the game with a double to  center to score Miranda and Kirilloff. Kepler popped up to second and Correa took strike three to end the inning with the Twins up 5-0.

                                                             Houck did all he could

Manny Margot took over for Kirilloff with Cole Sands now on the mound for the top of the eighth. Grissom flied out to right to start before McGuire was hit with a pitch. Rafaela took strike three but Duran got a base hit to center. Caleb Theilbar came in to face Devers and Rafael doubled to center to score both runners. O'Neill struck out swinging to end the inning with the sox down 5-2.

                                                           Devers drives in a pair

Martin took strike three to start the bottom of the eighth before Santana flied out to center. Castro singled to center and Miranda popped up to Uwasawa to end the inning.

Kyle Farmer came in for Miranda with Jhoan Duran in to close out the top of the ninth. Abreu struck out swinging, Cooper grounded out to third and Smith struck out swinging to end the game. The Twins had won it 5-2.

                                                              Twins win

Jackass of the Night is Naoyuki Uwasawa. He was brought in the game when it was 2-0 and turned it into 5-0 real quick.

                                                       Jackass Uwasawa

The Good:

Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 rbis.

The Bad:

Tyler O'Neill was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.

Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.

Garrett Cooper was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Dominic Smith was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.

Vaughn Grissom was 0 for 3.

Tanner Houck took the loss by allowing 4 runs in 6 innings off 6 hits and 2 walks.

The Ugly:

Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout with a run scored.

Reese McGuire was 0 for 2 with an error but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.

Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 but was thrown out trying to steal.

Final Thoughts:

This offense is offensive and its only going to get worse as the season goes on. They were going to have trouble scoring to begin with and that was before we found out A. Triston Casas and Trevor Story got hurt and B. Rafaela would evaporate offensively. Its a shame because the pitching holds up more often than not, but that's going to change too unless Brayan Bello and Garrett Whitlock come back soon. They're down to Houck, Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell and hope for rain or an off-day. Houck pitched relatively well in this one but fell apart in the seventh, Uwasawa allowing all those runs to score didn't help. Still, apart from a Devers double the offense didn't do anything. Things need to change or else they're going to get a one way ticket back to last place. The only thing saving them right now is the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays are struggling worse than they are....yippie. The loss dropped the Sox to 18-14, 2.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. Boston looks to rebound tomorrow against the Twins with a "bullpen" game. Brennan Bernardino (0-1, 0.73 ERA) gets the start against Pablo Lopez of Minnesota. The game begins at 2:10 PM at Target Field

Giants Shut Down Sox (5/2/24)

Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Enmanuel Valdez was optioned down to Worcester and Sox activated shortstop Zack Short. Short isnt much with the bat but he fields his position well, and with the Sox record at 14-2 when they don't allow an error, Sox brass looks to keep it that way. Valdez was hitting just .156 with an error so it was an easy move to make. Maybe once a bunch of people come back healthy, Valdez will be seen again.

                                                                                OUT

                                                                         IN

It was bad news all around as the Boston Bruins lost Game 6 of their first round NHL playoff series to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Boston Red Sox. The Boston bats went quiet in this one as the Giants bullpen held the Sox to just one measly run the entire game. Josh Winckowski tossed shutout ball but was pulled in the fifth with the game tied 1-1. In the top of the seventh, Zack Kelly (0-1, 3.18 ERA) was charged with two runs to put the Giants ahead. The Sox bats couldn't rally in the final three innings and the Giants had beaten the Sox 3-1 at Fenway Park.

                     The retiring Jack Edwards (with Andy Brickley) can't bear to watch

Winckowski got the ball in the top of the first and Jung Hoo Lee flied out to center to start. Jorge Soler grounded out to third but Wilmer Flores walked. Michael Conforto grounded out to second to end the inning. Harrison got the ball in the bottom of the first and Jarren Duran grounded out to second to start. Rafael Devers was hit with a pitch. Tyler O'Neill drew a walk but Rob Refsnyder struck out swinging. Connor Wong walked to load the bases but Garrett Cooper flied out to right to end the inning.

Patrick Bailey flied out to right to start the top of the second but Matt Chapman walked. Thairo Estrada grounded into a double play to end the inning. Bobby Dalbec walked to start the bottom of second but Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging. Zack Short made his Sox debut by striking out swinging and Duran also went down hacking to end the inning.

The Giants struck first in the top of the third as Mike Yastrzemski hit a home run all the way to Cambridge to start. Nick Ahmed popped up to first and Lee flied out to center, but Soler singled to left. Flores lined out to left to end the inning with the Giants up 1-0.

                                                   A Yastrzemski homer at Fenway

The Sox answered in the bottom of the third as Devers singled to center to start. O'Neill hit a rocket off the top of the Monster to score Devers to tie the game. Refsnyder walked but Wong went down hacking. Cooper grounded into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.

                                                          Tyler ties it up

Conforto grounded out to second to start the top of the fourth and Bailey flied out to center. Chapman popped up to first to end the inning. Dalbec grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the fourth but Yaz lost a Rafaela ball in the sun for a double. Short took strike three and Lee robbed Duran of a double with a good catch to end the inning.

Winckowski briefly came back for the top of the fifth as Estrada grounded out to third to start. He allowed no runs, 2 hits and 2 walks. Brennan Bernardino came in and Yaz hit one up the elevator shaft. Ahmed grounded out to third to end the inning. 

                                                     Short and sweet for Wink

Devers froze for strike three leading off the bottom of the fifth but O'Neill walked. Refsnyder grounded into a double play to end the inning. 

Lee flied out to left to start the top of the sixth and Bernardino was done. Zack Kelly came in and Soler flied out to left. Flores singled to center but Conforto popped up to third to end the inning. Ryan Walker came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Wong grounded out to third to start. Cooper got a base hit to center but Dalbec struck out swinging. Rafaela lined out to center to end the inning. 

The Giants put the game away in the top of the seventh as Bailey singled to left to start. Chapman singled to left and Estrada got a base hit to right to score Bailey, putting the Giants up for good. Cam Booser came in to face Yaz with runners at the corners but Austin Slater pinch hit for him. Slater struck out swinging but Ahmed hit a sad fly to left to score Chapman, icing the game. Lee lined out to left to end the inning with the Giants up 3-1.

                                                          Giants take the lead

Erik Miller came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Short flied out to left to start. Duran grounded out to second and Devers struck out swinging to end the inning,

Naoyuki Uwasawa made his ML debut in the top of the eighth and Soler popped up to third to start. Flores popped up to third and Conforto struck out swinging to end the inning.

                                                    Welcome to the big leagues

Tyler Rogers came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and O'Neill grounded out to short to start. Wilyer Abreu pinch hit for Refsnyder and struck out swinging before Wong grounded out to short to end the inning.

Bailey grounded out to short to start the top of the ninth before Chapman grounded out to second. Estrada grounded out to short to end the inning. Camilo Doval came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Cooper grounded out to first to start. Reese McGuire pinch hit for Dalbec and struck out swinging. Rafaela lined out to right to end the game. The Giants had won it 3-1.

                                                             Giants win

Jackass of The Night is Zack Kelly. He was charged with 2 runs to take the loss.

                                                        Kelly The Jackass

The Good:

Rafael Devers was 1 for 3 with a hit by pitch and a run scored.

Tyler O'Neill was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and an rbi.

Josh Winckowski tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowed just 1 run off 2 hits and 2 walks.

Brennan Bernardino tossed a full scoreless inning.

Naoyuki Uwasawa tossed two scoreless innings.

The Bad:

Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Wilyer Abreu struck out as a pinch hitter.

Reese McGuire struck out as a pinch hitter.

Zack Short was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.

The Ugly:

Rob Refsnyder was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.

Connor Wong was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.

Garrett Cooper was just 1 for 4.

Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.

Ceddanne Rafaela was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.

Cam Booser allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in a full inning.

Final Thoughts:

The problem with the Sox having so many injuries is they're going to have to win a lot of low scoring games for a while. Masataka Yoshida, Vaughn Grissom, Trevor Story and Triston Casas are all on the Injured List and that's four of your nine starters. The rumor is Grissom will be ready tomorrow and Bobby Dalbec gets shot out of a cannon. Dalbec has been a disaster at the plate and Grissom does have a good bat. Sure Zack Kelly got lit up tonight but otherwise the pitching has been the bright spot this season. They all have interesting stories from Booser taking up carpentry thinking he'd never pitch again and Uwasawa coming over from Japan only to get cut by the Tampa Bay Rays, then picked up on a whim here. Jarren Duran picked a fine time to go into a slump and Rafaela still looks lost at the plate. Hopefully both of them turn it around soon because both the Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays have looked awful this year to start. The Sox may be perfectly mediocre but there are some BAD teams in baseball that are far worse than they are. If the Sox can get healthy, they might have something here. The loss dropped the Sox to 18-14, 2.5 games behind the Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox now hit the road and the first stop is Minnesota to play the Twins. Tomorrow night Tanner Houck (3-2, 1.60 ERA) gets the start against Chris Paddack of Minnesota. The game begins at 8:10 PM Eastern time at Target Field.