The Sox blew their biggest chance to get back in the game in the top of the second as Rafael Devers grounded back tot he mound to start. Jarren Duran got a base hit to left but Kike Hernandez struck out swinging. Duran swiped second before Triston Casas drew a walk. Enmanuel Valdez beat out a roller to third to load the bases but Reese McGuire took a full count strike three right down the middle to end the inning. Orlando Arcia singled to left to start the bottom oft he second but Acuna forced him at second. Olson walked but Riley flied out to left. Murphy ripped a base hit to left to score Acuna with another run. Rosario grounded out to first to end the inning with the Braves up 5-0.
The Sox did get a run back in the top of the third as Verdugo doubled off the glove of Rosario to start. Verdugo took third on a balk but Yoshida struck out swinging. Turner hit a sac fly to right to score Verdugo but Devers took strike three to end the inning.
Albies flied out to center to start the bottom of the third before Ozuna flied out to right. Harris struck out swinging to end the inning.
Duran struck out swinging to start the top of the fourth but Hernandez walked. Casas banged into a double play to end the inning. The Braves finished off Pivetta in the bottom of the fourth as Arcia got a base hit to center to start. Acuna doubled to center and Olson walked to load the bases. Riley lined out to third but Murphy ripped a base hit to left to score Arcia and Acuna. Rosario flied out to left and Albies grounded out to first to end the inning but it was 7-1 Braves. That was it for Pivetta who once again got bombed, allowing 7 runs in just 4 innings of work. That might be it for him as a starter this year.
Valdez struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth but McGuire grounded out to second. Verdugo got a single to center but Yoshida grounded out to third to end the inning. Brennan Bernardino got tagged in the bottom of the fifth as Ozuna singled to center to start. Harris was hit with a pitch and Arcia hit a ground rule double touched by a fan down the left field line to score Ozuna. Acuna walked to load the bases but Olson struck out swinging. Riley flied out to right and Murphy forced Acuna to end the inning with the Braves up 8-1.
Turner provided some spark when he smashed his 3rd home run of the season opposite field to start the top of the sixth, but Devers struck out swinging again. Duran grounded out to first and Hernandez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 8-2.
Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Rosario singled to center to start. Albies banged into a double play and Ozuna struck out swinging to end the inning.
Kirby Yates came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Casas walked to start. Valdez and McGuire both struck out swinging before Verdugo grounded out to second to end the inning. Zack Littell came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Harris popped up to short to start. Arcia flied out to center and Acuna Jr struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox rallied in the top of the eighth with AJ Minter on the mound although Yoshida grounded out to short to start. Turner doubled to center and Devers walked, but Duran banged into a double play to end the i.....BUT WAIT! Sox manager Alex Cora challenged that Duran was safe at first and sure enough, he was. Given new life, Hernandez singled to left to score Turner. In a peculiar move, Cora then had ice cold Bobby Dalbec pinch hit for Casas. Naturally Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox down 8-3.
The Braves wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the eighth as Olson walked to start. Riley struck out swinging but Murphy doubled to center to score Olson. Rosario lined out to center and Albies grounded out to first to end the inning with the Braves up 9-3.
Danny Young came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for Valdez. Refsnyder struck out swinging and McGuire struck out swinging again, but Verdugo singled to left. Yoshida grounded out to second to end the game. The Braves had won it 9-3.
Jackass of the Night is Nick Pivetta, He put the Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of by allowing 7 runs in just 4 innings of work.
The Good:
Alex Verdugo was 3 for 5 with a run scored.
Justin Turner was 2 for 3 with a home run, 2 total runs batted in and 2 total runs scored.
Kike Hernandez was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Triston Casas walked twice in three plate appearances.
Enmanuel Valdez was 1 for 3.
Ryan Brasier tossed a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Bobby Dalbec struck out as a pinch hitter.
Rob Refsnyder struck out as a pinch hitter.
Reese McGuire was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Brennan Bernardino allowed a run in the fifth inning.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Jarren Duran was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but stole a base.
Zack Littell allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
That was a game to forget for sure. With James Paxton coming off the Injured List against St. Louis and other guys coming off rehab like Garrett Whitlock and Joely Rodriguez, the Sox have some work to do with their pitchers. Pivetta may have started his last game because simply put, he's not giving the Sox a chance to win games. He's mainly responsible for the Sox having the worst first inning ERA in baseball and tonight was no different. It was 4-0 in the second inning and the Sox can't possibly climb out of such large holes every single game. The offense scratched out 3 runs but you can't expect them to get 7 every game. Guys like Bernardino, Littell and Brasier won't be around much longer either but you'd rather have them pitch a game like this anyway. The Sox are in a rut right now but they should bounce back....key word should. The loss dropped the Sox to 21-16, 8 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to rebound tomorrow night against the Braves when Brayan Bello (1-1, 5.71 ERA) takes on Captain TBD of Atlanta. The game begins at 7:20 PM at Truist Park.
