The losing streak has reached 5
games as the Sox drop the first game of the series to the Blue Jays 7-4 at
Fenway Park Tuesday night. For those
that say, home is where they heart is, they have lost the first 4 of a 5 game home
stand.
They outhit the Jays 12-11 but
could not get that big hit when they needed it as hitting with runners in
scoring position continues to be this teams thorn in its side. When you are 3 for 14 with runners in scoring
position and leave 9 men on base you are going to be a team under .500. It’s alarming how bad this team is with
runners on and a big hit is needed.
The Sox had numerous golden
opportunities including one in the bottom of the 4th that the Jays
flashed some leather on. After 2 walks
to Ortiz and Napoli, Jonny Gomes beat out an infield hit with 1 out to load the
bases for Xander Bogaerts. The X-man hit
a sharp one hopper to 3rd base where Brett Lawrie was able to stop
it, step on third then fire home to get Ortiz out at the plate for an inning
ending double-play. It was a rocket off
the bat of Bogaerts and Lawrie made a hell of a play to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 5th,
after a 2-run homer by Jonny Gomes, Bogaerts and Brock Holt singled to keep the
rally going with David Ross coming to the plate. Ross would foul out on a bunt attempt, Jackie
Bradley Jr. would then move Bogaerts to third with a flyout to center but
Dustin Pedroia couldn’t get him in as he struck out swinging to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, the
Sox had runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out after a
beautiful sacrifice bunt by Brock Holt.
Unfortunately David Ross would strike out swinging and Jackie Bradley
Jr. would pop out weakly to 2nd to end the threat.
Then in the bottom of the ninth,
the Sox looked like they wanted to tie the game as Pedroia and Victorino both singled
to start the frame, David Ortiz launched a pitch deep down the right-field line
that looked like a game tying homer. But
it trailed too far right and was a foul ball; he would strike out for the first
out of the inning. Mike Napoli would
then end the game on a 5-3 double play.
Just way too many missed
opportunities for this struggling team.
Jonny Gomes went 3 for 4 with 2
RBI, a run scored and his 4th homer of the season. Mike Napoli went 2 for 4 with a run scored
and a walk. Brock Holt went 2 for 3 with
a run scored, double and sacrifice hit.
Dustin Pedroia went 2 for 5 with an RBI and a double. Jackie Bradley Jr. went 1 for 4 with a run
scored, double and RBI. Shane Victorino
and Xander Bogaerts both had a hit and Bogaerts walked once as well. Ortiz was on base once with a walk.
Fielding was an issue again for
Xander Bogaerts as he committed 2 errors in the game at shortstop. With the re-signing of Stephen Drew earlier in
the day, his play at short this season all but assures he moves over to 3rd
when Drew is ready for game action.
Bogaerts has 6 errors on the season and though he may be the long term
answer at short, his struggles this year ensure that Drew is needed to play the
position for the remainder of the year.
The Sox weren’t helped any on the
mound as Felix Doubront stunk up the place.
Doubront went only 4 innings giving up 5 runs on 5 hits while walking 3
and striking out 2. He let up 2 homers
and exited early with what the Sox are calling left shoulder fatigue. Looked to me he just wanted out because the
Jays were hitting balls hard off of him.
Even the outs seemed loud and Doubront had no answers for the potent
Jays bats.
Edward Mujica, who has struggled
mightily in his first year with the Sox came in and continued to fail at his
job. Mujica went 1 and 2/3 innings and
gave up 2 runs on 4 hits while giving up 2 homers himself. His ERA on the season is up to 8.04 and is
clearly not what the Sox hoped he would be and is revealing exactly why the
Cardinals had to move him from closing duties last year.
Burke Badenhop continued his
excellent pitching going 1 and 1/3 innings of work giving up nothing and
striking out 1. Craig Breslow worked
around a hit for a scoreless inning and Junichi Tazawa went 1 inning and
allowed 1 hit, 1 walk and struck out 1 in a scoreless frame.
The Sox are now 20-24 and 4 games
under .500 for the first time since April 15th. With held on the way in the form of Stephen
Drew and still only 3.5 games back, there is still some hope but they really
need to get something started quickly or this season will be over by July.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Jonny Gomes. Gomes went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI, his 4th
homer and was an offensive force on Tuesday night.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
David Ross. Ross went 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and
failed to get a sacrifice bunt down in a key situation. Ross is terrible at the plate this year
batting .167 and though he handles the pitching staff pretty well, he’s simply
not doing enough with the bat to warrant any extra plate appearances outside of
catching every 5th day.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Melky Cabrera’s solo homer in
the top of the 6th innings.
After the Sox had fought back and scored 2 runs to make a game out of it,
Mujica gives up yet another homer to put the Sox back down by 5.
NEXT
Wednesday, May 21st at home vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.
No comments:
Post a Comment