Getting out of dodge didn’t help
any on Friday night as the Sox drop Game 1 of the series to the Tampa Bay Rays
via the walk-off in the bottom of the ninth by the score of 1-0.
The losing streak has now hit 8
straight games and again it was the offense that struggled mightily as John
Lackey did a hell of a job on the mound.
Lackey went 7 strong innings,
giving up just 5 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3. He didn’t strike out a ton but was able to
get ahead early on Tampa Bay hitters and he also kept the ball on the ground,
recording 17 ground ball outs. His
fastball, which he couldn’t command in his last outing, was a lot better this
time out and he was able to throw it low in the zone and the Rays couldn’t get
under it and continually hit ground ball outs.
Junichi Tazawa went 1/3 of an
inning and retired the only batter he faced.
Andrew Miller went 1 inning and took the loss as he allowed a walk that eventually
came around with Burke Badenhop on the mound.
Miller also struck out a batter but Badenhop couldn’t retire the side
and allowed the inherited runner to score for the walk-off.
I almost feel like I shouldn’t
even talk about the hitting because it was just terrible. The Sox managed only 5 hits on the night and
walked 4 times. They were 0 for 5 with
runners in scoring position and left 9 men on base while striking out 11 times
as a team.
David Ortiz went 1 for 3 with a
walk, A.J. Pierzynski went 1 for 4, Grady Sizemore went 1 for 3 with a walk,
Jackie Bradley Jr. went 1 for 3 and Brock Holt went 1 for 4 with a double. Holt’s double was the only extra-base hit on
the night.
Dustin Pedroia walked twice in
the loss as well but there were a lot of 0-fers on the evening that led to a
putrid offense.
With the losing streak getting to
8 games, the Sox fell into last place with a 20-27 record and trail the Blue Jays
by 6 games in the AL East. While the
pitching was better Friday night the offense is still struggling and if they
continue with the lack of production with men on base, they will be sellers at
the All-Star Break instead of buyers.
They’ll try it again on Saturday
with Jake Peavy taking the hill against David Price, a tough lefty that the Sox
sometimes have trouble with. To make
matters worse, there are reports that both Shane Victorino and Mike Napoli
could be headed to the DL. If that
happens where will the offense come from?
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Brock Holt. Holt led-off for the Sox on Friday night and
had the only extra-base hit on the night.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts who’s been red hot lately went 0 for
4 with 3 strikeouts on the night.
PLAY OF THE GAME
The walk-off single in the bottom
of the ninth by Desmond Jennings.
NEXT
Saturday, May 24th in
Tampa Bay vs. the Rays.
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