The Red Sox are reverting back to
old ways as they let an old formula down them in Cleveland as they lose Game 2
of the series by the score of 5-3.
Starting pitching gave up the
lead early, the Sox bounce back, the relievers can’t hold a lead late, the bats
never show up, especially in clutch situations and the outfield contributes
absolutely nothing, sound familiar? That
was the deal when the Sox were losing 10 straight and not putting any runs on
the board and well that’s exactly what happened last night.
The Sox managed only 3 runs on 10
hits and walked 3 times. They were 2 for
11 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base. They had plenty of key opportunities to score
a lot more runs and couldn’t get a clutch hit.
It started in the top of the 1st
when Brock Holt singled to start the game and Bogaerts was hit by a pitch to
put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. The Sox would then lineout (Pedroia),
groundout (Ortiz) and strikeout (Gomes) to end the inning.
The Indians would then add 3 runs
on 5 straight singles off Jake Peavy in the bottom of the 3rd to put
the Sox in a quick 3-0 hole. It could
have been worse if not for the 6-4-3 double play that Peavy induced to kill the
rally.
In the top of the 2nd,
the Sox again had men on 1st and 2nd with only 1 out but
Herrera grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
In the 3rd, after
Bogaerts put the Sox on the board with his 2nd homer of the series,
the Sox put 2 runners on again, this time with 2 outs but Pierzynski would
fly-out to end the inning.
In the top of the 7th,
after the Sox had tied the game on 2 straight doubles by Bogaerts and Pedroia,
the Indian walked Ortiz to put runners on 1st and 2nd
with no outs but the Sox would then go down in order as Gomes would pop-up to
short and Pierzynski and Hassan would strike out to end the inning.
The Sox would not threaten again
and the Indians would add 2 more on a Michael Bourn double off of Andrew Miller
in the bottom of the 7th.
Both runners were put on by Peavy but Miller couldn’t strand the
runners.
Simply put, this offense
stinks! The outfield is atrocious as
last night the combination of Gomes, Bradley Jr. and Hassan went 2 for 10 with
a run scored and a walk as they struck out 5 times. Alex Hassan, who was brought up from Triple-A
was 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts. I don’t
see anything in Hassan and the fact that he was batting .217 down in Pawtucket
should have told us something. I don’t
get why he got the call-up, I mean the guy was barely hitting his weight in
Triple-A but he gets the call-up? Was there
no one else that could come up? A quick
scan of the stat page at Pawsox.com says that only Daniel Nava (.253) was
actually better right now as Bryce Brentz is on the DL but why not have Nava
out there? Hassan clearly isn’t the guy.
One of these outfielders needs to
step up and start hitting as Victorino is still weeks away from coming
back. I don’t know what the correct
combination is and perhaps it’s putting Brock Holt out in left when Mike Napoli
is ready to come of the DL but either way, someone needs to hit out there.
Xander Bogaerts went 2 for 4 with
2 runs scored, an RBI, a double, his 5th homer of the year and a hit
by pitch. He’s red hot and is showing
why he’s the top rated prospect on the Red Sox.
A definite star in the making.
Dustin Pedroia went 2 for 4 with
an RBI and a walk. Jonathan Herrera went
2 for 4 with an RBI. Jackie Bradley Jr.
was on base twice with a hit and a hit by pitch, Pierzynski, Gomes and Holt all
reached base with a hit. Ortiz walked
once, as did Gomes. Sounds like lots of
men on base with not a lot of runs.
Jake Peavy had some great moments
in Tuesday’s lost and some terrible ones.
It started out terrible as the Indians had 5 straight singles to plate 3
runs in the 1st inning. He then
set down 14 straight as the Sox managed to climb back in the game and tie it up
at 3. However Lonnie Chisenhall broke up
the string of 14 straight in the 6th with 2 outs but he recovered to
get the final out of the inning. John
Farrell decided to run him out in the 7th and he would then walk the
leadoff hitter and then give up a single to Yan Gomes. He then made a great play on a sacrifice bunt
attempt to get the lead runner out at 3rd but was removed for Andrew
Miller (beardless by the way and weird looking) to face the lefty Michael
Bourn. I get that Farrell was playing
the statistics but Bourn was 5 for 8 in his career against Miller. Well, now he’s 6 for 9 as he promptly doubled
over Gomes’ head in left to plate the 2 runs that would down the Red Sox. The runs were charged to Peavy but Miller
needed to strand those runners.
Overall, Peavy’s stat line was
pretty bad, 6 and 1/3 innings, 8 hits, 5 runs while walking 1 and striking out
3. His season ERA is now up to 4.72 and
he’s not pitched well as of late.
Andrew Miller went 2/3 of an
inning and allowed 1 hit (that scored those last 2 Peavy runs) but then struck
out the other 2 hitters he faced. Craig
Breslow went 1/3 of an inning and allowed 2 hits but Burke Badenhop was able to
get a double-play ball to end the threat.
Breslow did not pitch well again.
To avoid the sweep, the Sox will
send out Brandon Workman (0-0, 3.24) to the mound as he appeals a 6-game
suspension for his role in the melee on Friday night against the Rays. He’s pitched well enough in his first 2
starts and hopefully he can tame the hot Indian bats. Corey Kluber (6-3, 3.04) will counter for the
Indians. Kluber is having a really good
start to 2014 and has pitched well of late.
In his last 8 starts he’s given up 3 or less earned runs while going
pretty deep in games. In his last
outing, he held the good Rockies lineup to only 2 runs on 5 hits while striking
out 12 in 7 and 1/3 innings.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Xander Bogaerts. Again the only one that seemed to come to hit
on Tuesday night. Bogaerts went 2 for 4
with 2 extra base hits (16th double, 5th homer) and was
on base again as he was hit by a pitch.
He scored 2 runs and knocked in another.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Alex Hassan. Hassan went 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts. I think it’s time to get this kid a ticket
back to Pawtucket.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Michael Bourn’s 2-run double off
Andrew Miller in the bottom of the 7th to give the Indians a 2-run
lead and eventual win.
NEXT
Wednesday, June 4th in Cleveland vs. the Indians.
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