The question is, can the Sox do better than this? Are they more than a team that can win every other game? Because if they have any interest at all in making the playoffs, they’re going to have to put together a serious run. I’m not sure that this permutation of the team is capable of that.
Side note: Righty is probably feeling a lot better about this team than I am, because he’s been writing about the wins and I’ve been taking the losses. Also, I’m a pessimist.
Finally, a little housekeeping: Rusney Castillo (who was fine, but not exactly a savior) and Steven Wright were sent down to the minors. Justin Masterson was brought back up in Wright’s place for long relief work (for now). Castillo’s roster spot is currently occupied by catcher Erik Kratz, who the Sox claimed off waivers from the Royals. Blake Swihart is still out with a sprained foot.
Mike Napoli had a golden sombrero, which, for those who don’t know, means an 0 for 4 performance with 4 strikeouts. Truly the pinnacle of failure. He’s back below the Mendoza Line, and there’s not really much to say. I still hope that he can turn it around, but I don’t know that it’s really going to happen. I’m sure we’ll see some productive bursts, but I’d be (pleasantly) surprised if he gets above .240 when all’s said and done.
The trouble started for Joe Kelly in the 2nd inning, when he gave up three consecutive singles without recording an out. Certainly not ideal. After a sacrifice fly to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead, Kelly might have relaxed a bit (or maybe he just stinks), and gave up a back-breaking full count home run to center fielder David Lough into the visitors’ bullpen. 4-0, Baltimore.
Kelly got into more trouble in the 3rd, putting men on 1st and 3rd with one out. But Sandy Leon said no! First, the Orioles tried a Chris Davis-Chris Parmelee double steal, and Leon applied the tag at home to erase Parmelee after a throw down to second. Then, after Kelly walked Travis Snider on three consecutive balls after the out at home, Leon snapped a throw to first to pick Snider off and end the inning. Even better, he led off the next inning with a single, moved to third base on a Mookie Betts double, and scored on a ground ball to the right side of the infield by Brock Holt. Both Pedroia and Ortiz, however, failed to bring in Betts from third, and the score remained 4-1.
With 2 outs and men on first and second (both singles) in the 4th inning, John Farrell decided he’d seen enough and brought in Robbie Ross, Jr. for Kelly, putting an end to yet another ineffective outing for Pumpsie (although he’s been at least a little better recently):
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly | 3.2 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5.67 |
Jimmy Paredes, a switch-hitter, was forced to bat from the right side of the plate against the lefty Ross, but still knocked in Lough with a single, charging another run to Kelly. Parmelee grounded out for the final out of the inning, but the damage was done, with the Orioles bringing their lead back to 4.
To their credit, the Sox kept battling. Hanley Ramirez singled to lead off the inning, advanced to second on an Ubaldo Jimenez wild pitch to Bogaerts (who would eventually strike out), and put together an actual quality hustle play by scoring on a Pablo Sandoval single to shallow center. 5-2, Orioles.
After a 1-2-3 inning by Ross, Boston kept going, this time putting together a two-out rally consisting of back-to-back walks by Pedroia and Ortiz and Hanley’s second consecutive single, this one to drive Pedroia in. With men on 1st and 2nd though, Bogaerts struck out for the second straight time to end the rally. 5-3, Orioles.
John Farrell was 0-2 in this game at successfully bringing in relievers to put out fires. Ross, of course, immediately gave up an RBI single in the 4th. A similar scenario occurred in the top of the 6th, when Ross walked Ryan Flaherty on four pitches, then allowed Lough to bunt him to second. Farrell brought in Alexi Ogando to face the righty Manny Machado, and Machado promptly doubled off the Green Monster, bringing in Flaherty to make the score 6-3, Orioles.
Holt struck out looking in the bottom half of the same inning with men on 1st and 2nd and 2 outs, and Farrell was thrown out of the game for arguing balls and strikes. It was a bad call, so good on him I guess.
Leon threw out another runner, Jimmy Paredes, in the top half of the ninth to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, after a Pedroia double to deep right center to drive in Mookie Betts and narrow the lead to 2 runs, Ortiz came to the plate, representing the tying run. He went the other way against the shift, hitting a nice little line drive…but Manny Machado was waiting right in the ball’s path to end the game. Shame, too, it probably would’ve scored Pedroia and gotten Ortiz to second, and then we could’ve brought in a pinch runner, and then Hanley would’ve been up and he’d been hitting well…whatever. Didn’t happen.
Notes:
- Ortiz and Bogaerts were a combined 0-5 with runners in scoring position. They were both 0-4 with 2 strikeouts apiece.