Blue Jays - 200 000 201 - 5 14 1 Red Sox - 000 010 002 - 3 4 0Marco Hernandez collected his first major league hit, a single in the fifth inning. He stole second base, went to third on a throwing error, and scored on Mookie Betts's single. (Those were the team's only hits until the ninth inning.) Hernandez's run cut Toronto's lead to 2-1, but the Red Sox could do no more.
Steven Wright (6-6-2-0-6, 107) recorded the first two outs in the top of the first, but allowed a solo home run to Jose Bautista. Three straight singles followed, giving the Blue Jays a second run. Wright allowed only two hits (and no walks) over the next five innings.
Facing Blue Jays closer Robert Osuna in the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox finally made some noise. Hanley Ramirez singled and Travis Shaw homered. (Free money!) But it was too little, too late. Chris Young struck out looking. Jackie Bradley struck out swinging. Ryan Hanigan lined out to third.
Note: Tomorrow's game is at 11 AM.
Betts, RFMarco Hernandez, 23 years old, is making his major league debut. He was acquired as the player to be named later in the 2014 trade of Felix Doubront.
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, 1B
Shaw, 3B
Young, LF
Bradley, CF
Hanigan, C
Hernandez, 2B
David Price (with 9 K yesterday) joined Pedro Martinez as the only Red Sox pitchers in the last 100 years to record at least 8 K in each of their first 3 appearances with the team (Martinez had 8+ K in each of his first 4 apps).
ReplyDeleteCraig Kimbrel has struck out 12 of 24 batters faced this season, including 8 of his last 12.
OTM, on the 9th inning:
ReplyDeleteDespite having a full bench with Dustin Pedroia, Brock Holt, and Christian Vazquez available, Farrell elected to let Chris Young and Ryan Hanigan hit against Robert Osuna. This to get the backups one more at bat rather than attempt to steal a win. ...
I have often defended John Farrell here for being a good clubhouse manager making relatively low-impact mistakes in-game. But tonight was one of those nights where it just went too far. The Red Sox probably don't win that game even with pinch-hitters, but the cost to try is nil. This? This was just plain negligent.
And that decision (like so many of Farrell's incomprehensible decisions) was made worse by Farrell's post-game explanation of why he did it. (Because Chris Young "needs his at bats"... against a right-handed closer, to prepare for tomorrow's game in which he's facing a *lefty*. The three at bats he already had against the righty-starter wasn't enough to prepare him for tomorrow either. No. Young needed just that one more at bat, with the game on the line, to put him over the top.)
ReplyDeleteFarrell's handling of Chris Young has been completely bizarre. They're treating Young like he's a young Alex Rodriguez. (You have GOT to get that bat in there! He MASHES pitchers!) Or it's like Young is Dombrowski's kid, or something, and Farrell needs to curry favor with the boss by throwing him into big situations.