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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 3:20:03 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 3:29:33 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox fail to score with runner at third and no outs in both eighth and ninth innings, lose to Blue Jays
Published: Aug. 25, 2022, 11:34 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox failed to score with a runner at third and no outs in both the eighth and ninth innings.
The Red Sox went 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base. They lost 6-5 in 10 innings to the Blue Jays here at Fenway Park on Thursday.
Toronto swept the three-game series and improved to 13-3 against Boston this season.
Reese McGuire — who went 3-for-4 — led off the eighth inning against Blue Jays righty Adam Cimber with a triple that right fielder Teoscar Hernández misplayed.
But Cimber struck out both Bobby Dalbec and Tommy Pham swinging, then lefty Tim Mayza retired Rafael Devers on a groundout.
Boston loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth on J.D. Martinez’s single, Xander Bogaerts’ double and an intentional walk to Christian Arroyo.
But righty Jordan Romano struck out Franchy Cordero swinging and got Kiké Hernández to ground into a 5-3 double play.
Crawford struggles
Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford lasted only 4 ⅔ innings. He gave up four runs, 10 hits and two walks while striking out five.
The Red Sox led 3-2 in the fourth but Crawford allowed two singles and a walk with two outs to load the bases for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Guerrero hit a pop-up into foul territory that should have resulted in final out. But first baseman Bobby Dalbec failed to catch it, prolonging the inning. Guerrero then delivered a two-run single to right to put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3.
Dalbec made up for his miscue with an RBI sac fly in the bottom of the fourth that tied it 4-4.
Danny Jansen’s homer in the sixth put the Blue Jays ahead 5-4. Boston again tied it in the bottom half of the sixth on Jarren Duran’s two-out RBI double to left.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 3:54:22 GMT -5
Two-month-long trend continues for Sox in sweep by Toronto 3:02 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- A 15-hit attack by the Red Sox would seem to indicate the offense was the story on Thursday night at Fenway Park.
Indeed, it was. Just not in the way you would have thought.
While losing to the Blue Jays in 10 innings for the second straight night -- this time by a score of 6-5 -- the Red Sox had exasperating stretches of situational hitting, or lack thereof.
The 15 hits were offset by going 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position.
“We know what the job is, we know what needs to get done,” said Red Sox hitting coach Pete Fatse. “I think it’s just a matter of execution, honestly. We’ve just to keep working hard to get better at it.”
What made Thursday’s defeat so tough was how tantalizingly close Boston was to winning the game multiple times.
In the bottom of the eighth inning of a tie game, Reese McGuire got a gift triple when Teoscar Hernández misplayed his liner in the right-field corner. Off the bench came Kiké Hernández to pinch-run with nobody out. All that was needed for the Red Sox to take the lead was a bleeder somewhere, a sacrifice fly or, even better, a hit.
Instead, Bobby Dalbec and Tommy Pham both struck out, and Rafael Devers grounded out to end the frame with Hernández getting stuck at third. Devers, who hasn’t been producing at his expected clip this month, slammed his helmet down in frustration.
“I think in general our job is to go out and win ballgames. And when you’re in a position to do that, especially whether we’re playing from behind or we’re tied, maybe it’s a little bit of pressing,” said Fatse.
There was yet more agony in the ninth. J.D. Martinez ripped a leadoff single to center. Xander Bogaerts followed with a double down the line in left, and it was second and third with nobody out. Pinch-runner Alex Verdugo stood on third, poised to score the walk-off run. It never happened.
This time, the sequence was a strikeout by Franchy Cordero and a bad-luck double-play ball off the bat of Hernández, with Matt Chapman again proving why he’s one of the best defenders at the hot corner in the Majors.
“We’ve got to be better, man. That’s the bottom line,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. ”That’s the difference with them.”
By them, Cora was referring to the Blue Jays, the team the Red Sox are 3-13 against this season.
When the Jays had their chance to move ahead in extra innings, they did so without the benefit of a hit. Danny Jansen moved automatic runner Cavan Biggio to third on a grounder to short. And George Springer hit a grounder that put Bogaerts in an awkward enough spot that he had to make an off-balance throw, with Biggio beating the tag at the plate with a headfirst slide.
At 60-65, Boston is now eight games back in the American League Wild Card standings with 37 games left. At this rate, it would take something just shy of a miracle for the Sox to make it to the postseason.
The team’s fading playoff hopes have put the microscope on the underachieving offense the past couple of days, but the truth is that it has been a big problem for two months.
Since June 27, the Red Sox are 18-34. Uncoincidentally, that is the same date the team’s offense started a downward spiral that hasn’t really stopped.
Over those 52 games, Boston has the following rankings among MLB’s 30 teams in key offensive categories: 21st in OPS (.687), 23rd in homers (46), tied for 20th in runs (207), tied for 26th in walks (129) and 25th in OBP (.300).
Though time is slipping away, Fatse is hoping the team can at least finish strong at the plate.
“I think we’re right there. We are. We’re a swing away, we’re an at-bat away in most cases,” Fatse said. “I think it’s just a matter of time for this group. I think you see Raffy, he’s been looking really good [lately]. The middle of the lineup, J.D. and Bogey have started to trend to get back to what they’re capable of doing, having the quality at-bats that we know they’re capable of having. I think it’s just a matter of time before we start seeing more crooked numbers, honestly. We just have to keep coming to work every day.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 3:59:13 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Six outs made by the #RedSox in the 8th and 9th -- three strikeouts, all with less than two outs in the inning.
Bad baseball. And two hitters -- Dalbec and Cordero -- who just aren't good enough. The little things and that talent deficit have crushed this team for four months.
#RedSox are 60-65. They've been swept by Toronto in this series.
Bad teams find a way to lose games like those. And, as we close in on September, that's officially what Boston has become.
Unacceptable.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:01:06 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams @byjulianmack · 6h Entering tonight, Red Sox pitchers walked six-plus batters 12 times this season. They lost all 12.
They have six walks so far tonight. Let's see if they can pull this one out and make some history.
Make that 13 games. This still stands.
The Red Sox are 3 for 17 with runners in scoring position tonight.
brutal.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:02:50 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 3h Since June 27, the Red Sox are 18-34. Their offense went cold starting on that day and has never recovered.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:10:16 GMT -5
Red Sox are doing damage in the strike zone — to themselves — in another frustrating loss to the Blue Jays By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated August 26, 2022, 12:03 a.m.
This was three hours before the game when a question about his team’s inconsistent approach at the plate inspired Alex Cora to make a bit of a speech.
“We don’t mind our guys swinging. It’s just we have to swing at strikes,” the Red Sox manager said. “We’ve got to be better — and this is not only here; it’s throughout from here all the way to the Dominican Summer League — with what we want to do.
“We want to do damage in the zone. Walks are good. Working the count is good, too. That’s on us, too. We have to keep preaching and make sure the message is there.
“It’s a balance. But I think as an organization, just talk about it, and keep preaching and do things in the minor leagues and player development that can help these kids to zone in and don’t run to the edges [of the strike zone] with the opposition and pick the right pitches.”
Then the game started and what Cora has seen so often with his team happened again in a 6-5 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays that took 10 innings on Thursday night.
In a 5-5 game, Reese McGuire led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a seemingly routine single to right field.
Blue Jays right fielder Teoscar Hernandez misplayed the ball into a triple, the first in 559 major league at-bats for McGuire.
Kiké Hernández pinch ran for McGuire at third base. With the infield in, all the Sox needed was a little flare or a fly ball to take the lead.
Bobby Dalbec saw seven pitches from Adam Cimber before striking out swinging at a slider. Jarren Duran was hit by a pitch. Tommy Pham struck out on four pitches.
Rafael Devers had a chance and grounded out to the right side, the ball deflecting off first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to second baseman Cavan Biggio. He threw back to Guerrero to end the inning.
It got worse.
The Sox had another opportunity in the ninth inning, this time to win the game. J.D. Martinez singled and pinch runner Alex Verdugo went to third on a double by Xander Bogaerts.
Jays interim manager John Schneider rolled the dice. He went with a five-man infield and walked Christian Arroyo intentionally to load the bases with no outs.
Toronto had little chance at surviving. But these are the 2022 Red Sox.
Triple A Hall of Famer Franchy Cordero struck out swinging. Hernández then grounded to third base. Gold Glover Matt Chapman calmly stepped on the base for the second out and fired to first to complete the double play.
That left the Sox 3 for 17 with runners in scoring position.
Toronto pushed across the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. The Sox then stranded their ghost runner in the bottom of the inning. They finished the night 3 for 20 with runners in scoring position, striking out 10 times. Related: Red Sox lefthander James Paxton has Grade 2 lat tear, will not pitch this season
“We’re trying. I don’t know. It’s tough, man,” Bogaerts said.
Cora’s pregame soliloquy was on target. The Red Sox need a better approach at the plate as a team and obviously a deeper roster. Once the opposition gets through the first four hitters, the Sox don’t offer much resistance.
“We’ve got to be better. That’s the bottom line,” Cora said. “You see the difference with [the Blue Jays].”
The Jays didn’t need a hit to score the go-ahead run. With Biggio on second to start the inning, Danny Jansen grounded to shortstop and advanced the runner.
George Springer then grounded a ball into the hole that Bogaerts fielded. Biggio was running on contact and just beat the throw. Putting the ball in play paid off.
Toronto is 13-3 against the Sox this season. The good news for the Jays is that they play three more games against the Sox at the Rogers Centre late in the season.
If they’re fighting for a playoff spot at that point, they’re golden.
The Sox have lost four straight and six of seven. They’re a beaten-down team with 37 games still to play. By then, they’ll be ready to pack up and go home — if they aren’t already.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:14:55 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 6h 87 percent chance of scoring there.
Strikeout Double play.
Make that zero percent.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:16:13 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 5h Before tonight, the last time a Red Sox hitter hit into a bases-loaded, one-out, inning-ending double play in the 9th inning or later of a tie game was 4/16/2010, when Beltré did so against the Rays.
This was the 10th time it’s happened in a Red Sox home game in the last 100 years - and the 6th time with a potential walkoff PA instead turning into a GIDP. (There are four inning-ending flyball double plays in those situations.)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:18:58 GMT -5
Brian Barrett @itsbrianbarrett · 7h 19 batted balls for The Jays 11 hard hit
57.9% hard hit rate
The Sox love giving up rockets
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:19:28 GMT -5
Brian Barrett @itsbrianbarrett · 6h Runner on 3rd with no outs
-Dalbec K -Duran HBP -Pham K -Raffy ground out
Couldn’t get one ball in the air?
Winning Baseball Baby!
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:20:43 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 5h Duran had 8 swing and misses tonight, the most by a Sox player in a game this year is 9.
He's hitting .189 in August, after hitting .184 in July.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 26, 2022 4:21:16 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 4h The Red Sox swung at 28 pitches out of the strike zone, and fouled 40 pitches, 19 of them over the heart of the plate. None of those are season highs, but each rank highly. 3-20 RISP, 0 barrels, win expectancy reached 83%, 93%, and 94%. Brutal
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