If the Red Sox can’t mount a giant late-summer comeback and wind up lacking the playoffs once more, this weekend’s debacle will probably be remembered because the second all of it went fallacious.
The Red Sox misplaced once more Sunday, falling 13-1 because the Toronto Blue Jays accomplished the backbreaking three-game sweep. Unlike the primary two video games, which have been fairly aggressive, this one was a rout from the beginning because the Blue Jays pummeled the beleaguered Red Sox pitching workers and left city in full management of the final American League Wild Card spot.
And but as dominant as Toronto was Sunday, the Red Sox in the end beat themselves.
All of Boston’s chickens got here residence to roost this weekend, as the failings which have plagued this membership all through the season have been uncovered on the worst potential time. Friday’s loss was marked by the offense’s ill-timed disappearing act, Saturday’s by a expensive baserunning error, and on Sunday it was a defensive miscue that opened the floodgates for an enormous Blue Jays rally.
Jarren Duran, who has been a lot improved in each side of the sport this season, had a second to overlook within the high of the third when he didn’t haul in a deep fly ball off the bat of George Springer. Despite getting his glove on it the ball popped out, bouncing off the grime and into the bullpen for a floor rule double, and as an alternative of creating the third out and preserving a scoreless tie the misplay opened the door for what wound up being a four-run rally.
“It was an all-around terrible play on my part,” stated Duran, who stated he misplaced the ball within the solar on the final second. “It was totally on me, I should have made the play, I didn’t communicate, just a terrible play.”
It was additionally the type of blow the Red Sox pitching workers simply isn’t outfitted to endure at this level.
Since Garrett Whitlock went on the injured listing on July 3 the Red Sox have used openers in 10 of their final 25 video games, an strategy that labored effectively for a number of weeks however put an enormous pressure on the bullpen. The workers seems to have lastly reached its breaking level, and for the reason that begin of final week’s street journey the bullpen has now allowed 36 runs over its final 42 innings.
Rookie left-hander Chris Murphy, who entered Sunday with a 1.59 ERA over 28.1 innings as a bulk reliever, gave up six runs over 2.1 innings after opener Brennan Bernardino posted a scoreless first. He allowed 4 within the third after Duran’s misplay, with Matt Chapman breaking the ice with a two-run double instantly following Springer’s hit, and later served up a two-run bomb to hot-hitting Blue Jays rookie Davis Schneider within the fourth.
Murphy then gave technique to Mauricio Llovera, who allowed 5 runs over 1.1 innings and pitched maybe the ugliest inning of the season within the high of the fifth. The righty walked the leadoff man, hit a batter and allowed two straight singles earlier than forcing a run-scoring grounder for the primary out. He then walked one other man to load the bases, hit a second batter to drive in one other run, gave up a sacrifice fly and allowed an RBI single by Chapman earlier than he was lastly, mercifully, pulled from the sport with the Red Sox trailing 11-1.
With the sport not unsure, Red Sox supervisor Alex Cora waved the white flag and pinch hit for Justin Turner and Rafael Devers within the backside of the fifth. Richard Bleier, new call-up Nick Robertson and infielder Pablo Reyes allowed two runs over the past 4 innings of mop-up obligation, and Boston’s lone offense got here on a Triston Casas solo residence run within the fourth.
“There’s not much we have to say, they outplayed us the whole weekend,” Cora stated. “Obviously we’ve been through stuff like this the whole season. Up and down, we lose three, we win three, we lose six, we win six, so we’ll show up tomorrow and play good baseball, that’s all we can do.”
Justin Turner, one of many membership’s veteran leaders, echoed that sentiment.
“Obviously it’s not ideal, not the results we wanted coming into this weekend but I promise you there is going to be a baseball game tomorrow,” Turner stated, including that they have been scheduled to fulfill with some children from MLB’s RBI Youth Baseball program after Sunday’s recreation. “We’ll go up there, spend some time with some kids, hopefully give us some perspective on this great game of baseball we play and we’ll come back tomorrow and start over.”
With the weekend’s fiasco behind them, the Red Sox now discover themselves at a crossroads.
Boston has now misplaced seven of its final eight video games and has successfully squandered all of its July beneficial properties. The Red Sox not solely path the Blue Jays by 5 video games, however have additionally been jumped by the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees within the Wild Card standings as effectively.
Maybe the approaching returns of Trevor Story and Chris Sale will give the membership the spark it wants, and possibly the Red Sox might nonetheless capitalize on its upcoming collection with Kansas City, Detroit and Washington to get again into the hunt. There’s nonetheless loads of baseball to be performed, however this weekend was a crushing setback, and it’s no positive factor the Red Sox can recuperate.
Sale dominates for WooSox
The silver lining popping out of Sunday is that Chris Sale appears able to go. The huge left-hander was dominant in his newest rehab begin for the Worcester Red Sox, throwing 4.1 scoreless innings whereas placing out seven within the WooSox’ 9-8 loss to the Syracuse Mets.
Sale allowed three hits with no walks and threw 38 of his 53 pitches for strikes. Trevor Story additionally reached base 4 occasions, going 2 for 3 with two walks, a double and a two-run residence run, his fourth homer since beginning his rehab project final month.
Arroyo to Worcester
After being designated for project to clear house on the 40-man roster for commerce acquisition Luis Urías, infielder Christian Arroyo cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Worcester. Arroyo will now stay with the group and will proceed to supply center infield depth for the Red Sox.
Source: www.bostonherald.com