Final, Mariners 8-2: Things just keep getting worse for the Red Sox.
The Red Sox suffered an 8-2 loss to the Mariners on Tuesday. Seattle has outscored Boston 20-5 over the first two games of the teams’ three-game set at Safeco Field.
Jake Peavy got knocked around, with most of the damage coming in the fourth inning. Peavy surrendered two home runs in the fourth en route to a seven-run yield over five innings.
Kyle Seager and Mike Zunino went deep for Seattle. Seager collected four RBIs, while Endy Chavez produced three hits, including an RBI triple.
Both of Boston’s runs came on Brock Holt’s two-run homer in the fourth inning. Holt, Mike Napoli and Jackie Bradley Jr. each had two hits in the loss.
Boston has lost five of its first six games on this 10-game road trip. Clay Buchholz will be thrown into the fire in his return Wednesday night.
End 8th, Mariners 8-2: Seattle tacked on one more run in the eighth inning.
Edward Mujica surrendered a single to Mike Zunino to begin his outing. Zunino took second base on a passed ball charged to A.J. Pierzynski, who has had a horrendous night.
Brad Miller singled home Zunino with Seattle’s eighth run.
Mid 8th, Mariners 7-2: Jackie Bradley Jr. collected his second hit of the game in the eighth inning.
Bradley singled into center field with one out. It was sandwiched between strikeouts from Jonathan Herrera and Brock Holt.
Herrera pinch-hit for Stephen Drew against lefty Charlie Furbush.
Yoervis Medina recorded the final out of the frame. Dustin Pedroia flied out to center field.
End 7th, Mariners 7-2: James Jones created plenty of havoc on the bases in the seventh inning.
Jones reached on an error by Stephen Drew. He then swiped second base and third base before Felix Doubront closed out his second inning of relief work.
Jackie Bradley Jr. recorded three putouts in the seventh inning. The last one was rather flashy, as Bradley drifted back onto the warning track to make a leaping catch on Logan Morrison’s lined shot toward the wall.
Mid 7th, Mariners 7-2: A.J. Pierzynski has had a rough night.
Pierzynski popped out into foul territory with runners at first and third in the seventh inning. He now has left nine men on base in this game to go with an 0-for-4 effort.
Xander Bogaerts also popped out into foul territory to end the inning, though he took aim at the right side of the field.
Boston’s seventh-inning threat was built by Mike Napoli (walk) and Daniel Nava (single).
End 6th, Mariners 7-2: Felix Doubront made his first bullpen appearance of the season.
Doubront, who still could start next week versus the Chicago Cubs, tossed a 1-2-3 sixth inning in relief of Jake Peavy.
Doubront struck out Brad Miller to begin the inning. The left-hander bounced an 0-2 curveball but came back to freeze Miller with a changeup on the outside corner.
John Buck popped out to second base and Endy Chavez flied out to center field to end the inning.
Peavy allowed seven earned runs on eight hits over five innings. He struck out three, walked two and threw 85 pitches (53 strikes).
The Mariners drilled two home runs off Peavy, who has surrendered an American League-high 16 long balls this season.
Mid 6th, Mariners 7-2: Brock Holt is having a nice night offensively, per usual.
Holt, who actually was held hitless in Monday’s series opener, doubled into the right-center field gap in the sixth inning. Holt homered back in the fourth inning.
Danny Farquhar replaced Joe Beimel and struck out Dustin Pedroia to end the inning.
End 5th, Mariners 7-2: The Mariners have opened things up.
Kyle Seager and Mike Zunino went deep in the fifth inning as the Mariners added four runs against Jake Peavy.
Endy Chavez, who has caused problems, dropped down a bunt to begin the inning. It sneaked past Peavy and out toward second base, where Dustin Pedroia failed to make a barehanded play.
James Jones grounded to first base, where Mike Napoli made the play and fired to second base in an attempt to turn two. James just beat out Stephen Drew’s throw to first, and the call was upheld after another challenge by Boston.
Robinson Cano sent Jones from first to third with a single into right field. It really didn’t matter where everyone was stationed, though, as Seager crushed a three-run homer down the right field line.
Zunino added a solo bomb over the left field wall two batters later.
That’ll likely be it for Peavy, who still is searching for his first win since April 25.
Mid 5th, Mariners 3-2: Erasmo Ramirez’s night ended in the fifth inning.
Mike Napoli singled and Daniel Nava walked with one out, prompting Seattle to turn to its bullpen.
Joe Beimel entered and retired A.J. Pierzynski and Xander Bogaerts. Pierzynski struck out and Bogaerts grounded to short.
Ramirez allowed two earned runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked five, struck out two and threw 93 pitches (49 strikes).
Ramirez struggled with his control for much of the outing, especially in the first inning, when he walked three batters despite exiting the inning unscathed. Both of Boston’s runs came on Brock Holt’s fourth-inning homer.
End 4th, Mariners 3-2: Jake Peavy breezed through his best inning yet in the fourth.
Peavy needed just eight pitches to retire Dustin Ackley, Brad Miller and John Buck in order.
Ackley grounded out, Miller flied out and Buck popped out.
Let’s see if the Red Sox can build some momentum.
Mid 4th, Mariners 3-2: Brock Holt flexed his muscle in the fourth inning.
Holt launched a two-run homer into the right field seats. Erasmo Ramirez left a fastball up in the zone, and Holt absolutely crushed it in a surprising display of power.
Xander Bogaerts led off the fourth inning with a single into center field. That’s encouraging given how badly the 21-year-old has been struggling of late.
End 3rd, Mariners 3-0: Jake Peavy held the Mariners scoreless for the first time in the third inning.
Logan Morrison dropped down a bunt with two outs and the bases empty. It caught the Red Sox off guard, and Jake Peavy, who dropped to his knees while fielding the ball, couldn’t throw out Morrison at first base.
Mike Zunino flied out to left field to end the inning.
Mid 3rd, Mariners 3-0: There was a lengthy review process in the third inning. Very weird situation.
Mike Napoli lifted a fly ball down the left field line after David Ortiz walked with one out. Dustin Ackley appeared to make a tremendous diving catch, but replays showed he lost control of the ball. Thus, Red Sox manager John Farrell called for a challenge and the ruling on the field was overturned.
Another conversation ensued, though. It centered on where everyone should be stationed, as Ackley fired back to second base after not catching the ball and Robinson Cano stepped on the bag for what would have been a forceout if the ball was live. In the end, however, Napoli was given first base and Ortiz was awarded second base.
More importantly, the Red Sox failed to do any damage on the scoreboard. Daniel Nava popped out and A.J. Pierzynski flied out.
End 2nd, Mariners 3-0: Jake Peavy again struggled to gain traction in the second inning.
Peavy walked Brad Miller with one out. The righty rebounded to strike out John Buck, but Endy Chavez, who delivered a bases-clearing triple Monday, continued to wreak havoc.
Chavez tripled into the right field corner to score Miller from first base. The three-run mark has been a difficult plateau for the Red Sox to reach this season, so Boston has its work cut out for it, especially if Peavy doesn’t settle into a groove.
Mid 2nd, Mariners 2-0: Jackie Bradley Jr. delivered a two-out single in the second inning, but Erasmo Ramirez again kept Boston off the scoreboard.
Xander Bogaerts popped out and Stephen Drew grounded out before Bradley singled into right field.
Brock Holt ended the inning with a line drive to Dustin Ackley in left field.
End 1st, Mariners 2-0: The Mariners, who scored 12 runs Monday, are off and running.
Jake Peavy stumbled out of the gate, surrendering a leadoff single to Endy Chavez and walking James Jones.
Kyle Seager put Seattle on the board by hitting a ball into the right field corner. Mike Napoli ranged over toward the line in an attempt to make the play, but the ball bounced off the first base bag and ricocheted past Napoli’s face. Chavez scored on Seager’s double.
Logan Morrison, who went 4-for-4 with two homers Monday, lifted a fly ball to right-center field. Jackie Bradley Jr. sized it up and put himself into a good position to deliver a strong throw — which he did — but the ball was hit too deep. Jones scored on LoMo’s sacrifice fly.
Peavy struck out Mike Zunino to end the inning.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Erasmo Ramirez had trouble hitting the strike zone in the first inning, yet the Red Sox let him off the hook.
Ramirez walked Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz with one out. It then looked as though Mike Napoli earned a free pass, but home plate umpire Dan Bellino rung him up on a pitch that looked low.
Daniel Nava walked with two outs to load the bases for A.J. Pierzynski. Pierzynski, who has struggled mightily this month, bounced to second base to end the inning.
10:11 p.m.: Brock Holt takes a first-pitch ball. Away we go.
10:05 p.m.: Red Sox manager John Farrell announced before Tuesday’s game that Clay Buchholz will start Wednesday’s series finale against the Mariners.
So, that we know.
However, the Red Sox’s rotation remains in flux, as Farrell wasn’t ready to announce a corresponding roster move for Buchholz being activated from the disabled list.
It’s even possible the Red Sox could go with a six-man rotation for the time being, though Felix Doubront will be available out of the bullpen this weekend in New York.
It’s a complicated situation, really. For a more detailed look at the Red Sox’s rotation plans, check out the link below.
Click to read about the Red Sox’s rotation >>
9:45 p.m.: Xander Bogaerts, who is stuck in a 5-for-52 (.096) slump, has been dropped down to seventh in the Red Sox’s order.
Dustin Pedroia will slide up into the No. 2 spot with Bogaerts moving down. David Ortiz and Mike Napoli will bat third and fourth, respectively, while Daniel Nava will bat fifth and play left field with a right-hander on the hill.
Tuesday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (35-42)
Brock Holt, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Daniel Nava, LF
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Xander Bogaerts, 3B
Stephen Drew, SS
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Jake Peavy, RHP (1-5, 4.52 ERA)
Seattle Mariners (41-36)
Endy Chavez, RF
James Jones, CF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Kyle Seager, 3B
Logan Morrison, 1B
Mike Zunino, C
Dustin Ackley, LF
Brad Miller, SS
John Buck, DH
Erasmo Ramirez, RHP (1-4, 4.62 ERA)
9:30 p.m. ET: There’s no way around it. The Boston Red Sox got their butts whooped Monday.
The Seattle Mariners jumped all over John Lackey in the fourth inning en route to a 12-3 rout at Safeco Field. Jake Peavy will look to guide Boston to better results Tuesday, when he goes up against Erasmo Ramirez in the series’ middle game.
Peavy hasn’t gotten much run support this season. As a result, he owns just one win through his first 15 starts of the season despite pitching well in several instances. Peavy allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits over 6 1/3 innings in his last start Thursday against the Oakland Athletics. The right-hander matched his career-high with his fifth straight loss in starts with a decision.
Ramirez got knocked around in the early going this season but has pitched better of late. The 24-year-old Nicaragua native hasn’t allowed a run in each of his last three starts — a span of 15 2/3 innings — although he hasn’t really worked deep into games, either.
Tuesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. You’re encouraged to slug some energy drinks, down some coffee and do whatever else it is you need to do to stay up late for this West Coast tilt. I’ll be here waiting.
