The Boston Red Sox were looking to bounce back from Monday’s close 2-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, and all they got was a 6-5 extra-innings loss.
The Red Sox offense did a good job fighting back after being down 4-1 in the third and made it all the way to the 13th inning. But the bullpen already was taxed after starter Joe Kelly failed to pitch a full three innings. They ran out of steam on the ninth pitcher, as Robbie Ross Jr. gave up a walk-off single to Chris Davis after inheriting runners on the corners.
Let’s look at how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Drama.
This game was the embodiment of the song “Anything You Can Do.” The Red Sox got on the board first, only to have the Orioles knock around Joe Kelly for a four-run third inning. Boston caught up with a three-run fifth, but Manny Machado launched a solo home run to get ahead in the bottom half of the frame. Not to be outdone, Travis Shaw added a solo shot of his own in the eighth to tie things up once again and send the game into extra innings.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Chris Davis hit a walk-off single in the 13th.
This one is pretty self-explanatory.
ON THE BUMP
— Joe Kelly started out strong, but the right-hander unraveled in the third inning before exiting the game with tightness and fatigue in his throwing shoulder. Kelly finished his short night with four runs (three earned) on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings.
— Craig Breslow took the mound a little earlier than usual, and he wound up having an up-and-down outing. The left-hander immediately gave up a run on a Matt Wieters sacrifice fly, but he had inherited a runner on third to begin with.
Breslow wound up with one earned run on one hit with three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings, but that run was costly. He gave up a solo shot to Manny Machado in the fifth inning, immediately after the Red Sox rallied in the top half of the frame to tie the score at four apiece.
— Heath Hembree retired all four batters he faced after taking over for Breslow.
— Noe Ramirez had a strong outing in the seventh, retiring the side with two strikeouts. He struck out Machado to start the eighth before being replaced with Tommy Layne. The left-handed Layne faced only Chris Davis, who flied out.
— Alexi Ogando struck out Adam Jones to finish the eighth and then made it out of the ninth inning unscathed. The 31-year-old did have some help in the ninth, though, when Xander Bogaerts made an incredible play at short to rob Wieters of a hit.
— Jean Machi retired three batters on four pitches in the 10th inning to keep the dream alive. Jonathan Aro kept it going, striking out one batter in a clean 11th inning and enjoying a 1-2-3 12th.
Aro got into some trouble in the 13th, though, leaving with runners on the corners after giving up a walk and a long single.
— Robbie Ross Jr. came in with no outs in the 13th and immediately gave up the walk-off.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Tuesday was a much better night offensively for the Red Sox. They did strand some runners again, but they didn’t stop fighting, tying the game twice before ultimately taking the extra-innings loss.
— Mookie Betts went 2-for-6 after snapping an 18-game hitting streak Monday. The outfielder also added two runs on the night.
— Dustin Pedroia was back in action after resting for the series opener, and he put on a strong showing at the plate, going 3-for-6Â with a run scored.
— Xander Bogaerts continues to swing the bat well, as the shortstop went 2-for-5Â with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.
— Travis Shaw went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run, two RBIs and a solo home run in the eighth that tied things up at five runs apiece.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. had another rough night at the plate. The outfielder seriously improved his offense in August and at the beginning of September, but he went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts Tuesday. In fact, Bradley’s had just one hit in his last 24 at-bats.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
This happened after Breslow gave up a homer in the fifth inning. Looks like the Red Sox have something to work on this offseason.
[tweet https://twitter.com/bradfo/status/643951101943914497 align=’center’]
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will finish out their series with the Orioles on Wednesday at Camden Yards. It’ll be a battle of the rookies, as left-hander Henry Owens goes head-to-head with Baltimore starter Mike Wright in the 7:05 p.m. game.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
