Final, Cubs 16-9:Â The Red Sox scored three runs in the ninth inning. All the damage did was pad the stats.
The Cubs rolled to a 16-9 win to complete their three-game sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Chicago produced 19 hits.
The Red Sox’s offense came alive to the tune of nine runs on 16 hits. Such an effort would be sufficient most nights for Boston, but Brandon Workman and Co. struggled from the start.
Each hitter in the Cubs’ starting lineup had at least one hit and one run. Chicago’s 16 runs are the most allowed by Boston all season.
Wednesday’s game marked the longest nine-inning contest in Major League Baseball this season. It ended with the Red Sox falling to nine games below .500 (38-47).
Mid 9th, Cubs 16-6: The Cubs put the game out of reach in the ninth inning.
Craig Breslow surrendered three singles and a double. Junichi Tazawa allowed a single and two doubles. The Cubs added six runs and enter the bottom of the ninth inning with a 16-6 lead.
Every hitter in the Cubs’ lineup has at least one hit and one run.
End 8th, Cubs 10-6: The Red Sox produced a run in the eighth inning. They’ll have a lot of work to do in the ninth, though.
David Ortiz led off with a line drive into the right field corner. It bounced up into the seats for Ortiz’s second ground-rule double of the game.
Brian Schlitter replaced James Russell in the eighth, which makes sense because they’re essentially twins. The two relievers literally look identical, though Schlitter is a righty and Russell is a lefty.
Mike Napoli singled home Ortiz with Boston’s sixth run. Napoli has reached base four times.
Jonny Gomes, A.J. Pierzynski and Xander Bogaerts went down in order to end the inning. Bogaerts has struck out looking twice.
Mid 8th, Cubs 10-5: Edward Mujica surrendered a homer upon entering in the eighth inning.
Nate Schierholtz lifted a fly ball into the right field corner that landed in the first few rows of seats. Brock Holt made a valiant effort to make a leaping catch and landed hard on the right field wall, though he appeared to be OK.
Shierholtz also homered in Monday’s series opener. His two-run blast was the only offense of that game.
Darwin Barney grounded a double down the left field line before Mujica finally escaped the inning.
End 7th, Cubs 9-5: Brock Holt’s two-out single went for naught.
Mookie Betts grounded to first base for the first out. Jonathan Herrera struck out looking for the second out.
Holt singled into right-center field, but James Russell closed off the inning by retiring Dustin Pedroia on a groundout.
Mid 7th, Cubs 9-5: Burke Badenhop enjoyed a quick, 1-2-3 inning.
Starlin Castro grounded out, Luis Valbuena flied out and Welington Castro struck out swinging.
Mookie Betts, who hit his first major league home run in his last at-bat, will lead off the bottom of the seventh inning.
End 6th, Cubs 9-5: David Ortiz was thrown out at the plate in the sixth inning.
Ortiz led off with a chopper to the right side. Third baseman Mike Olt, who was shifted over, ranged out onto the outfield grass to make the play. His throw was awful, though, and Ortiz reached.
The play was ruled an error, although it very well could have been ruled a hit. In other words, Ortiz probably isn’t too thrilled about that scoring.
Mike Napoli doubled into the left field corner to set up second and third for Jonny Gomes, who grounded out.
Xander Bogaerts hit a ground ball to the right side fielded by first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo fired home to cut down Ortiz.
James Russell entered and needed just one pitch to retire A.J. Pierzynski on a fly ball to left field.
Mid 6th, Cubs 9-5: The Cubs keep finding ways to answer every time the Red Sox chip away.
Mike Olt, who homered in the fourth inning, led off the sixth inning with a double. Darwin Barney added to the threat with a chopper into the hole that resulted in an infield single.
Chris Coghlan moved both runners up with a successful sacrifice bunt, at which point John Farrell called upon Burke Badenhop to replace Felix Doubront. Doubront pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief of Brandon Workman.
Justin Ruggiano extended the Cubs’ lead with a single into center field. Badenhop made sure that was the only damage by getting Anthony Rizzo to ground into a double play.
End 5th, Cubs 8-5:Â Mookie Betts’ first career hit at Fenway Park cleared the Green Monster.
Betts, who had been 0-for-9 through his first two-plus games at Fenway, turned on a 2-1 pitch from Carlos Villanueva. He sent it sailing over the left field wall for his first big league home run.
Betts’ homer was a two-run shot, as A.J. Pierzynski led off the inning with a walk.
Mid 5th, Cubs 8-3: The ball is carrying at Fenway.
Felix Doubront surrendered a two-out, two-run homer in his first inning of work. Welington Castillo sent a ball into the first row of seats above the center field wall after Luis Valbuena singled.
Doubront struck out Nate Shierholtz to end the inning.
End 4th, Cubs 6-3: The Red Sox are making noise offensively.
Boston scored two runs in the fourth inning to pluck away at Chicago’s lead. It started when Travis Wood plunked Jonathan Herrera with one out after Mookie Betts struck out to begin the inning.
Brock Holt singled into left field, and Dustin Pedroia walked to load the bases for David Ortiz. Pedroia has reached base three times.
Ortiz made solid contact on a high fly ball to center field. Justin Ruggiano drifted back to make the catch and Herrera trotted home from third base. Holt tagged up from second and took third.
Mike Napoli walked to reload the bases. Jonny Gomes made it 6-3 with an RBI single into left field.
The Cubs turned to their bullpen and called upon Carlos Villanueva. He struck out the struggling Xander Bogaerts to end the inning.
The Red Sox have left nine men on base through four innings.
Felix Doubront will pitch the fifth inning for Boston.
Mid 4th, Cubs 6-1: Brandon Workman crashed and burned in the fourth inning, ending what had been a promising turnaround after a rough first inning.
Workman issued a leadoff walk to Welington Castillo. Two batters later, Mike Olt sent his 11th homer of the season sailing into the Monster seats.
Mookie Betts’ outfield inexperience reared its ugly head in the fourth inning. Darwin Barney drove one to the wall in left-center field. Betts gave chase and soon found himself too close to the wall. The ball ricocheted off the Monster and past Betts, enabling Barney to easily cruise into third base with a triple.
Chris Coghlan knocked in Barney with a sacrifice fly.
End 3rd, Cubs 3-1: David Ortiz collected his 1,000th career extra-base hit in the third inning. More importantly, the Red Sox sliced into the Cubs’ lead.
Ortiz ripped a line drive into the right field corner after Dustin Pedroia led off the inning with his second hit. The ball bounced up into the seats for a ground-rule double.
Travis Wood bounced back to retire Mike Napoli on a comebacker to the mound before Jonny Gomes put the Red Sox on the board with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Xander Bogaerts walked, and A.J. Pierzynski struck out to end the inning.
Mid 3rd, Cubs 3-0: Brandon Workman allowed a hit in the third inning but has settled down nicely since his rocky first.
Workman struck out Justin Ruggiano to begin the third. Anthony Rizzo followed with a single into left field.
Starlin Castro popped to second base, and Luis Valbuena grounded to short.
End 2nd, Cubs 3-0: The Red Sox left two more on base in the second inning.
A.J. Pierzynski and Jonathan Herrera singled, setting up runners at the corners with two outs for Brock Holt. Holt struck out swinging to end the threat.
Xander Bogaerts’ struggles continued. He hit a bouncer that deflected off pitcher Travis Wood’s glove and over to shortstop Starlin Castro, who made the play for the first out.
Mid 2nd, Cubs 3-0: Much better second inning for Brandon Workman.
Workman needed just eight pitches to complete a scoreless second. Mike Olt grounded to short, Darwin Barney flied to center and Chris Coghlan struck out swinging.
It looked like Mookie Betts nearly lost Barney’s fly ball in the twilight, but the rookie recovered to make the catch.
End 1st, Cubs 3-0: The Red Sox threatened in the first inning. But what do ya know? They left two men on base.
Dustin Pedroia singled into left field with one out. He tagged up and took second base when Ortiz drove a fly ball back toward the triangle.
Mike Napoli worked a two-out walk, laying off a close 3-2 pitch near the bottom of the strike zone.
Jonny Gomes couldn’t cash in against lefty Travis Wood. He flied out to center field to end the inning.
Mid 1st, Cubs 3-0:Â The Red Sox already had action brewing in the bullpen, as Brandon Workman struggled big time in the first inning.
Workman started his outing by issuing a leadoff walk to Chris Coghlan. Coghlan owns a .206 average, so that’s certainly ill-advised.
Justin Ruggiano, who made a nice play in center field to rob Xander Bogaerts on Tuesday, ripped a two-run homer over the Monster to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Ruggiano jumped on a 1-1 cutter that Workman mislocated.
The Cubs were extremely aggressive on the bases in the first inning, even with guys who aren’t typically base stealers.
Anthony Rizzo walked and stole second base. Starlin Castro singled home Rizzo and then swiped second base himself.
Felix Doubront started warming up, but Workman finally settled down after the first four hitters did damage. Workman retired Luis Valbuena, Welington Castillo and Nate Schierholtz to end the inning.
7:12 p.m.: Brandon Workman deals a first-pitch strike. The Red Sox’s quest to avoid a sweep is underway.
6:42 p.m.: Stephen Drew will be out of the starting lineup Wednesday as the Red Sox face a left-hander in Travis Wood. Jonathan Herrera will play shortstop and bat ninth in Drew’s absence.
Mookie Betts, who was called up before Saturday’s game in New York, will make his fourth consecutive start. He’ll play center field for the second time, as Brock Holt and Jonny Gomes will patrol right field and left field, respectively. Jackie Bradley Jr. has been out of the lineup two of the last three games.
Wednesday’s complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (38-46)
Brock Holt, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Jonny Gomes, LF
Xander Bogaerts, 3B
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Mookie Betts, CF
Jonathan Herrera, SS
Brandon Workman, RHP (1-1, 3.27 ERA)
Chicago Cubs (36-46)
Chris Coghlan, LF
Justin Ruggiano, CF
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Starlin Castro, SS
Luis Valbuena, DH
Wellington Castillo, C
Nate Schierholtz, RF
Mike Olt, 3B
Darwin Barney, 2B
Travis Wood, LHP (7-6, 4.52 ERA)
6:15 p.m. ET: The Boston Red Sox entered their series against the Chicago Cubs riding high after winning two straight games over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Boston’s bats have been silenced, though, and the Sox enter Wednesday trying to avoid a three-game sweep.
Brandon Workman will start Wednesday’s series finale. The 25-year-old has been solid this season, tossing at least five innings in each of his six starts while limiting opponents to a .206 (26-for-126) average since joining the starting rotation on May 25. He owns a 3.60 ERA and 1.11 WHIP as a starter in 2014.
Workman’s last start Friday represented his worst of the year, as he surrendered a season-high four runs against the Yankees. The right-hander still grinded his way through seven innings, though, and might have factored into a more favorable decision if the Red Sox’s offense showed up.
The offense certainly hasn’t shown up in this series, either. The Red Sox were blanked in Monday’s series opener, in which Jake Arrieta nearly tossed a no-hitter. Boston then produced just one run Tuesday as Chicago earned a 2-1 win. The issue is the same each game, with the Red Sox simply unable to produce timely hits with runners in scoring position.
Workman will go up against Travis Wood on Wednesday. The game’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Tune in on NESN, and keep it right here with NESN.com’s live blog throughout the evening for updates.
