The Red Sox had already lost the first two games against the Cubs and hoped to be able to at least win the last game to salvage the series. The Sox offense has been no where to be found the last couple of night, but last night it was a collective poor pitching performance that would do the Sox in. The Sox offense offense put up 9 runs during the game, but that is only impressive if the starting pitching doesn’t give up 16 runs on the other side.
Brandon Workman was taking the mound as the starter for the Sox. Workman has remained in the rotation while Felix Doubront has been parked in the bullpen, but his struggles last night might make some ponder on that decision. Workman allowed 3 runs in the 1st before recording an out. Workman walked Coghlan, gave up a 2 run HR to Ruggiano, walked Rizzo who then stole second and then Castro hit an RBI single to bring Rizzo home. Sox 0-3. After a shaky first, Workman settled down some, but it very much felt like the damage was already done. The Sox got on the scoreboard in the 3rd inning when Jonny Gomes hit an RBI sac fly to score Pedroia. Sox 1-3. Unfortunately Workman gave up that run and then some in the following inning. In the 4th Workman gave up a 2 run HR to Olt and an RBI sac fly to Coghlan to have the Cubbies leading 6-1. Workman was done after 4 inning and his pitching line was 69 pitches, 4 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 BB and 3 Ks.
The Sox offense got back to work in the bottom of the 4th to make this actually feel like a game that the Sox had a shot in. Ortiz hit an RBI sac fly and then Gomes hit an RBI single to have the Sox within 3 runs. Sox 3-6. The Sox could have made a run at this game with the Cubs starter out if the bullpen was their usual dominant self, but there were bullpen issues abound last night. Felix Doubront took the mound in the 5th and gave up a 2 run HR to Castillo to erase those runs that the Sox put up the inning prior. Sox 3-8. The bright spot in this game was in the bottom of the 5th when Mookie Betts got his first hit at Fenway and he sure made it count. Betts hit a 2 run HR to have the Sox once again within 3 runs. Sox 5-8. Doubront started the 6th but with runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out he was done and Burke Badenhop was in the game. Badenhop wasn’t able to stop the bleeding and allowed an RBI single to Ruggiano, but then was able to get the 2 outs without any more runs scoring. Sox 5-9. Badenhop pitched a scoreless 7th and then handed the ball over to Edward Mujica in the 8th. Mujica gave up a leadoff HR to Schierholtz to have the Cubs leading 10-5.
The Sox grabbed another run in the bottom of the 8th when Napoli hit a long RBI single to score Ortiz. Sox 6-10. Unfortunately the top of the 9th would be a disaster for the Sox. Craig Breslow took the mound for the Sox and continued his troubling trend of struggle as of late. Breslow gave up an RBI double to Valbuena and then an RBI single to Schierholtz. Sox 6-12. Breslow was done and Tazawa was in the game to get the final out of the 9th. This also did not go to plan as Taz gave up an RBI single to Barney, an RBI double to Coghlan and then a 2 run RBI double to Ruggiano. Ugh. Sox 6-16. Tazawa finally got the 3rd out to send the game to the bottom of the 9th. The Sox bats were able to get 3 runs in the bottom of the inning, but it was way too little way too late. The Sox got an RBI double from Pedey, who has been on a tear at the plate lately, and then a 2 run RBI single from Nava. Sox 9-16. The Sox could have easily won this game if the Sox bullpen could have held down the fort after Workman was out of the game, but it seem either strong pitching or hitting with this team, not both at the same time.
Red Sox 9 Cubs 16 BOXSCORE
WP: Villanueva (4-5) LP: Workman (1-2)
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