Red Sox Melt Down Late In Loss To Indians (56-59)

Morales got the loss in 5.1 innings

Last night was a disappointing game for the Red Sox as they went up against the Indians and rookie pitcher Zach McAllister (4-4, 3.60). However, both McAllister and his opponent-- Franklin Morales (3-2, 3.13) held the opponent scoreless for the first few innings.  The Indians finally got on the board in the third though, as former Red Sox Brent Lillibridge homered to lead things off. However, the Red Sox answered in the top of the fourth-- loading the bases with no outs for Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez delivered a shot to left that just clanged off the wall near the foul pole, scoring two easily but easily getting Dustin Pedroia out as he tried scoring from first. In the fifth, it would be Lillibridge again as the Indians put a man on second with one out for him. He delivered with an RBI single to make it 2-2.

Gonzalez had a two-run double

From that point on, things all went south for the Red Sox as the Indians continued to slowly add on runs-- starting in the bottom of the sixth. That was when the Indians filled the bases with just one out for Michael Brantley. Franklin Morales would be taken out with a line of 5.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 6 K and Andrew Miller came in to face Brantley, who didn't fully cash into the opportunity but he did drive in a run with a sacrifice fly. In the seventh inning, Lillibride doubled to lead off the inning and was moved to third on a Casey Kotchman groundout. He would score on a suicide squeeze bunt play with Lou Marson at the plate to make it 4-2. A one out double by Carlos Santana in the eighth put a runner in scoring position, but there would be two outs by the time Ezequiel Carrera drove him in with a single to make it 5-2. Chris Perez held the Red Sox in the ninth and they lost by that score.

Bright Spots:
Jacoby Ellsbury- 2-4, 1 R, 2 2B
Adrian Gonzalez- 1-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Dull Spots:
Mark Melancon- 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R
Craig Breslow- 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R
Cody Ross- 0-3, 1 LOB
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-3, 1 LOB
Mike Aviles- 0-3, 1 K
Pedro Ciriaco- 0-2, 1 K

Player of the Game:
Adrian Gonzalez- Despite only going 1-4, his two-run double was certainly the big hit of the night for the Red Sox, he is now .307/11/76.