October 7,
2016
...
A 6-0 loss against the Cleveland Indians did more than put the Sox in
a 2-0 hole in their best-of-five Division Series. It seemed to leave
them stunned. The American League East champions have pitched, hit,
and fielded poorly for two games. A team that knew 10 days ago it
would advance to the postseason looks unprepared for it.
David
Price, who has waited six months for a postseason start to throw back in the
faces of those who doubt him, couldn't get through four innings. He allowed five
runs over 31/3 innings and turned the rest of the game into a slog. It was the
shortest start of what has been a tortured postseason career for Price. The
lefthander is 2-8 with a 5.43 earned run average in 15 postseason appearances.
In nine playoff starts he is 0-8 with a 5.74 ERA. On what has been an otherwise
exemplary resume, the postseason is a stain Price has been unable to remove.
The Sox,
who led the majors in scoring, are 13 of 65 (.200) in the series with 22
strikeouts. They never really threatened the Indians, advancing only one runner
as far as third. Ortiz and Pedroia are 1 for 8 in the series. Mookie Betts,
Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley Jr. are 2 for 20. The best players are
playing the worst.
The game
essentially ended when Price allowed four runs in the second inning. It was
three jabs and a knockout punch. Carlos Santana grounded a single into left
field. Jose Ramirez then chopped a ball to the left side that Brock Holt could
not make a play on. It went for an infield hit. Price jammed Brandon Guyer and
broke his bat. But the ball fluttered into center field for an RBI single.
Lefthanded-hitting Lonnie Chisenhall normally does not play against lefthanders.
But Indians manager Terry Francona went against that because Chisenhall was 4 of
11 against Price with two extra-base hits. There's a reason Francona is 30-18 in
the postseason. Chisenhall lined a homer to right field and the Indians had a
4-0 lead. It was his first home run against a lefthander all season.
When Price
walked No. 9 hitter Roberto Perez in the fourth inning, Farrell lifted his
starter. Jason Kipnis then singled off Matt Barnes to drive in a run. In both
the fourth and sixth innings, the Sox failed to turn double plays that would
have prevented runs. Even the sure-handed Pedroia let a ball go through his legs
in the sixth.
Going back
to the regular season, the Red Sox have lost seven of their last eight games and
scored 21 runs.
