Red Sox 2, Giants 3: I Don’t Want to Talk About It

The Red Sox have currently only won once on a night where I wrote the game recap, so I’d like to offer my apologies for being added to the schedule in the midst of this ever-important stretch of the season. Okay… I wrote this sentence when they were down 2-0 in the top of the ninth, and Masataka Yoshida just walked with Jarren Duran following up with a double, we’ll see what happens. AND JUSTIN TURNER JUST TIED THIS BALLGAME WITH A 2 RBI SINGLE.

Note: I am watching this game solely on MLB Gameday because it is blacked out on every service for me and not being shown on my local FOX channel!

Okay, never mind, my hope is lost, the game has ended. The second that I took the time to find a totally and completely legal stream and turned on the game, Kenley Jansen immediately gave up a home run to end it.

This now marks the second game I’ve written the recap for where the Sox came back to tie it in the top of the ninth on the road and immediately lost with Jansen on the mound in the bottom of the ninth. Once again, I am very sorry to everybody involved.

Here’s how WPA saw it:

So that was pretty cool and fun! My favorite genre of Red Sox games is the ones where they give you glimmers of hope after trailing the whole game just to lose it in some sort of brutally sadistic way.

Three Studs

Well before the ninth inning, two whole Red Sox players had positive WPAs tonight: one of which was James Paxton who looked rather blah in comparison to the high points we’ve seen this season— which can be a positive or negative, I suppose, depending on whether you’re in favor of trading him or not. Good thing some players had an ultimately futile chance to improve their WPA in the ninth!

Jarren Duran (+.220), 2-4, R

Duran was a contributor (as much as he could be on his own) in this game, as he has been all month. In July, he ranks tenth in the majors in wRC+, at 195. I’ll give you one guess as to which handsome, nail painting, rookie first baseman leads the league in wRC+ in this time frame!

Justin Turner (+.0153 WPA), 2-4, 2 RBI

I only have one word to describe Turner in high-leverage situations this year: consistent. (He’s slashing .400/.424/.633 in 33 plate appearances with a .442 wOBA and 183 wRC+).

James Paxton (+.117 WPA), 5 IP, 8 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Not the best line from Paxton, but it held the Giants’ offense back just as he needed to. Sorry that the team forgot how to hit until the ninth inning, my friend.

Three Duds

Kenley Jansen (-.367 WPA), 1 P, HR, ER

I can’t say more about him than I already have. I will say, that this outing was the first time ever that Jansen had an appearance where he only threw one pitch. It was also the first time he’s ever faced one hitter and allowed a home run. Quite the moment for him to pick to add this feat to his list of accomplishments!

Rob Refsnyder (-.139 WPA), 0-0, CS as a pinch runner in the ninth

No clue why Alex Cora decided it was a good idea to try and steal on Patrick Bailey who has the third-best Catcher’s CS Above Average in the majors with *SIGNIFICANTLY* fewer attempts and with Rafael Devers at the plate. Granted, Devers was already 0-3 on the night and was on our duds list for last night’s game, but seriously, what are we doing? As the numbers show, this one greatly altered the chances and perhaps the outcome of tonight’s game.

Rafael Devers (-.126 WPA), 0-4, K

He was 0-4 with a strikeout again. Come back to us, Raffy. We are waiting for you.

WPA Play of the Game

Who else would it be but Justin Turner? As my excitement in the opening paragraph conveyed, I felt like this game was already completely over in the ninth, and his single to second reinvigorated this team, even just for half an inning.