Forgettable, if you could actually watch the game.
If you were in high spirits on a Friday night, ready to kick off a long holiday weekend, this game was here to dampen that mood.
In the first inning alone, two of the most criticized aspects of modern baseball were on full display. Firstly, the game was broadcast on yet another streaming service, so if you didn’t have your login credentials handy, you might have missed Brewers’ starter Jared Koenig. He was part of the second hated aspect that modern MLB insists on – The Opener strategy.
Koenig was out after recording just two outs, only there to give the Brewers a platoon advantage for as many at-bats as possible. Brewers manager Pat Murphy even took a veiled shot at the Sox lineup before making the move.
Unfortunately for the Sox, Koenig provided their best chance to take control of the game. Jarren Duran and Connor Wong both reached base, but as soon as Rafael Devers flew out to centerfield, Koenig was pulled from the game. Bryse Wilson came in next for the Brewers, managing the Sox for the next 5.1 innings.
Annoying and unsatisfying baseball, but effective. With owners focused on their profits and teams incentivized by its effectiveness, this trend is likely here to stay.
For the Sox, the main issue was Kutter Crawford delivering his worst outing of the year, giving up six runs on seven hits in just 4.1 innings. That performance will lose most games, regardless of the opponent’s bullpen tactics.
**Play of the Game**
The key moment came when William Contreras blasted a home run off Crawford, along with the Sox’s hopes of winning.
**Three Stars**
1. Jarren Duran remained hot, going 3-5 and spraying the ball all over the field.
2. David Hamilton also collected three hits, leading the team in WPA.
3. Chase Anderson pitched the final four innings, preserving the bullpen for tomorrow’s game when Nick Pivetta faces Colin Rae at 4:10 pm.
**Three Disappointments**
1. Red Sox games on another streaming service. At this rate, it feels like we’re heading toward each inning being broadcasted by a different service, requiring more logins and money. This gouging is unbearable!
2. Kutter Crawford had his worst start of the year, giving up more runs in this game than in his first six starts combined.
3. Tyler O’Neill went 0-4 with four strikeouts.
