The bat of the Boston Red Sox Wilson Contreas (right) just misses San Francisco Giants catcher Andrew Knizner (left) in the bottom of the third inning at Fenway Park in Boston (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
Sunday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (52-77) finished up their series with the Boston Red Sox (70-59) looking to avoid being swept. Once again the Giants took an early lead scoring two runs in the first inning.
They would score another run in the top of the second taking a 3-0 lead when Jonah Cox hit a solo homer. The Red Sox began to make their move in the bottom of the second inning scoring a run off a Nick Sogard long ball and the score was 3-1.
Boston struck again in the third inning scoring another run and the San Francisco lead was in jeopardy the score now 3-2. The fourth inning was disastrous for Giants starting pitcher Matt Wilkinson who had already given up three runs and now giving another couple of doubles and the tying run in the game.
With the score tied at three JT Brubaker relieved Wilkinson only to allow two more Red Sox runs. Boston took the 5-3 lead into the seventh inning. San Francisco scored a run in the seventh inning and trailed by a single run 5-4 but did not threaten again.
They were unable to tie up this game in the eighth inning. They went three and out in the ninth inning. Aroldis Chapman who is having an excellent season had yet another win under his belt with Sunday’s save in the top of the ninth inning. With the 5-4 win, the Red Sox had swept the series. Boston now trails the Yankees by three games in the American League East.
GAME RECAP
The San Giants got another nice start in game three of their series with the Boston Red Sox. Rafael Devers walked and advanced to third on a Willy Adames single. Bryce Eldridge also singled and drove Devers home for the first run of the game.
Victor Bericoto singled and the Giants were having a very productive first inning. The Bericoto single drove in Adames and San Francisco had a 2-0 lead. Matt Wilkinson got his second start in this game after a great start last week. He struggled to start giving up two singles but Boston was unable to score leaving the two runners stranded.
The Giants Jonah Cox homered to start the second inning and San Francisco had a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the third. The Red Sox forged their comeback starting in the bottom of the inning with a Nick Sogard home run cutting the Giants lead to 3-1.
San Francisco got very little offense in the top of the third inning. Boston continued their rally in the bottom of the inning. Jahmai Jones tripled and a Ceddanne Rafaela single drove Jones home for a second run and with the score 3-2 things got a bit uncomfortable for the Giants. Giants starting pitcher Wilkinson started to struggle giving up three runs, a triple and a home run through three innings.
There was more trouble awaiting Matt Wilkinson giving up two doubles to start the fourth inning and would be relieved by JT Brubaker. Nick Sogard doubled and drove Connor Wong home and this game was tied at three apiece. Brubaker gave up a Mickey Gasper double and with Wong on base another run came home and the Red Sox had taken the lead 4-3. A Rafaela single drove Gasper home and Boston went into the fifth inning now leading 5-3
Boston took the 5-3 lead into the seventh inning. San Francisco finally had their first base runner in the top of the seventh since the fourth inning their offense becoming very quiet Christian Koss had reached first base on an infield single and scored on a throwing error by Wilyer Abreu.
The Giants now trailed by a single run 5-4. The Red Sox went three and out with Sam Hentges on the mound. Hentges had relieved Brubaker since the middle of the sixth inning.
San Francisco struggled in the eighth inning unable to get that tying run and this game went into the top of the ninth inning with the Red Sox still leading 5-4. The Giants were down to their last three outs.
Aroldis Chapman would try to close out this game for the Red Sox and finish the series with a sweep. Jung Hoo Lee grounded out for the first out. Andrew Knizner ground out and Jonah Cox struck out and that was the ball game with the Red Sox sweeping this series and winning game three 5-4. Despite trailing at times during this series Boston continued to find a way to win and the Giants continue to try and weather some serious struggles.
GAME NOTES
The bottom of the fourth inning was the turning point of this game. The Giants looked excellent early in the game but it turned around quickly. They scored the two early runs and added another in the top of the third but their offense went pretty cold for the rest of the game.
Boston began to chip away with runs in the second and third innings. Then it all came apart in the fourth inning when Boston scored three runs taking a 5-3 lead. All the momentum swung in favor of the Red Sox at that point.
The Giants did fight back scoring a run in the seventh inning but just couldn’t get that tying run. San Francisco couldn’t stop Boston’s middle-inning comeback. Once the Red Sox took that 5-3 lead the Giants were playing catch-up for the rest of the game. The Giants were in position to avoid getting swept but a stalled out offense put that to rest.
San Francisco starting pitcher Matt Wilkinson had a bit of a mixed but encouraging outing today. He pitched 3 2/3 innings. He was able to give the Giants nearly four innings in only his second major-league start.
He gave up seven hits, four earned runs with two strikeouts and now has a 6.35 ERA. He was able to keep Boston from immediately blowing the game wide open after the Giants took their early lead. Most importantly, he was not the reason that San Francisco lost. The biggest issue was what happened after he left and Boston was able to turn the game around.
Monday San Francisco will take on the Cincinnati Reds in a three game series back home at Oracle Park. Carson Whisenhunt will take the mound for the Giants with a 3-4 win/loss record and a 7.03 ERA. The Reds plan on starting Chase Burns. He has a 14-2 win/loss record and a 2.51 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 6:45 PM.











