The Red Sox changed starting pitchers, but they couldn't change their offensive output.
Rick Porcello took over for the injured David Price, but the Sox' lineup continued to scuffle in a 4-2 loss to the red-hot Kansas City Royals, who won their ninth straight.
The loss, coupled with the Yankees' win over Tampa Bay, dropped the Red Sox out of first for the first time since June 29.
For the second straight start, every run off Porcello (seven innings) came via the home run. He yielded a solo shot to Salvador Perez in the second and a three-run blast to right to Mike Moustakas in the fourth. With some help from a pair of double plays, Porcello faced the minimum number of hitters in four of his seven innings, but without much run support, he was saddled with his league-leading 14th loss.
Boston managed just seven hits, two from newcomer Eduardo Perez, the second of which delivered the first Red Sox run of the night. A leadoff triple by Chris Young and a groundout from Sandy Leon accounted for the only other score in the seventh.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
- The home run ball continues to cost Porcello. Last year, he allowed 23 homers in 223 innings - not bad for someone pitching in the A.L. East. But this year, he's already given up 25 homers in 137.1 innings, including two tonight against the Royals. One theory is that, as a sinker-baller, Porcello has been impacted by hitters being more aware of their launch angles -- i.e. swinging with more of an uppercut -- and that, as a pitcher who wants to keep the ball down in the zone, he's throwing right into their (new) swing paths. Not sure I buy it entirely, but there's probably some cause-and-effect. More likely, it's about Porcello not burying his sinker down in the zone the way he did a season ago.
- When the Sox obtained Nunez, they acknowledged that he wasn't about to deliver the power their lineup currently lacks. Instead, they hoped that he could be someone who helps keep the lineup moving. He's done that tonight, reaching base three times in his first three plate appearances with a walk and two singles. His second single scored Rafael Devers from second for the only run of the night for the Sox to date.
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