Starting pitching falters as offense continues to slumber

If the Red Sox thought merely returning home to Fenway — where they own the best home record of any American League team — was going to be the answer to their problems, they were sadly mistaken.

And if the presence of the last-place Toronto Blue Jays, whom the Red Sox clobbered in a three-game sweep only a week ago in Toronto, was an invitation to re-start their winning ways, they found that to be a false assumption, too.

No, the Red Sox’ problems now go far beyond home field advantage and tomato can opponents.

For much of the season, the team’s starting pitching kept them in most games. But at the worst possible time, even that component has gone sour.

In the wake of their 10-4 drubbing by the Blue Jays Monday night, the Red Sox have seen their starters give up four runs or more in three of the past five games. How bad has it gotten? Put it this way: in the last turn through the rotation, Chris Sale’s effort Sunday night (three runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings) was the second-best effort among the five starters.

That was nowhere near as bad as Rick Porcello’s outing Monday, during which he put his team in a 3-0 hole just five batters in, then kept digging and digging until he bottomed out. When the Sox closed to within a run with two runs of their own in the second, Porcello gave a run back in the top of the third.

And just when he hinted he had figured some things out in the fourth and fifth, he fell back down the hill again by allowing a run-scoring double and a two-run homer.

Porcello yielded three homers and seven runs in just 5.1 innings.

“Six of the seven runs allowed were on three swings,’’ said John Farrell. “It comes down to location.’’

A year after winning the Cy Young Award, he now leads the league in three categories no one wants to lead: hits allowed, homers and losses.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed in my performance,’’ Porcello said, “and definitely take full responsibility for our loss. With a late game last night, I was probably the only one who was fresh out of all the guys and to go out there and do what I did is disappointing.

“We flat-out got our asses kicked. It was a poor pitching performance on my part and that was pretty much it.’’

Actually, there was more to it than that.

The Sox, again, had chances by the boatload, with nine hits and four walks. But once again, they were inept with runners in scoring position, going 3-for-14. Combine that figure with the four games in New York and in the last five games, the Sox are 4-for-39 (.103).

“Multiple opportunities here tonight,’’ lamented Farrell. “I can’t sit here after these five games (and say) guys are chasing out of the strike zone. I don’t think they’re getting tense or tightened up. The opportunities are there. We haven’t cashed them in.’’

Together, the twin issues – starting pitchers failing to keep games close early and hitters unable to deliver with baserunners – have combined to deliver the Red Sox their second three-game losing streak of the last 10 days.

In fact, one problem seems to compound the other: when the Sox fall behind by multiple runs early, they lack the home run power to catch up quickly. Instead, it appears the hitters fall into the habit of trying too hard to come up with a hit when the situation present itself – with predictable results.

Two keys to their success against lefthanded pitching – Hanley Ramirez and Chris Young – have come up empty all season. Young is hitting .180 against lefties and Ramirez is at .198.

Meanwhile, Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts have provided next to nothing for weeks at times against either lefties or righties. Betts has all of one homer since July 17 and Bogaerts is hovering under .200 since being struck on the hand by a pitch in the final series before the All-Star break.

“Not being consistent….not swinging at good pitches…pretty much, doing a whole bunch of things you’re not supposed to do,’’ summarized Bets.

Starting with losing – games, and their incredibly shrinking lead in the standings.