MINNEAPOLIS -- All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-2 loss to the Twins, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sale continues to pitch in tough luck: Chris Sale allowed just two earned runs on three hits over seven innings while striking out 11, but he was saddled with a no-decision and the Red Sox are now 8-8 in his 16 starts this season, which seems entirely wasteful. When your No. 1 starter pitches this well, a team needs to win the majority of his starts, and yet, nearly halfway through the season, the team is just .500 in his outings. Sale was philosophical about his fate. "It's part of it,'' he said. "You can look at (New York Mets' starter) Jacob deGrom and feel even worse for him. It happens. This isn't something where there's a formula for it. Some days you show up and score a lot; some days you show up and not score a lot. Running the bases, defense … there's so many aspects of this game. I'm not going to hang my head about it.'' In 16 outings, Sale has had 11 quality starts, but because his run support is the worst of any starter who's been in the rotation all season, he has just six wins and the Sox have lost as many of his starts as they've won.
Bullpen backfires: With two lefties and a switch-hitter due up in the Minnesota eighth, Alex Cora went with Robby Scott, called up from Pawtucket earlier in the day, for his first major league appearance this season. It didn't go well. Scott walked the first batter then hit the next before finally getting a flyout. He left two runners on, both inherited runners scored and Scott was tagged with the loss. "Coming into any situation, you can't walk the leadoff guy there,'' sighed Scott. "and with (Joe) Mauer, I thought we had him leaning out on the outer half and I thought we could get a fastball in and I clipped his jersey. It's definitely frustrating. (Getting out lefties) is what I'm here for and I didn't get the job done tonight.'' Joe Kelly, who took over for Scott, was no better. He faced three batters and allowed a two-run double to Eduardo Escobar, a walk to Brian Dozier and a two-run triple to Robbie Grossman.
Offense sputters with men on base: The Red Sox outhit the Twins 8-5 and had the only home run of the night, but that didn't help in the end, since the Sox failed to take advantage of their opportunities, especially in the early going. In the first, they had a runner on third with two out and left him stranded. In the third, they left another runner on third, and in the fourth, they couldn't cash in after getting the first hitters of the inning on. Finally, in the seventh, with runners on second and third, J.D. Martinez got tied up on a changeup down and in and went down on strikes. For the night, the Sox stranded 10 and were a woeful 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position. "It seems like we've been struggling lately in those (RISP) spots,'' said Alex Cora. "In those situations, we have to do a better job. Whenever you have a chance, you have to cash in.''
TURNING POINT
In the sixth inning, Chris Sale got ahead of No. 9 hitter Ryan LaMarre 0-and-2 and threw what certainly appeared to be strike three. But Sale didn't get the call from home plate umpire Chuck Torres and LaMarre eventually singled, kicking off an inning in which the Twins would manage two runs off the Sox' ace. "Gotta fight through that and make another pitch,'' shrugged Sale. Who knows how differently the inning would have unfolded, but it certainly didn't help.
TWO UP
Rafael Devers: Devers continued to swing a hot bat, homering for the second straight game and third time on the road trip. He also had a single in the eighth inning and scored two runs.
Sandy Leon: In addition to guiding Sale though another superb start, the Red Sox catcher came up with a big two-out single to tie the game in the top of the eighth.
ONE DOWN
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Yes, Bradley made an incredible throw on the fly to home to cut down a run at the plate. But earlier in the inning, he committed a two-base error, allowing a ball to get by him, and he was 0-for-3 at the plate.
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QUOTE OF NOTE
"I'm not going to hang my head about it. I know these guys want to win. I know they're not doing anything different on my day. Maybe I'll bring popsicles for the boys (next time).''
— Chris Sale on the Sox being 8-8 in his 16 starts.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The loss dropped the Red Sox to just 5-5 against the A.L. Central this season.
- This marked only the fourth time this season that the Sox scored first and still lost.
- Sale has struck out eight or more hitters in eight of his last nine.
- Red Sox starters have allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of the last 15 games.
- Of the 12 homers hit by Devers this season, eight have come on the road.
- The stolen base by Mookie Betts gave the Red Sox 55 steals, third-best in baseball.
- Martinez had his 27th multi-hit game of the year.