All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 5-4 loss to Cleveland, complete with BSJ analysis and insight.
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Long ball stings Porcello: Through his first 16 games this season, Rick Porcello did a nice job keeping the ball in the ballpark, allowing just eight homers. But over his last 10 outings, he's been victimized by homers, allowing 14, including at least one in each of the last five starts — three Monday night. He allowed a solo homer to Melky Cabrera in the fifth, a two-run homer to Michael Brantley in the sixth and another two-run shot to Greg Allen in the seventh. Porcello was happy with the pitches to Cabrera and Brantley, but not the one hit out by Allen. "I think even I could have hit that one,'' lamented Porcello. "It was not a good pitch and it came at the worst possible time, 3-3 ballgame in the seventh. I have to make a pitch there and I didn't -- it sucks.'' As for the rash of homers of late, Porcello isn't sure he has the answer. "I can't tell, in particular, why there's more home runs being hit off me than in the past,'' he said. "I think part of it's missed location. That's always the first thing you look at. You give guys a chance to barrel up the ball, usually, you're pitching in the middle of the zone. I think that's the biggest factor.''
Sox jump on Kluber early, but not often enough: Facing Cleveland ace Corey Kluber, the Red Sox struck for two runs in the first and another in the second. But they stranded three runners over the first two innings, too, a pattern that would get repeated over the course of the night. The Sox left 11 men on base, a pattern that continued after Kluber turned the game over to his bullpen: in the seventh, they had runners at the corners with two outs, but couldn't produce the big hit and in the ninth, though they scored a run off closer Cody Allen, the Sox had the potential tying run at second and potential winning run at first when Ian Kinsler made the last out. "We had traffic all over the place today,'' said Alex Cora, "but we weren't able to cash in.''
Rodriguez sharp in rehab outing: An encouraging development for the Sox took place with their Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs for whom Eduardo Rodriguez pitched Monday night. Making his first of what will likely be two rehab starts, Rodriguez tossed four shutout innings and allowed just one hit while walking two and striking out eight. Rodriguez hit 94 with his fastball and threw 39 of his 63 pitches for strikes. "(He had) good stuff','' said Cora, who got some reports immediately after the game. "His cutter was outstanding. I think he had only one opportunity to cover (a base and test his ankle). He'll come back and we'll plan some PFP's (pitcher's fielding practice). The plan is for him to go another one, but we'll wait to see how he recovers. But everything I heard was ... he was outstanding.''
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox led 3-1 in the sixth when Rick Porcello was a bit slow in getting to first on a ball fielded by first baseman Mitch Moreland. By the time Porcello got to the bag, he was late and Francisco Lindor was safe with a leadoff single. The next hitter, Michael Brantley then cranked a homer over the bullpen for a two-run homer. Had Porcello gotten to first in time, it wouldn't have cost him an additional run.
TWO UP
Mookie Betts: After being held hitless in the previous two games by Tampa Bay, Betts broke out with a two-hit night against the Indians, singling in second and doubling in the ninth.
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Bradley continued to make strides at the plate with a double (and run scored) in the second and a single in the fourth. It marked his fifth multiple-hit game of the year and saw his average creep up to .221.
ONE DOWN
Sandy Leon: As good as Leon has been behind the plate, he continues to have a rough time of it at the plate, going hitless in three at-bats as his average fell to .206.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"You look at them and they look like us -- very dynamic, they can hit the ball out of the ballpark and they can come back just like we do. And you have to earn all 27 outs.''
— Cora, on the similarities between the Sox and Indians.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The loss gave the Red Sox consecutive defeats for the first time since July 24 and July 26.
- The loss was only the second in a series opener over the last 14 series for the Red Sox.
- Boston scored all four of its runs with two outs.
- The Sox are now 60-10 when they score first.
- Xander Bogaerts is now second on the Sox in RBI with 77.
- Steve Pearce is 3-for-9 as a pinch-hitter.