All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 9-5 loss to the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Bullpen stressed from overwork: It had to happen sooner or later: Red Sox relievers buckled Saturday, charged with six runs (five earned) in relief of Rick Porcello. Porcello didn't record an out in the fifth before needing relief and the prospect of another game in which the bullpen was asked to throw too many innings -- again -- proved problematic. Heath Hembree allowed an inherited run to score before getting out of further trouble in the fifth. But Colten Brewer, who had been reliable, had a horrible sixth inning, walking two and allowing three hits resulting in four runs. "He didn't have command of the cutter today,'' said Alex Cora. "He had the breaking ball going, but he was a one-pitch pitcher today.'' Marcus Walden offered two innings but gave up two more runs as the game got away from the Sox. In 15 innings, Red Sox relievers have been asked to throw 58.2 innings, or an average of nearly four per game, a pace that, as recent games suggest, can't be sustained.
Sloppy play returns in the field: Having committed nine errors in their first nine games, the Red Sox seemed to be in the process of straightening things out in the field when they made just one in their previous five games before Saturday. But all of that changed Saturday afternoon. Two errors in the seventh -- an errant pickoff throw by Walden, and a fielding error by first baseman Steve Pearce -- led to two unearned runs. But there were other issues that weren't scored as errors. In the sixth, third baseman Rafael Devers bobbled a chance and though he still got a forceout at second, could have cut down a baserunner at the plate and didn't. Finally, with the Sox shifted around to the right in the fifth and a baserunner on first, Xander Bogaerts appeared to screen Dustin Pedroia as one infielder cut in front of the other and the ball got past both of them into right field.
Vazquez has a big day at the plate: There wasn't much to get excited about from the Red Sox lineup, which managed just six hits all day against a starter (Andrew Cashner) who entered the game with a 5.28 ERA. Of those six hits, Christian Vazquez provided the two biggest: a two-run homer in the third and a two-run Wall-scraping double in the seventh. Those two at-bats provided four of the Red Sox' five runs for the afternoon. It was Vazquez's first multi-hit game since Game 3 of the ALDS last October against the Yankees as he became the first Red Sox catcher to knock in four runs in a game since Sandy Leon did so on June 23, 2017 against the Angels. Vazquez is on a bit of roll at the plate, with a three-game hitting streak on the current homestand.
TURNING POINT
In the top of the sixth, the Orioles broke through with four runs off the Boston bullpen. In the bottom of the inning, the Sox appeared ready to counter with a big inning of their own with runners at first and third and no out. But Mitch Moreland hit into a double play that took away any momentum and before you know, the Sox were done having scored just one run.
ONE UP
Andrew Benintendi: Back in the leadoff spot, Benintendi is doing the job by getting on base. In four plate appearances, he reached three times with two walks and a double with a run scored.
TWO DOWN
Mitch Moreland: The Red Sox' most dependable hitter this season, Moreland had himself an off-day, going 0-for-4.
Colten Brewer: Brewer had allowed just one run in his previous six appearances, but couldn't record an out and allowed four runs.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Too many walks, a lot of traffic -- that's not him.'' Alex Cora on starting pitcher Rick Porcello.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox have allowed seven or more runs in almost half (seven) of their 15 games and are 0-7 in those contests.
- At 3:39, this was the longest game of the season.
- J.D. Martinez has reached base in all 15 games this season.
- This marked the first time that the Sox lost a game in which Christian Vazquez homered. They had been 12-0 in such games.