All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-4 loss to the White Sox, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Bullpen can't hold on: The Sox were two outs away from their fourth straight win when it all caved in in the ninth inning. An error by Rafael Devers opened the door for the White Sox, and Ryan Brasier then allowed an opposite-field single to left by Yonder Alonso before hanging a slider to light-hitting Nicky Delmonico, who hit a three-run homer for the walk-off win. The irony was, the Red Sox bullpen had been so effective before the single and homer. Brandon Workman retired the White Sox with ease in a 1-2-3 seventh and Matt Barnes dominated Chicago by striking out the side. But Brasier couldn't pick up Devers after the error and what looked like a road trip-opening win turned into a devastating loss. It marked the second time this season that Brasier gave up a huge late-inning homer on a poorly located slider -- back on April 17, he yielded a grand slam to Brett Gardner than cost the Red Sox a game in Yankee Stadium.
https://twitter.com/whitesox/status/1124159687270834178
Damage only at the top: The Sox amassed eight hits off Chicago pitching and every one of them came from the top three spots in the batting order, as Andrew Benintendi homered and singled, Mookie Betts had three singles and Martinez added three singles of his own. The three also scored all four of the runs the Red Sox managed and knocked in two. The problem was, the Red Sox got nothing from the rest of their batting order and, in the process, left 11 men on base while going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Too often, the Red Sox had opportunities to add on, but didn't. In the first, after breaking through for a quick 1-0 lead, they had runners at first and second with one out and couldn't get anything else. It was more of the same in the third when they had first-and-third and no out after a leadoff homer by Benintendi and again, failed to score. Then, twice more in the late innings, they had two baserunners on and couldn't produce any insurance runs which would have helped them given how the ninth inning transpired.
Price consistency continues: The stretch of strong starts continued for the Sox, who got six solid innings from David Price. Price was touched for a two-run homer in the bottom of the first when James McCann took him deep to erase the Red Sox' 1-0 lead, but then Price sailed through the next four innings, pitching to just two batters over the minimum in that stretch., allowing just two hits along the way. In the sixth, three straight hits allowed the White Sox to tie the game at 3-3, but when the Sox pushed across a run in the top of the seventh, Price was positioned for the win. The outing marked the fifth time in six starts this season that Price had pitched at least six innings. Price has just one win to show for his first six starts; that figure could be a lot higher had he gotten better offensive support in some of those games, or, as the case Thursday night, more support from the Boston bullpen.
SECOND GUESS
In the sixth inning with Jose Abreu on first and one out, White Sox third base coach Nick Capra waved Abreu home on a double to right-center by James McCann -- despite the fact that Xander Bogaerts had plenty of time to make a good relay throw to home to cut down Abreu easily.
ONE UP
Matt Barnes: Utilized in his typical high-leverage spot, Barnes came in for the 2-3-4 hitters in the White Sox lineup and struck out the side -- two swinging and one looking.
ONE DOWN
Jackie Bradley Jr.: The outfielder's struggles continue at the plate with an 0-for-4 night that included two strikeouts and a double play.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"That's a routine play, yeah, and he just missed it.'' Alex Cora on the costly error by Devers.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Martinez broke out of an 0-for-10 slump in a big way with singles in each of his first three at-bats.
- Workman has yet to allow a base hit to a left-handed hitter all season.
- The last six homers by the Red Sox have all come with the bases empty.