The Red Sox recorded 23 strikeouts, but ultimately it wasn't enough, as they dropped a 5-4 decision to the Colorado Rockies in 11 innings.
Mark Reynolds singled home Trevor Story in the top of the 12th off Ryan Brasier to snap the Red Sox' five-game wining streak.
The Sox had led 3-0 before Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer in the seventh, Chris Sale's final inning of work. Sale finished with a career-best 17 strikeouts but was lifted after 108 pitches.
The Rockies took a 4-3 lead in the eighth on a two-run homer by Charlie Blackmon off Brandon Workman. Before that inning, Workman hadn't allowed a base hit to the previous 40 batters.
The Sox had built an early lead on solo homers from Michael Chavis, J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers, but scored just once over the final nine innings.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Colorado Rockies
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (1.5, 4.50) vs. LHP Kyle Freeland (2-5, 5.84)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:30 Incredibly, the leadoff walk by Ryan Brasier to Ryan McMahon in the top of the 11th, is the first walk issued by the Red Sox tonight.
9:57 Curious call here, as Jackie Bradley Jr. pinch-hits for Sandy Leon. Would have thought Christian Vazquez would be the call.
9:45 That's just the 10th single of the season for Mitch Moreland, but a huge one -- PH single scores Devers from second and ties the game.
9:26 Two-run homer by Charlie Blackmon -- jusssssst reaching the first row of the Monster Seats -- puts the Rockies up for the first time tonight. Brandon Workman has not allowed a hit to 41 batters in a row, then, tagged for a double and a two-run homer in the span of three at-bats.
9:03 Nolan Arenado hits a two-run shot into the first row of the Monster Seats, and suddenly, the strikeout total takes a back seat to the fact that this is a one-run game.
8:55 Interesting call for Cora coming up - Sale is at 90 pitches through six innings, and with 14 strikeouts, has a chance for 20, the major league record.
8:07 Rafael Devers belts the third solo homer of the night for the Sox, going the other way for his third homer of the year.
8:05 Martinez with a rocket into the Monster Seats. He didn't have a homer at Fenway until Sunday and now has three in his last two games. Strangely, all three have come in cold, rainy weather.
7:44 It would appear that Michael Chavis is fully over his 0-for-19 slump. Two hits -- yes, one a gift -- on Sunday, and now, a towering homer down the left field line to give the Sox a 1-0 lead.
7:33 Sox don't score after getting runners at first and second with two out. But they make Kyle Freeland throw 26 pitches, so there's that.
7:18 Sale strikes out the side in the first, using 18 pitches. Topped out at 96 mph on a four-seamer, got four swing-and-misses.
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Benintendi LF
Betts CF
Martinez RF
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Chavis 2B
Pearce 1B
Nunez DH
Leon C
ROCKIES
Blackmon RF
Story SS
Arenado 3B
Reynolds 1B
Tapia LF
Desmond DH
Dahl CF
Iannetta C
Valaika 2B
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox come in having won five straight, eight of nine and 11 of their last 13 while also taking each of their last four series...The Sox outscored Seattle 24-8 over the weekend in sweeping the series with the Mariners, the most runs for any team in the majors in a three-game series this year and the most in a three-game series for the sox since May of 2016 when they scored 40 against Oakland...The Sox have hit multiple homers in each of their last five games. They're 9-0 in their last nine when hitting more than one home run....Over the last 17 games, the Sox lead the majors in runs scored (121), batting average (.283), OBP (.383), walks (95) and are third in OPS (.860)...For the season, the Red Sox lead the majors in walks and are second in OBP (.341)….The Sox are also fourth in the majors in two-out RBI (90) and second in the A.L...Over their last eight games, half of their RBI (33-of-66) have come with two outs...In their last 14 interleague series, the Sox are 10-1-3, with the one lost series coming earlier this year against Arizona. The Sox are 38-11 (.776) in their last 49 interleague games and 28-7 (.800) in their last 35...They also have the all-time best winning percentage (.601) since inter league play began and since 2003, are .657....At home, the Sox are 13-0-3 in their last 16 interleague series...and are 30-6 in their last 36 interleague games at Fenway and 21-4 in their last 25...Rafael Devers is leading the American League in batting average (.336) is fourth in OBP (.408), hits (50) and doubles (12)...He's had three hits in each of his last three games and has 16 RBI in his last 16 games....When Mitch Moreland homers this season, the Red Sox are 10-2, including 8-0 in the last eight games in which he's hit one out...Red Sox pitchers have walked three or fewer in each of the last 12 games. No other team in baseball has a streak of 10 or more this season...The rotation's 3.18 ERA since April 12 in the fourth lowest in the majors for that span...Over the last 28 games, Red Sox starters have allowed four earned runs or fewer and three earned runs or fewer in 24 of them....Mookie Betts has a five-game hitting streak and has scored eight runs in that span...Xander Bogaerts has also hit safely in his last five games. He's knocked in 10 runs in his last eight games...Sandy Leon has three hits in his last two games....Rafael Devers has hit in five straight games.....Chris Sale comes into the start having allowed one run in his last 19 innings...In his last two starts, he's struck out 24 and walked one....He has a 1.73 ERA over his last four starts...Mark Reynolds is 4-for-19 with a homer against Sale in his career while Charlie Blackmon is 2-for-2....Only two Red Sox hitters have faced Kyle Freeland before. J.D. Martinez is 2-for-3 against him and Eduardo Nunez is 0-for-4
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Dustin Pedroia is with the Red Sox and took some batting practice on the field. His rehab assignment was halted by the team Monday after Pedroia experienced some soreness in his left knee Saturday night and was unable to play as scheduled. He was examined again Monday and Alex Cora said that "nothing major'' was found. "He had some tests and everybody feels better than Sunday,'' said Cora. "He'll work out with us the next few days; let's see how he reacts to it and hopefully we can send him on a rehab assignment whenever we can. He's being a lot smarter than in the past - whenever he doesn't feel right, he communicates it.'' Cora maintained that the recent setback "is nothing like last year in Houston (in early June).'' In the meantime, Pedroia was almost defiant in his comments, telling reporters: "There will be a time when I'm out there all the time.''
- David Price (elbow) will throw another bullpen Wednesday and could start as soon as Saturday against the Astros. If not, his return to the rotation will take place in Toronto next week.
- Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) played catch in the outfield Tuesday and according to Cora "is excited. We've got to be careful -- not slowing him down, but reining him in.''