McAdam: For now, Red Sox aren't good enough to play with the best

In each of the last four weekends, the Red Sox have drawn first-place teams as opponents.

In each of the last four weekend, they've lost those series, limited to one win in each.

Losing once or twice could be random. Losing three might suggest a pattern.

But losing all four? That spells trouble.

There's no getting around it or ignoring the obvious: as the Red Sox creep closer and closer to the halfway point in the regular schedule, they might be wild-card contenders, but they're no match for the teams ahead of them -- in their own division, or elsewhere in the league.

First, the Sox dropped two straight series to Houston, losing two-of-three at home, then on the road. Then, they did the same in New York last weekend against the Yankees. And finally, riding the momentum of a four-game winning streak, the Red Sox came home and promptly got outclassed by the Tampa Bay Rays. Sunday's 6-1 defeat handed the Rays the series three games to one.

Overall, the Sox were 4-9 in the four series.

Showdown? More like shown up.

"Right now, they're better than us,'' said Alex Cora, "and we've got to keep getting better. We've got to keep working. We're been saying it all along -- better with men in scoring position, executing out of the bullpen, everything.''

Sunday saw the Red Sox field a makeshift lineup to attempt to get a split of the four-game set. Mitch Moreland (IL) and J.D. Martinez (back spasms) were unavailable and slumping Rafael Devers (0-for-14) was held out, not able to provide some additional muscle against starter Blake Snell, resulting in a batting order that had Christian Vazquez batting second as the DH and Eduardo Nunez and Sam Travis batting fifth and sixth respectively.

Still, the Sox had their chances and couldn't produce. They were a woeful 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position. In the three games they lost to the Rays, they were a combined 8-for-33 (.242).

Some of the struggles could be the result of pressing, or the nagging injuries that have hit the team at the wrong time. But the quality of the competition can't be ignored.

The Red Sox, you'll recall, had no trouble scoring runs in Kansas City, totaling 23 in a three-game sweep of the hapless Royals.

Matched against the likes of the Astros, Yankees or Rays, however, and it's a different story. The margin for error is slighter. Make a mistake against the Royals and they're likely to make two or three of their own. Make one against division leaders, however, and it's very likely to cost you the game.

Case in point: in the second inning Sunday, the Sox got Travis to lead off with a single to right, and that was immediately followed by a single to right by Jackie Bradley Jr., sending Travis to third.

But before the Sox got a big inning started, Bradley was caught leaning the wrong way off first by Snell, and ultimately thrown out at second. Marco Hernandez produced a single that scored Travis, but the inning fizzled quickly thereafter.

The hitters aren't alone in their culpability. Sunday marked the fourth time in the last two weekend series in which a regular member of the starting rotation has allowed four or more runs in an outing. That doesn't include the spot starters whom the Sox have utilized, to predictable results.

And, of course, the bullpen has had its share of meltdowns. Rather than keeping the Rays close after Eduardo Rodriguez departed, Marcus Walden was torched for two solo homers in the span of three hitters in the seventh inning.

From game t0 game, it's been one trouble spot after another. The one constant: failure to play well enough to match the better competition.

For now, the Sox are plenty good enough to beat the many lesser teams that dot the American League schedule, but not positioned to step up their game against better teams.

"We haven't been consistent,'' said Cora, "and last year, we were consistent from Day One.''

The good news? The Sox don't face another first-place team for another eight days when they travel to Minnesota for three against the league-leading Twins.

The bad news? Until they start beating teams in front of them, they're going nowhere fast.