All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 11-2 loss to the Dodgers, complete with BSJ analysis and insight
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sale hit hard ... again: For the third straight start, Chris Sale was knocked around for five runs, and predictably, it wasn't pretty. There were plenty of hard-hit balls -- including a homer to Justin Turner in the third and consecutive line-drive doubles in the fifth. His velocity, which hit 98 mph in the first inning, dipped to 92 mph, though both Sale and Alex Cora insisted that the pitcher's health isn't an issue. "It's the same old stuff,'' said Sale, "just not getting it done. Making bad pitches, not keeping the ball in the yard, not getting shutdown innings when I need to. Same stuff as before.'' Cora offered no solutions, only a vow to get to the bottom of the issue. "I think it's about execution,'' said Cora. "We need to get this right and that's on us, the coaching staff. Whether it's mechanics, or usage or whatever. We've got to get him in the right place.'' It's mid-July and Sale still hasn't won a game at Fenway this season.
Wright removed with injury: Steven Wright, one of six relievers who followed Sale to the mound, was struck on the foot by a comebacker from Max Muncy in the seventh inning and had to leave the game. X-rays taken revealed nothing broken, but Cora said Wright was limping after the game and would be further re-evaluated Sunday. The Red Sox need to clear a roster spot by Sunday afternoon for newcomer Andrew Cashner and their choices would seem limited. One solution would be to place Wright on the IL if that's necessary. As for optioning players, righty Hector Velazquez has options remaining and has not performed well (5.60 ERA) and could be sent to Pawtucket. Marcus Walden and Josh Taylor are two other candidates for demotion to Pawtucket, though Taylor has been impressive and, for now, represents the only lefty in the bullpen.
Bogaerts keeps going: No matter what else takes place, Xander Bogaerts doesn't cool down. On Saturday night, he produced both Red Sox runs -- the first with a solo homer over everything in left, his team-leading 19th of the season and a run-scoring single in the sixth. Bogaerts also leads the teams in RBI (70) and extra-base hits (48). He's also homered in three of his last four games and has five homers and an astonishing 18 RBI in his last 11 games. In reaching his 100th hit of the season, he became the first Red Sox player with at least 100 hits in six of his first seven seasons (he played only the final six weeks of 2013) since Wade Boggs collected 100 or more in each of his first seven seasons from 1982 through 1988.
TURNING POINT
After falling behind 2-0, the Red Sox answered back in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer from Bogaerts, cutting the Dodgers' lead in half. But Sale couldn't shut down the Dodgers in the top of the fifth. He gave up a single to left to Enrique Hernandez to open the inning, then compounded things by hitting No. 9 hitter Austin Barnes. Barnes came into the game hitting .203, but hitting him gave the Dodgers two on and no out with the top of the order due. Two hard doubles produced three runs and the Dodgers were off and running.
ONE UP
Brock Holt: Holt has been the model of consistency and he added two more hits in his two plate appearances, lifting his average to .378 since coming off the IL at the end of May.
TWO DOWN:
J.D. Martinez: The team's cleanup hitter had an empty night at the plate, going hitless in four at-bats.
Steven Wright: Even before he took a comebacker off the foot and had to leave the game, Wright gave up back-to-back homers, including a titanic shot by Cody Bellinger that carried deep into the right-field seats.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"I've got no other excuses -- I'm just not getting it done. No other way to put it.'' — Sale.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
- The 11 runs for the Dodgers were the most for an opponent at Fenway since Cleveland scored 11 on May 29.
- Mookie Betts is 11-or-12 in stolen base attempts.
- The loss snapped a seven-game home winning streak the Sox had against the Dodgers.