All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-5 loss to the Twins, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Comeback effort stalls: Give the Red Sox credit: trailing 6-0 by the fifth inning, they didn't pack it in. In fact, they answered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth -- three on a homer by Rafael Devers -- to get right back into it. In the eighth inning, a solo homer by Andrew Benintendi pulled them to within a run. And there were chances, too. In the ninth, a leadoff single by Brock Holt and a bunt from pinch-hitter Gorkys Hernandez put the potential tying run in scoring position with just one out. But Mookie Betts was retired on a comebacker and Devers fanned to end the game. "We'll take our chances with Mookie and Raffy and a man in scoring position,'' said Alex Cora. "It just didn't happen.'' A six-run head start -- no matter how strong your lineup -- is a few runs too many.
Porcello digs a ditch: Rick Porcello had shown some encouraging signs in his previous three starts, compiling a 3.38 ERA. But he gave up a run in the first, two more in the third and couldn't get an out in the fifth inning, allowing three more. "He struggled with command,'' said Cora. "It was a struggle. He wasn't at his best.'' The problem, as it's been often with Porcello this year, was his inability to locate pitches where he wanted them within the strike zone. "Same old story -- misfiring pitches,'' acknowledged Porcello, who admitted he shook off catcher Christian Vazquez, only to have his choice of pitches hit hard and loud for extra-base hits. "I don't know what else to say,'' Porcello said. "I'm frustrated, embarrassed.'' At a time when they can't afford to lose any ground at all, the Red Sox have exactly one reliable starting pitcher in their rotation: Eduardo Rodriguez.
Bullpen does its best: Other than a blown lead Saturday night in Anaheim, the bullpen has been remarkable of late and that continued Tuesday night. The Sox had to begin a parade of relievers starting in the fifth inning and six different pitchers combined to give the Sox five shutout innings, buying time for the Sox offense to claw its way back into the game. Over the last four innings, in fact, the Sox bullpen faced 13 hitters and retired 12, including eight by strikeout. The only baserunner came via a walk. Beginning July 24, the Red Sox bullpen has a combined ERA of 3.33. But as effective as it was, the early explosion against Porcello proved too much for the Sox to overcome.
TURNING POINT
Perhaps the warning signs were there early for the Red Sox when, in the second inning, they got a leadoff double from Andrew Benintendi, but couldn't plate him in three subsequent tries. The Sox would be held scoreless until the fifth inning.
ONE UP
Darwinzon Hernandez: The power lefty overwhelmed the Twins, striking out the side on 12 pitches, giving him his sixth straight scoreless appearance.
ONE DOWN
Mookie Betts: Betts was 0-for-4 and stranded three baserunners in his five plate appearances.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I sucked. That's the bottom line. Six runs in four innings isn't going to get it done.'' — Porcello.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- With his next homer, Devers can become the second third baseman in franchise history to reach 30 homers in a season. Butch Hobson is the other.
- The Sox have homered in 33 of their last 35 games.
- Devers now has 107 RBI, the most for any player before turning 23 since Ryan Zimmerman had 109 in 2006.
- Over his last 32 home games, Andrew Benintendi has 24 RBI.