All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 5-4 loss to the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Godley put a burden on the pen: Starter Zack Godley threw better than 30 pitches to get himself out of a scoreless first inning. It was more of the same in the second inning, with traffic and a high pitch count building. It tipped over in the third when Godley issued three walks in the span of four hitters and had to be lifted, having thrown a staggering 70 pitches while recording just eight outs. The Sox already had four relievers they couldn't utilize and Godley's early exit forced the bullpen to fill in the next 5.1 innings to get through the afternoon. "They forced me to throw some pitches that I wouldn't normally throw,'' said Godley. "They just some really good at-bats early on -- a lot of foul balls, some really good at-bats and I couldn't get guys put away.'' It's worth asking how much longer the Sox will give Godley a regular turn in the rotation, given how inefficient he is.
Offense shut down: In a four-game stretch recently, the Red Sox scored at least six runs and won three of those. But in the last two games, both losses, they've been held to just four runs each. Following Kevin Pillar's leadoff homer in the first, the Sox didn't register another hit until Pillar led off the sixth with a single. This, despite the fact that Baltimore starter Wade LeBlanc was forced from the game five batters in with an elbow injury. Tom Eshelman (career ERA: 5.61) walked the first hitter he faced, then retired the next 13 hitters in a row. Once more, the middle of the order failed to provide much pop. Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Christian Vazquez, the team's 2-3-4-5 hitters, went a combined 1-for-13, with the lone hit from that group coming on a run-scoring double from Bogaerts in the sixth. That's insufficient under most circumstances, and certainly so in Camden Yards against the Orioles' pitching staff.
Momentum stalled: After winning the final game of the homestand at Fenway and taking the first two games at Camden Yards, the Sox looked to be in a good position to sweep the struggling Orioles (six straight losses through Friday night) and go into Monday's off-day on something of a roll. Instead, they twice blew late-inning leads Saturday and lost in extra-innings. On Sunday, they could have been blown out early, but the O's missed out on opportunities and stranded runners left and right. With the game for the taking, the Sox couldn't come up with the big hit in the later innings and ended up with a split against an inexperienced team which had been struggling. It's probably too late for the Sox to even make a run at .500, but if they're unable to beat bad teams that are reeling, they're destined to finish in the basement of the division.
TURNING POINT
In the sixth, the Sox had first-and-third when Xander Bogaerts doubled home a run. But on a grounder to second, J.D. Martinez was cut down at the plate and Michael Chavis took a called third strike with a runner in scoring position and the Red Sox walked away with only one run.
TWO UP
Kevin Pillar: Pillar has reached base safely in 12 straight and had a solo homer and a single on Sunday.
Phillips Valdez: The reliever continues to pitch well, no matter how he's utilized. He gave the Sox an inning and a third of scoreless relief.
TWO DOWN
Michael Chavis: Chavis fanned in each of his first three at-bats and dating back to the homestand is just 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts.
Rafael Devers: Just when it seemed like the third baseman was set to get going, he's hitless in his last nine at-bats. He fanned twice Sunday.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Very disappointing. It just didn't go our way today.'' Zach Godley on the loss.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Jackie Bradley Jr.'s homer in the ninth was the 12th of his career at Camden Yards.
- After winning 21-of-25 in Baltimore, the Sox have dropped two in a row.
- The Red Sox went 18 straight plate appearances without a hit from the first through the sixth innings.
- Sunday marked the first start this season in which Kevin Plawecki didn't collect a hit.