All you need to know about the Red Sox' loss to Texas, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sox bats quiet: Even as the Red Sox swept a two-game set against the Mets, they weren't hitting. They scored a total of three runs in the two games at Citi Field, but won both, thanks to super pitching - from starters and relievers. But the Sox really pushed their luck in Arlington Thursday night, where, for a third straight night, they couldn't generate much offense. After falling behind 1-0, they managed to tie the game in the sixth on aa leadoff double by Alex Verdugo and a two-out double from Rafael Devers. But those two hits, in the span of four batters, represented two-thirds of their hit output for the night -- the only other hit they collected was a one-out single by Christian Vazquez in the second. From the fourth inning on, the Sox had just three baserunners -- the two aforementioned doubles in the sixth and, thanks to a catcher's interference call, Christian Arroyo reached as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
Perez rebounds with good outing: If a positive existed in the loss, it was the start turned in by Martin Perez, who entered the game with a 5.71 ERA, but turned in what was easily his best outing of the season. Perez gave the Sox 5.2 solid innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven and walking no one. His velocity was off some with a fastball that sat mostly at 91-92 mph, but he commanded the pitch better and also had a far better changeup than he had shown in previous starts. In his last few starts, Perez was too reliant on his fastball and cutter and it cost him. "I think I needed one of these games to get everything back,'' Perez said. "I put everything together. My changeup was there and it made a difference (to have the separation) between the pitches.''
Poor defense proves costly: When you don't hit as a team -- and the Red Sox aren't currently -- you can't afford to make mistakes in the field. The Red Sox made two Thursday and each came back to bite them. In the fourth inning, a throw from Verdug0 took an odd bounced and skipped off Devers' glove, allowing Joey Gallo to go from second base to third, from where he next scored on a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, an error by Xander Bogaerts gave the Rangers a baserunner, and with two outs, a two-run homer by Jose Trevino followed. One of the runs was unearned because of the error.
TURNING POINT
In retrospect, the Red Sox' best chance to do some damage early in the game came in the third inning. With two out, Texas starter Kyle Gibson, who had allowed just two baserunners to that point, suddenly became wild, walking Verdugo and J.D. Martinez to give the Red Sox runners at first and second with two out. But just as quickly, Gibson righted things and struck out Bogaerts to strand two. Not until the sixth would the Red Sox have another scoring chance.
ONE UP
Darwinzon Hernandez: It wasn't exactly a high-leverage spot with the team trailing by three in the bottom of the eighth, but Hernandez was explosive, fanning the side.
TWO DOWN
Kiké Hernández: Hernandez has slumped of late, with just one hit in his last 14 at-bats. He was 0-for-4 Thursday night and failed to get the ball out of the infield.
Xander Bogaerts: In addition to going hitless in four plate appearances, Bogaerts made a critical error at short that led to the Rangers' two runs in the seventh.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Overall, it's been a grind for the last week, to be honest with you. We haven't been able to do too much.'' Alex Cora on the team's offensive slump.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
- J.D. Martinez saw his 12-game hitting streak in Arlington snapped.
- For the second straight game, Christian Vazquez threw out a baserunner attempting to steal second. He's now 3-for-9 this season.
- The Red Sox bullpen has allowed seven homers this season and Hirokazu Sawamura has allowed three of them.
- The loss was just the sixth for the Red Sox in the last 21 tries against the Rangers.