All you need to know about the Red Sox' loss to the Rangers, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Bullpen can't nail it down: The Red Sox increased their lead by a run to 3-1 in the top of the seventh, though rookie Garrett Whitlock, revealing himself to be human after all, gave it back when he yielded a solo homer to Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the first run Whitlock has allowed in seven appearances. That was bad, but it would soon get worse. Up 3-2, the Sox turned to Adam Ottavino in the eighth, and he proceeded to implode, allowing two walks and a game-tying single. And when Matt Barnes attempted to keep the game tied, he was greeted by a single from former teammate Brock Holt. Starter Garrett Richards had limited the Rangers to a single run over the first five innings and Darwinzon Hernandez continue his hot run with a scoreless sixth. But over the next two innings, three Red Sox relievers combined to allow four runs on four hits and two walks. And instead of a face-saving sweep and a winning road trip, the Red Sox left Texas with neither.
Missed chances in early innings prove costly: A familiar pattern re-emerged for the Red Sox. After grabbing the early lead, they once against forfeited opportunities to provide themselves with some breathing room. In the second, third, fourth and fifth, the Sox ended each inning by stranding at least one baserunner in scoring position, including three times leaving a runner at third base. Twice, the culprit was J.D. Martinez, who hit into rally-killing, inning ending double plays in both the third and fifth. In between, it was the bottom of the lineup -- where offense goes to die -- that was to blame. A walk by Rafael Devers and a wild pitch which sent him to second gave the Sox a golden chance but Texas starter Mike Foltynewicz set down Marwin Gonzalez, Hunter Renfroe and Franchy Cordero in order to keep the game in hand for the Rangers.
Richards makes more progress: It wasn't quite the exclamation point that his 10-strikeout game Tuesday night in New York was, but Richards was plenty good enough over five innings, allowing just one run. Unlike Tuesday, when he used his curveball as his primary weapon, Richards had to rely more on his slider Sunday. But the main thing is, he's overcome the wildness that plagued him in a few poor starts in April. Whatever adjustments he's made with his delivery/mechanics/release point, it's clear that they've been incorporated and Richards is -- literally and figuratively -- headed in the right direction.
TURNING POINT
With the Sox leading by a run in the eighth, reliever Adam Ottavino opened the door for the Rangers by issuing a leadoff walk. Bad things happened after that, with the baserunner, Nate Lowe, coming around to score the tying run. It got worse from there, with two more runs added on, but it all began when Ottavino gave Lowe the free pass. "Obviously, the leadoff walk...I mean, that's the game,'' Ottavino said. "I'm not trying to do that, but I'm pretty disappointed that I did. It's that simple -- a leadoff walk and your margin for error really shrinks.''
ONE UP
Xander Bogaerts: The shortstop collected three hits, including his fifth homer in the last 12 games after failing to hit any in his first 15 games.
TWO DOWN
Red Sox defense: The Sox committed two errors. An errant throw from Kevin Plawecki on a stolen base attempt didn't factor in the outcome, but when Alex Verdugo bobbled the go-ahead single by Brock Holt, it enabled a second run to cross the plate.
J.D. Martinez: Martinez has, of course, been the team's most important hitter in the first month, but he had a highly forgettable game with two strikeouts and two GIDPs.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"They put pressure on us the last two games. They kept coming at us and we weren't able to slow them down and they got the W's.'' Alex Cora on the Rangers.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Franchy Cordero was again hitless (0-for-3) and is now 0-for-23.
- The series win was the first for the Rangers at home against the Red Sox since 2016.
- The solo homer by Xander Bogaerts moved him ahead of Vern Stephens into third place for most homers (123) by a Red Sox shortstop. Only Nomar Garciaparra (178) and Rico Petrocelli (210) have more .
- The homer against Garrett Whitlock was the first one he's allowed in the big leagues.