The Red Sox bullpen took a torch to two-run lead over the final few innings, resulting in a 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers.
The defeat handed the series to the Rangers, three games to one, and represents the first series loss for the Red Sox since being swept by Baltimore on the opening weekend of the series.
Garrett Whitlock allowed the Rangers to cut the lead to one when he allowed a homer to Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the seventh, the first run he's allowed this season. It got worse in the eighth as Adam Ottavino issued a leadoff walk which resulting in the tying run. Brock Holt's two-run single -- with some help from an error by Alex Verdugo -- put the Rangers ahead for good.
WHO: Red Sox (17-11) vs. Texas Rangers (12-16)
WHEN: 2:35 p.m.
WHERE: Globe Life Field
SERIES TO DATE: Texas 2-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Garrett Richards (1-2, 4.94) vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz (1-3, 4.61)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez 2B
Verdugo CF
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Renfroe RF
Cordero LF
Plawecki C
RANGERS
Calhoun DH
Solak 2B
Lowe 1B
Gallo RF
Garcia CF
Dahl LF
Kiner-Falefa SS
Holt 3B
Heim C
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
B8: Brutal inning all around as Matt Barnes takes over from Ottavino and allows a line drive single to center to former teammate Brock Holt. Alex Verdugo bobbles the ball in center, and two runs score.
B8: Leadoff walk allowed by Adam Ottavino proves costly as a two-out single by David Dahl scores the tying run. That's the third blown save for Ottavino this season.
B7: Garrett Whitlock wasn't going to keep his 0.00 ERA forever, and it ends when he grooves a changeup to Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who hits it out to left, cutting the Sox' lead back to a single run.
T7: Finally, some productive outs and good situational hitting from the Red Sox. After a leadoff single by Hunter Renfroe, a bunt from Franchy Cordero and a groundout from Kevin Plawecki moves Renfroe to third, from where he scores on an opposite-field single by Kike Hernandez.
B6: Darwinzon Hernandez continues to impress. Works around a two-out infield single; eight of his last nine outs have been by strikeout.
B5: That's 93 pitches for Richards through five, and that's probably it. With an off-day Monday, Sox can be aggressive with their bullpen use.
T5: More squandering by the Red Sox. First-and-third with one out, but J.D. Martinez hits into an inning-ending double play. Four straight innings end with runners left in scoring position, including a man on third in three of those.
T5: Red Sox get lucky there as it certainly seemed as if Texas catcher Jonah Heim dropped the ball on the transfer.
T4: Sox cling to a 2-0 lead, but like last night, are missing out some early chances to add on. In each of the last three innings, the Sox have left a baserunner in scoring position, including one at third base twice.
T4: Bogaerts get a fat four-seamer over the heart of the plate and drove it out to center for his second homer of the series and fifth of the season.
B3: Richards has been in and out of the strike zone at times -- effectively wild, you might say -- but has registered six strikeouts through three scoreless innings.
T2: Not anything hard-hit by Hunter Renfroe there, but in making contact, he at least succeeded in scoring Xander Bogaerts from third and moving Marwin Gonzalez over. That's what Alex Cora has been preaching for the lower part of the order -- have productive at-bats, especially when there are runners at third with less than two outs.
T2: Any concern about the condition of Rafael Devers' right shoulder should now be gone as he lines a shot to RF, caught by Joey Gallo.
B1: Early on, Garrett Richards displaying some of the wildness that marked his outing two starts ago at home against Toronto.
PRE-GAME STATS: The Red Sox’ .607 winning percentage is third best in MLB behind Kansas City (.640, 16-9) and Milwaukee (.630, 17-10)...The Sox are tied with MIL for the most wins in MLB... The Red Sox are unbeaten in their last 7 series (4-0-3)... They have won four of their last six games, five of their last eight, and 17 of their last 25. The Sox’ +22 run differential ranks 4th in the majors...On the road, the Red Sox are 9-3 for a .750 winning percentage, tying them with Milwaukee...Saturday's loss was the first this season when scoring four or more runs. The Sox are now 14-1 in such games...Over the last six games, the Sox have an ERA of 2.60 while holding opponents to a .217 batting average. Overall, the Red Sox rank 5th in the AL in ERA (3.73). ...Sox relievers rank sixth in the AL and seventh in the majors in ERA (3.35). Last season, they were 27th in the majors with a 5.79 ERA...The Sox have gotten five or more innings from their starters in 22 games, tying them with Oakland for most in the AL...In five of the last six games, Red Sox starters have allowed three earned runs or fewer.. That's also happened in eight of the last 11, and in 21 of 28 games this season. The Sox have a streak of getting five or more innings from their starters over the last seven games, during which they've posted a 3.10 ERA, with 45-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio...The Sox lead the majors in doubles (63) and in OPS (.762)...They lead the AL in runs (135), are second in slugging (.437), third in AVG (.260), and second in OBP (.324)....J.D. Martinez, with five RBI in the last two games, leads the majors in that category with 26....He also leads in extra-base hits (19), and total bases (72), and is tied for the lead in HR (nine), hits (35), and doubles (10)...Rafael Devers is tied for the MLB lead in barrels (16) and is fourth in highest % of batted balls that have been barreled (21.9)....The Red Sox are the only team in the majors with as many as four qualified players with an OPS of at least .850: Martinez (1.189), Devers (.956), Xander Bogaerts (.919), and Alex Verdugo (.854)....Brock Holt is 1-for-11 in his career against Garrett Richards while Joey Gallo is 2-for-8 with a homer...Against Mike Foltynewicz, Hunter Renfroe is 3-for-5 with a homer and Verdugo is 1-for-5 with a homer...Franchy Cordero is 0-for-20 and Kike Hernandez is 0-for-10...
NOTES:
- Both Kike Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez returned to the lineup after being out the previous two games, with Hernandez at second and Gonzalez at first. Meanwhile, third baseman Rafael Devers was back in the lineup after experiencing some soreness in his right shoulder in an at-bat late in Saturday's game.
- Alex Cora said it's been a different experience playing in front of crowds as large as 35,000 Saturday night in Arlington. "It felt different compared to where we were in New York and in Boston,'' said Cora. "They were loud throughout the game. Hopefully, everybody can do it whenever the states and the people who know more about this virus (decide it's safe). It's a a great atmosphere.'' Cora said the crowds of 4,500 or so at Fenway have already helped and he looks forward to an increased capacity later this month. "Little by little, we're going to keep adding,'' he said. "I can't wait for Fenway to be packed. Everybody knows what it means (to have fans back). Hopefully, we can do that sooner rather than later.''
- Cora said the Sox have had some discussions about changing the roster composition from the current 14 pitchers and 12 position players to 13-13, but nothing is imminent. A lot depends, Cora said, on the starters consistently going deep into games, limiting the workload for the bullpen. "As of now,'' he said, "I think it makes sense to stay this way.''
- Darwinzon Hernandez said he's made an effort to better control his emotions on the mound, which has helped him. Over his last two outings, Hernandez has faced seven hitters and faced six. "I try not to pitch too fast or too slow,'' he said. "Just trying to stay level-headed and go out there and do my job.'' Cora said Hernandez had a habit of losing focus when he didn't get a call on a certain pitch. "He wasn't staying in the moment,'' said Cora. "He's slowing the game down and being able to do that will benefit him.'' Hernandez added that he's recently begun to incorporate a curveball to go with his fastball and slider.