All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the A's, complete with BSJ analysis and insight...
HEADLINES
Hitting funk continues: If it's possible for a team slump to become official, it seems we're at that stage. The Red Sox lost to the Oakland A's, 4-1, and in the process, amassed just five hits. That makes it just 13 hits over the last three games and only four runs scored. That's quite a comedown for a team that, not long ago, was averaging nine runs per game over a stretch of five games. Actually, it's not just the number of hits the Sox are getting -- or not getting; it's about the timing, which lately has been lousy. They were just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position Wednesday night. In the fifth, they failed to score after putting runners at first and third with no out; in the eighth, they had second and third and one out and also came away empty-handed. Occasionally, they made solid contact, belting four doubles and produced two long flyouts to the warning track. But the Sox were unable to deliver a hit when they needed it most.
Stuff better, results worse for ERod. On the one hand, Eduardo Rodriguez had reasons to feel good about his outing, as he displayed his best fastball in weeks, touching 94 mph a few times and averaging about 92.5 mph with his four-seamer. On the other hand, Rodriguez made a handful of mistakes that proved costly. He mislocated a pitch to Matt Olson, who crushed it deep into the seats in right field. And with Elvis Andrus dancing off third base in the fifth inning, he allowed himself to be distracted and was properly flagged for a balk, enabling Andrus to trot home with a big run. In the long run, the fact that Rodriguez is successfully building back his arm strength after missing all of last year -- as well as the "dead arm'' scare late in spring training is a positive development. But it didn't translate into anything that helped the Sox Wednesday night.
Pivetta start up in the air: Shortly before gametime, the Red Sox placed Nick Pivetta on the IL-COVID related after the pitcher experience a reaction to a vaccine shot. This has been fairly common among players throughout the game, and often times, the player returns in a day or two. Pivetta's next turn comes up Friday against the Los Angeles Angels, and the Red Sox should know more tomorrow about how Pivetta is feeling. It's possible -- likely, even -- that he'll be recovered and ready to pitch Friday. If he's not, Alex Cora said the Sox would likely decide between Matt Andriese and Rule 5 rookie Garrett Whitlock for the spot start as his replacement.
TURNING POINT
It's a baseball truism that if you don't get to a veteran pitcher in the early innings, you're asking for trouble later. Apparently, the same is true of someone making his first major league start, too. Rookie James Kaprielian was in big trouble in the first inning, loading the bases with one out. It seemed that an extra-base hit could have ended his night quickly. But to his credit -- with some blame affixed to the Red Sox -- Kaprielian got Xander Bogaerts swinging and Rafael Devers on an infield popup. He did walk Christian Vazquez on four pitches, forcing in a run, but then rebounded by striking out Hunter Renfroe. The Sox had a run and quick lead, but had to walk away from that missed opportunity shaking their head and wondering whether it would prove costly. Spoiler alert: it did.
TWO UP
Eduard Bazardo: The rookie reliever arrived at the ballpark just before gametime to replace Nick Pivetta on the roster and turned in two strong innings of scoreless relief.
Hunter Renfroe: He had a double, but what made Fenway really buzz was his strike from center field that cut down Matt Chapman trying to stretch a double into a triple in the second inning.
TWO DOWN
Franchy Cordero: If this sounds like a broken record, it is: Cordero was 0-for-3 and is building another long hitless streak, with no hits in his last 17 at-bats.
Xander Bogaerts: Not only was the cleanup hitter hitless in four plate appearances with two strikeouts, but his overly aggressive baserunning resulted in a needless out at the plate.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"We're in a slump right now as a team. We have to do a better job of putting the ball in play when there's guys on base, starting with me.'' Xander Bogaerts.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Four of the Red Sox' five hits were for doubles.
* The nine strikeouts by Eduardo Rodriguez were a season a high.
* Marwin Gonzalez leads the American League in doubles in May with six.
* Hunter Renfroe's outfield assist was his fourth of the season, tops on the team.
* Before Wednesday's loss, the Red Sox had been 9-3 when their starting pitchers goes at least six innings.
UP NEXT
The series concludes Thursday night at 7:10 with RHP Garrett Richards (2-2, 4.54) vs. LHP Sean Manaea (3-1, 3.07)