All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Astros, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
No end in sight for slump: If you're looking for positive signs, the six hits the Red Sox amassed Wednesday was their highest total of the series to date, having been limited to just five in each of the previous two games in Houston. On the other hand, no fewer than half never left the infield, so even when the Sox reached base, they weren't exactly stinging the ball. In fact, this game marked the first time all season, covering 55 games, in which the Red Sox failed to register an extra-base hit. So that should illustrate how things are going right now. A sense of frustration was on display for the hitters, too, as they swung and missed at 11 pitches outside the strike zone, the most that's happened this season. Even the lone run scored was not the result of any hit on the part of the Sox -- it came as Hunter Renfroe worked a bases-loaded walk, forcing in a run. After the first inning, when the Sox sent seven men to the plate, they had just three baserunners from the second through the eighth innings and didn't get another man in scoring position until there were two out in the ninth inning.
Pivetta absorbs first loss: Until Wednesday night, Nick Pivetta had never been on the losing end of a decision while with the Red Sox. He won his first two starts last September and was 6-0 with four no-decisions coming into his start at Minute Maid Park. He had a hellacious first inning, with a walk, a hit batsman, two hits and a sacrifice fly, all of which required 35 pitches. But after escaping that mess with just one run allowed, Pivetta cruised the rest of the way, retiring 15 of the final 17 hitters he faced. The only other run came in the fourth when he yielded a leadoff double to Kyle Tucker, wild pitched him to third and saw Tucker score on a slow chopper to third that, even with the infield playing in, proved to be enough to plate the run. He set down the final nine in a row, and was allowed to go back for the sixth despite already throwing 98 pitches. First loss or no, Pivetta pitched a gem. Having been the beneficiary of strong run support most of the year, he got little to work with on this night.
TURNING POINT
You have to go back to the first inning, when the Sox took advantage of some wildness on the part of Houston starter Framber Valdez. After recording two quick outs, Valdez allowed the next four hitters to reach -- two on base hits and two via walks, with the second of the free passes forcing in the first run of the game. The Sox appeared set for a big inning, even after two were out, and even a base hit -- with the runners going on two outs -- could have given the Sox a quick 3-0 lead. Perhaps that would have been enough to provide momentum for a bust-out night at the plate. Instead, Valdez got Bobby Dalbec on a groundout to short to end the inning and the Sox had to be satisfied with just one run. Turns out, it would be the only they'd get all night.
ONE UP
Christian Arroyo: Getting the start at second base, Arroyo had two of the Red Sox hits, and though neither resulted in a run, he at least provided something of a spark from the bottom of the lineup.
TWO DOWN
Kike Hernandez: The Red Sox' leadoff man was again hitless in four plate appearances and his hitless streak has now stretched to 24 at-bats.
Xander Bogaerts: The shortstop is in his worst funk of the season. After working a walk in the first inning, he was 0-for-3 the rest of the way with two strikeouts and two of the at-bats ending an inning.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We've been chasing a lot. I've been chasing a lot. We just have to get back to controlling the strike zone and putting the ball in play. We've got to do a better job of putting the ball in play and swinging at strikes.'' -- Xander Bogaerts.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The game marked only the fifth loss all season in a game in which the Red Sox got six innings or more from their starter.
* The Red Sox have just one homer in the three-game series to date.
* Regardless of what happens in the finale Thursday, this will be a series loss for the Sox -- just their second on the road this year.
* Hunter Renfroe extended his hitting streak to seven games with a ninth-inning single.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Astros close out their four-game series Thursday at 2:10 p.m. with LHP Martin Perez (3-2. 3.55) vs. RHP Jake Odorizzi (0-2, 6.75)