The Red Sox limited the damage done by Shohei Ohtani the hitter. They weren't nearly as successful against Shohei Ohtani the pitcher.
Ohtani limited the Red Sox to just two runs on five hits over seven innings, as the Red Sox came up short against the Los Angeles Angels, 5-3.
Ohtani also had a run-scoring double in the first inning, but most of the damage done off Nathan Eovaldi was done by others. Max Stassi connected for a two-run homer and two others runs came in the sixth on a groundout and an infield single.
After scoring twice in the first, the Sox scratched out a run in the sixth then were held off the scoreboard until the ninth when Hunter Renfroe supplied a two-out, solo homer.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels
WHEN: 9:38 p.m.
WHERE: Angel Stadium
SERIES TO DATE: BOS 1-0
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: BOS 3-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (9-4, 3.40) vs. RHP Shohei Ohtani ( )
TV/RADIO NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez CF
Verdugo LF
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Renfroe RF
Arroyo 2B
Santana 1B
Wong C
ANGELS
Fletcher 2B
Ohtani P
Walsh 1B
Gosselin LF
Stassi C
Iglesias SS
Lagares CF
Rengifo RF
Rojas 3B
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
B6: A dribbler off the bat of Fletcher (four hits) scores the second run of the inning for the Angels.
B6: That's all for Eovaldi, who had a lot of traffic tonight, allowing nine hits to go with a walk and a hit batsman. He was dominant at times with nine strikeouts, but four runs allowed and leaves the bases loaded for Brandon Workman.
T6: Juan Lagares makes a leaping catch above the wall in center to take -- at minimum -- extra bases, if not a two-run homer, to end the sixth, stranding Martinez.
T6: After Ohtani got Verdugo to swing through three straight fastballs at the top of the zone, J.D. Martinez connects for a bloop single into left, scoring Connor Wong with the first Red Sox run since the first inning.
B4: After a three-run first, Eovaldi has settled in, retiring 10 of the last 12 -- six by strikeout.
T4: Red Sox waste a leadoff double by Alex Verdugo, who is stranded as Ohtani retires the next three hitters to follow in order.
T2: Eovaldi works around another double by Fletcher -- this one with two out -- when he gets Ohtani looking at a cutter for a called third strike.
B1: Eovaldi leaves a cutter over the heart of the plate and Max Stassi drives it out to left for a two-run homer. That's the first homer allowed by a Red Sox starter in the last six games and just the fifth homer Eovaldi has yielded all season.
B1: Shohei Ohtani gets the run right back for himself, doubling home David Fletcher by lashing a line-drive that one-hopped the RF wall.
T1: Three batters in, the Red Sox have a quick lead. Leadoff double by Kike Hernandez, a groundout to move him to third and a sac fly from J.D. Martinez.
WHAT'S UP The Red Sox lead MLB in wins and own sole possession of the AL’s best record (54-32, .628)...They are a season-high 22 games above .500....The Sox have won 10 of their last 11 games and are 22-9 (.710) in their last 31. The Sox are one of only two teams without a losing streak of longer than 3 games this season ; the New York Mets are the other....Each of the Red Sox’ last four games has been decided by one run, along with six of their last eight...They are 8-2 in their last 10 one-run games. The Sox are an MLB-leading 27-13 (.675) in games decided by one or two runs....This is only the 10th time the Red Sox have won at least 54 of their first 86 games, having most recently done so in 2018 and 1986...The Red Sox lead the AL East by 4.5 games, their largest lead of the season. The Sox are 11-14 (.440) against AL West teams and 43-18 (.705) against all others. The Sox are 29-19 (.604) vs. teams that entered today with a .500 record or better, MLB’s second-best mark....The Red Sox own MLB’s best road record (27-15, .643), but they are only 5-7 at AL West ballparks (1-3 at HOU, 1-3 at TEX, 2-1 at OAK, 1-0 at LAA)....: The Red Sox lead the majors with 28 come-from-behind wins this season. The Sox lead the majors in runs scored with two outs (186)...With RISP and two outs, the Sox lead MLB in AVG (.285), SLG (.501), and OPS (.870)...The Red Sox rank in the top three in the majors in runs scored (second, 440), AVG (third, .259), OPS (third, .760), doubles (first, 180), and extra-base hits (first, 298). The Red Sox have hit four or more homers in a game an MLB-best 8 times...They lead MLB with 19 three-run homers. The Sox are an MLB-best 47-5 (.904) when scoring four or more runs, 41-4 when scoring five or more runs, 34-2 when scoring six or more runs, and 25-0 when scoring seven or more runs....The Red Sox lead MLB with 28 outfield assists this season; no other team has more than 19...They also lead MLB with 46 OF assists since the start of 2020 (no other team has 30 or more...Red Sox outfielders lead MLB with 23 defensive runs saved....In their last 12 games, the Red Sox lead the AL with a 2.27 ERA ....Sox pitchers have issued three walks or fewer in eight of their last nine games...Red Sox starting pitchers have thrown five or more innings and allowed two runs or fewer in each of their last six games , including no runs in three of them...In that time, they have posted a 1.26 ERA...Sox starters have allowed no homers in their last five games. Sox starters have thrown five or more innings 67 times, third-most in the majors (45-22 in those games). ....Red Sox relievers rank third in the AL and seventh in the majors in ERA (3.48)...Their 9 active relievers have a combined 2.94 ERA for the Sox....In their last 20 games, Sox relievers have posted a 2.49 ERA and have stranded 18 of their last 19 inherited runners....Josh Taylor has made 26 consecutive scoreless appearances (21.2 IP), MLB’s longest streak of 2021. Xander Bogaerts (29 G) and J.D. Martinez (23 G) have the two longest active on-base streaks in MLB... The last Red Sox with an on-base streak of 30 or more ames was Dustin Pedroia in 2016 (34 G)..
NOTES:
* Chris Sale threw two innings in a simulated game in Fort Myers Monday. He's scheduled to do the same Saturday, also in Fort Myers. After that, he'll likely begin a rehab assignment. "He's excited,'' said Alex Cora. "He felt great today. We'll just stay the course.''
* Cora was not sorry to see Rowdy Tellez leave the AL East. He was traded from Toronto to Milwaukee in exchange for two relievers. Tellez has worn out Red Sox pitching in his career. "He was a pain against us,'' noted Cora. "(The Blue Jays) still have a good lineup but that guy was really good against us.''
* The Sox have set up their post All-Star break rotation. They'll have Eduardo Rodriguez pitch the first game coming out of the break, followed by Martin Perez, Nathan Eovlaldi and Nick Pivetta.
* Marwin Gonzalez, who came out of Monday's game with a strained right hamstring, remained out of the lineup and will probably not play Wednesday either, with the hope of having him ready for the final series of the first half at Fenway this week.