All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Bullpen gives it up big-time: The Red Sox had a 6-0 lead after two innings and an 8-2 lead after six. After that, all hell broke loose, with four Red Sox relievers combining to give up 10 runs over the final three innings. No one was effective, including a couple of relievers who've been near perfect in recent weeks -- John Schreiber and Matt Strahm. The trouble began when Jake Diekman allowed a three-run homer to Jorge Mateo in the seventh to pull the Orioles within three. Then, Schreiber, who hadn't allowed an earned run this season, was tagged for two runs in just two-thirds of an inning in the eighth. Strahm followed and could only record one out before the O's knocked him around for five hits, resulting in four runs. Finally, Hirokazu Sawamura gave up the final run. The blown save by Strahm was the 11th for the team this season.
Hitters keep raking: For the first five innings at least, the Red Sox offense did all that was asked of it -- and then some. The Sox climbed out to a quick 4-0 lead on Xander Bogaerts' three-run homer in the first, and tacked on two more in the second, thanks to a double from Alex Verdugo. Solo runs came in the fourth and fifth. After that, the bats were quieted. In fact, the Sox had just one hit over the final four innings as the Orioles mounted their comeback. Still, eight runs should be more than enough every time. The Sox have averaged 7.5 runs over their last 16 games, and the game should have never been in doubt after the Sox had banged out 13 hits in the first five innings. The game marked the seventh time in the last eight games that the Sox scored six or more runs.
Whitlock bounces back: In his last start, last Saturday at Fenway, Garrett Whitlock has the worst outing of his young career, blasted for five runs on 10 hits in just three innings. It didn't help that he was sick at the time. With some time to recover, Whitlock was more like his old self Friday, giving the Red Sox a career-best six innings and allowing only two runs on five hits. "I was able to move the fastball in and out,'' he said, "and then mix pitches. I think that was the biggest thing -- being able to mix all of the pitches.'' Still, while Whitlock has mostly pitched well since moving into the rotation, the Sox are just 3-4 in his seven games, leading to renewed debate over whether he would be more valuable pitching in relief.
TURNING POINT
While it may have been well-intentioned, third baseman Rafael Devers made a poor decision when, after fielding a slow roller hit toward third, he tried to make an off-balance throw to first in a failed attempt to get out of what was already a two-run inning for the Orioles. Instead, the throw sailed wide of Franchy Cordero and skipped down the right-field line, allowing Rougned Odor to score all the way from second base with the tying run. Had Devers held onto the ball, the Sox stood the chance of getting out of the eighth still in possession of the lead.
TWO UP
Rafael Devers: Devers had three hits in the first four innings as he continues to wreak havoc against opponents. His three-hit night was his sixth.
Xander Bogaerts: Bogaerts had a three-run homer in the first inning to get the Sox off to a quick lead, and later added a single.
TWO DOWN
Trevor Story: The hottest hitter in the game over the last week, Story cooled considerably, going 0-for-3 and stranding four baserunners over the course of the night.
Matt Strahm: Every reliever had a tough go of it Friday night, but Strahm was the worst, allowing five hits and four runs while recording only a single out.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It was one game, happened from the seventh, eighth and ninth. Probably took an hour. So, in the past three weeks, we've had a really bad one hour.'' Jake Diekman, rationalizing the bullpen's meltdown.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The blown lead (six runs) was the largest for the Red Sox since last Sept. 7, when they led 7-1 against the Rays and lost 12-7.
* The 15 hits by the Orioles tied the season-high for most hits allowed in a game by the Sox.
* The Sox have scored in the first inning in each of their last four games.
* Alex Verdugo has seven RBI in his last four games.
* Xander Bogaerts extended his on-base streak to 25 games.
* Christian Vazquez has knocked in seven runs in the last four games.
UP NEXT
The two teams play a day-night, separate admission doubleheader at Fenway Saturday. In the first one, at 12:10, RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 4.10) will face TBA; In the nightcap, it will be the major league debut of RHP Josh Winckowski (0-0, 0.00) vs. TBA at 6:10 p.m.