All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Well ... it was an improvement: A day after getting absolutely obliterated on their home turf to start the second half of the season, the Red Sox ... bowed again — for the fourth straight time and the eighth time in nine games to drop to 5-14 in July and three games back of the final wild-card spot — but weren't blown out. In fact, this was a game they could have taken on the back of a solid Kutter Crawford start, but the Sox were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base. Bobby Dalbec's solo shot in the second inning was the only run Boston could muster against Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah, and three relievers who didn't allow a hit in 3 innings of work.
More walking wounded: Let's see ... sharpens pencil ... already without J.D. Martinez (back spasms), Rafael Devers (played on 10-day IL Saturday with right hamstring inflammation), Trevor Story (right hand bruise) — along with all the previous others making their way back with various injuries — the Sox saw Xander Bogaerts take a pitch off his forearm but stay in the game.
“It is very challenging,” Bogaerts told reporters after the game. “A lot of really good players are out. Some of our best players are out. It’s tough but no one will feel sorry for you, especially the opposing team. ... So we’ve got to go out with the lineup we have, the team that we have. We’re all major league players in the end. We’re all here for a reason. We can play. Today was a really good ballgame. It sucks that we lost.”
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox had a chance to save the day and generate some (any?) good vibes in the eighth when a wild Adam Cimber walked Christian Vazquez to open the eighth, plunked Bogaerts and went to 2-0 on Franchy Cordero. But the struggling Cordero swung over an eventual 88-mph 3-2 fastball, and Bobby Dalbec weakly popped out to center on a 3-1 cut. Cordero is 0 for his last 21 with 17 strikeouts. Yes, 17.
“I think today, for the first time, I saw him frustrated after swings,” Cora told reporters. “He’s not being able to stay on top of the fastball. And they are attacking him with that. Earlier in the season, he was taking those pitches. Now he’s swinging at it.”
TWO UP
Kutter Crawford: Faced the minimum through the first two innings, allowed four straight hits and three runs in the third, and then retired 11 of his final 12 batters faced. He's thrown 5.0+ innings and allowed 3 runs or fewer in each of his four July outings, all against AL East opponents (2.82 ERA).
Bobby Dalbec: Hit his eighth homer in the second and wound up 2 for 4. Even his 3-1 miss in the eighth was close, so perhaps he's starting to turn the tide a bit.
TWO DOWN
Rookies: Jarren Duran and Jeter Downs were a combined 0-for-7 with five strikeouts, and Kevin Plawecki with his .184 average pinch-hit for Downs in the ninth. Duran is 3 for 39 with 19 strikeouts.
Ryan Brasier: Allowed the final run in the ninth with a walk, hit and a pickoff throw to second base that was approximately 12 feet away from the nearest defender and sailed into center.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Nobody is going to feel sorry for us. (Manoah) showed it today. He was looking in the dugout, screaming at us. And yeah, this is where we’re at.” - Alex Cora
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Red Sox are winless in their last seven series, starting 6/27 (0-6-1). They are now 0-11-1 in 12 series against AL East opponents this season.
- Good news alert: Boston snapped a streak of three straight games with 10+ hits and 10+ runs allowed. So, there's that.
- Alex Verdugo (2 for 4) is 7-for-15 (.467) over his last four home games.
- Blue Jays have won 7 of their last 8 games, after losing 9 of their previous 10. They are now 6-1 under Interim Manager John Schneider.
- Toronto is 9-3 vs Boston this season and have won all four series to date.
- Manoah has made 3 starts against Boston this season and is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA, 20 strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox host the Blue Jays Saturday in the final game of the series at 1:35 p.m. with RHP Brayan Bello (0-1, 10.13 ERA) gets another chance vs. RHP Ross Stripling (5-3, 3.03)