All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Seabold shelled: Thanks to a manpower issue in the starting rotation, Connor Seabold keeps getting chances to show what he can do, but hasn't been able to demonstrate anything positive. Thanks to the rain, Seabold lasted just two innings. But even if the weather had held, there's a question about how long he would have remained on the mound. He allowed a run in the first and then four more runs in the second before the rain came. There were a couple of hard-hit balls in there, along with two walks. He's allowed 15 runs in his last three outings and his ERA for the season stands at 11,29. It's becoming increasingly apparent that Seabold isn't ready to be a major league starter.
Sox bash out 15 hits...and lose: For a change, you can't lay this at the feet of the offense. The lineup was atrocious on the recent road trip to Cincinnati, each night seemingly more futile than the last when it came to producing big hits with runners in scoring position. The Sox were shutout Sunday night, but it only took them until the second inning Monday back at Fenway to exceed that run total, scoring twice. In a balanced attack, the Sox had five different hitters produce multi-hit nights, with Rafael Devers and Rob Refsndyer leading the way with three apiece. In point of fact, the Sox actually out-hit the Orioles, 15-14, but lost where it counted: on the scoreboard. As usual in the hits department, the Sox came up short where it counted: long balls. While the Orioles homered five times, the Sox managed to leave the yard just twice.
Rain interrupts play again: For the second straight night, the Red Sox endured a long rain delay. On Sunday in New York, the Red Sox and Yankees waited an hour and 38 minutes before the game was called after six innings. On Monday night, the Sox and Orioles got two innings in before heavy rains prompted the tarp to be placed on the field. With the game not close to being official, the teams had to wait out some dry weather and time to treat the field. After a delay slightly longer (by two minutes) than Sunday's, play eventually resumed. But with no Aaron Judge drama to hold everybody's attention, there were only a few thousand fans in the stands when the teams returned to the field. Amazingly, while they've been hit with two lengthy delays in two days, the Red Sox lost only one game to weather all season long -- and that came on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium.
TURNING POINT
After falling behind 5-0 in the top of the second, the Red Sox gave some indication that they were ready for a slugfest, countering with two runs in the second and three more in the fourth, closing to within 6-5. But the Red Sox bullpen wasn't equal to the task and the Orioles piled on with seven unanswered runs of their own from the top of the fifth through the top of the seventh, effectively putting the game out of reach.
TWO UP
Rob Refsnyder: The outfielder continues to make a case for himself to be part of the team next year with a three-hit night including a three-run homer into the center field bleachers.
Rafael Devers: Devers emerged from a New York funk to collect three hits and became the fifth Red Sox player to have multiple seasons of at least 25 homers and at least 40 doubles.
TWO DOWN
Kaleb Ort: Ort came into Monday having not allowed an earned run in any of his previous nine appearances, but that changed in a hurry as he was knocked around for three runs on two hits in one inning of work.
Tyler Danish: Having to fill seven bullpen innings after a lengthy rain delay, Danish got extended after not having pitched in a while. It didn't help that he issued three walks along the way to allowing three runs over two-plus frames.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"There's going to be days like this, pitching-wise. It's a learning experience for some of those kids, the ups and downs. You're good two days ago and today you struggle. But we have to keep teaching the game and maneuver big league lineups.'' - Alex Cora.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The six-game losing streak is the longest of the season for the Red Sox and their longest since August of 2020.
* The Sox collected at least 15 hits for the 12th time this season. Among American League teams, that ties them with the White Sox.
* Rafael Devers notched his second season with 40 or more doubles.
* J.D. Martinez has six extra-base hits over his last seven games.
* The three-hit game was the eighth of Rob Refsnyder's career.
UP NEXT
The Sox and Orioles play the second game of their four-game series Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. It will be RHP Michael Wacha (11-1, 2.70) vs. RHP Kyle Bradish (4-7, 4.65).