All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Cardinals, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Bullpen blows it: Josh Winckowski and Kenley Jansen have been pretty automatic this season, but both blew leads at inopportune times for Boston. Whether it was Wincowski in the sixth or Jansen in the top of the ninth, both struggled, exiting the game before recording an out.
Paxton settles in: Things were a little squirrely for James Paxton in the first inning of his much-awaited Red Sox debut, leaving a fastball right in the go-zone for Nolan Arenado, who cranked one into the Monster seats for a two-run homer. It goes back to a trend from his first season as a Yankee in 2019, when he had a 9.00 ERA in the first inning. The 34-year-old settled in though, going 5.0 innings and allowing four hits with nine strikeouts.
TURNING POINT
Top of the ninth: Jansen finally had his blowup game. Started things by walking Paul DeJong before Lars Nootbaar scored him on a single to tie it. Promptly gave up a two-run bomb to pinch-hitter Nolan Gorman as St. Louis took a two-run lead, before a Tommy Edman double ended his evening early.
TWO UP
James Paxton: It wasn’t looking good in the first for Paxton, but as mentioned above, the lefty found a groove. Consistently hit high-90s with his fastball and sent six down looking.
Masataka Yoshida: Yoshida broke out of his quiet streak of only two games without a hit, going 2-for-3 at the plate and working a walk to begin a big eighth inning that saw Boston take the lead. Scored on Rafael Devers’ booming ground-rule double to center.
THREE DOWN
Josh Winckowski: It took no time at all for Wincowski to undo all of the work done by Paxton and the offense. Gave up a tank to Wilson Contreras on the third pitch he threw, before giving up three more hits to the next three batters he faced, allowing St. Louis to tie it.
Kiké Hernández: Kiké was the weak link at the dish for the Sox, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Grounded into a double-play as well.
Kenley Jansen: The newest member of the 400 save club was not good at all. Couldn’t muster a single out in the ninth against the bottom of the order for St. Louis. Jansen has been near-automatic this year, but this was easily his worst outing of the season.
QUOTE OF NOTE
“I mean, [Paxton] looked like the guy that was pitching in Seattle a while ago,” Alex Cora said. “The fastball was playing. The breaking ball got better throughout the outing. The cutter, he dotted a few of those. He was in control. It just happens that it was his first one. We’ve got to be careful with him. He’s here for the long run, not for one start. We’re very pleased with the way he went about it, with the stuff he had. His next one is Friday. He’ll be ready for that one.”
UP NEXT
Second game of the three-game set will be on NESN at 4:10 p.m. Saturday. LHP Chris Sale (3-2, 6.37 ERA) will face RHP Steven Matz (0-4, 5.70 ERA)