BSJ Game Report: Mariners 10, Red Sox 1 - Boston drop fourth in a row, sixth of seventh in another blowout

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the Mariners, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Sox lose four in a row, sixth of seventh: The Red Sox were blown out at home for the second night in a row. Tanner Houck no-hit the Mariners through three innings, but struggled from there on out, leaving the game in the top of the sixth. Brennan Bernardino and Richard Bleier combined to give up five runs. Boston couldn’t get any meaningful offense going with a 1-for-7 line with runners in scoring position, leaving seven on base. They left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh.

Raleigh explodes for big night: Cal Raleigh, who has family ties to Vermont and the Red Sox, had a monster day at the plate with a pair of home runs, a single, four RBI and three runs. The switch-hitter hit each of his home runs on opposite side of the plates. The first was left-handed on Houck and smoked to deep right, flying 438 feet with an exit velocity of 109.3 mph. The second was right-handed on Bernardino and crushed onto Lansdowne Street, traveling 434 feet with a 107.1 mph exit velocity. Both would have been home runs in all 30 MLB ballparks, per @Would_It_Dong on Twitter. He's the first catcher to homer from both sides of the plate in one game at Fenway Park. Also threw out Pablo Reyes on a stealing attempt.

TURNING POINT

Fifth and sixth innings: Whether it was the pair of tanks for Raleigh, Alex Verdugo’s wild throw to start the sixth, Houck struggling during his second and third times through the order or Bernardino failing to pick up his starter, it’s really where it all went wrong for Boston. 

ONE ‘MEH’ 

Rafael Devers: Devers has at least an RBI in four straight games. Monday was the second day in a row that he was the only Sox player to bat in a run. Grounded into a double-play to end the first with two runners on, but answered with a single before successfully stretching a double after failing each of the last two games. 

THREE DOWN

Tanner Houck: Houck was on cruise control for 3.2 innings before giving up his first hit of the game in the top of the fourth. From there, it felt like impending doom, considering his numbers for the second and third times through the order. All five of his hits allowed came in his final 1.2 innings of work, and gave up Raleigh’s first tank that instantly spelled trouble for Boston. 

Alex Verdugo: 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position today. Verdugo had a chance to give the Sox life in the seventh with the bases loaded, but swung at a pitch up and in. Jammed him and resulted in an easy popout to the left side of the infield. It was still 5-1 at that point. Any sort of offense could have turned things around. Throwing error in the top of the sixth allowed Ty France to advance to third, where he easily scored on a fielder’s choice.

Bullpen: Bernardino inherited a jam from Houck, but the game was only 2-0 when he entered it. He left it at 5-1. Raleigh’s second home run was on a pitch in the exact same spot that Houck left it. Quickly became apparent that Bleier was going to have to eat some tough innings, but it got ugly in a four-run eighth after the offense appeared to have a slight pulse in the bottom of the sixth and seventh.

NOTABLE

Reyes is essentially doing everything for the Red Sox lately. Made a leaping grab at short to keep the Mariners out of the hit column. 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of singles. Ate the top of the ninth on the mound. Pumping the breaks with a 34 mph lollipop before speeding up with a 75 mph fastball. Baseball gods rewarded him with a hit in the bottom of the ninth. Who needs Shohei Ohtani?

“I think he faced [Justin Turner] at some point two years ago. … He was like, ‘He did [the 34 mph pitch] to me then he’d go fastball at 75,’” Alex Cora said. “It sucks, man. That’s the worst feeling as a manager. You don’t want that kid to get hurt, but that’s where we were in the game. Obviously, we were banged up in the bullpen. Tip your hat to him. He took one for the team, and we really appreciate it.”

John Schreiber left the game with right lat tightness in the seventh. Cora said he’s headed for the IL. 

UP NEXT

Second game will be Tuesday night at Fenway at 7:10 p.m. RHP Nick Pivetta (2-3, 6.23 ERA) will face RHP Luis Castillo (2-1, 2.70 ERA).