BSJ Game Report: Rockies 7, Red Sox 6 (10) - Offense better, but more extra-inning woes sink Boston

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

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

More extra-inning woes sink Sox: The Rockies got to Justin Garza in the top of the 10th quickly opening a 7-4 lead over Boston after the bullpen had largely locked it down in relief of Kutter Crawford. The Red Sox had life in the bottom of the 10th when Rafael Devers hit a two-run tank to cut it to 7-6 before Jarren Duran worked a walk, but a Christian Arroyo flyout and Reese McGuire strikeout put a quick stop to the rally. Boston dips further below .500 (33-35). 

Offense better, but still not enough: The Red Sox’ bats came alive in the middle innings after a slow start to draw even at 4-4, but they again went quiet for most of when it mattered most. Boston squandered chances with runners on in the seventh and eighth innings, finishing 2-for-11 with RISP and stranding nine. 

TURNING POINT

Top of the 10th: Garza couldn’t execute in the top half of the extra frame. Threw strikes, but got knocked around. Took no time at all for the Rockies to break the deadlock. Couldn’t limit the damage before another Colorado tacked on another run to pad their lead.

THREE UP 

Bullpen (mostly): After Crawford struggled early on, Joe Jacques, Corey Kluber and Chris Martin locked it down in relief ahead of the extra frame. Kluber and Martin were particularly strong, mostly cruising through their innings of work. Good to see Kluber settle in after a rocky start in the eighth inning, too. 

Rafael Devers: After a strong weekend in New York, Devers bounced back from a rough Monday with a 2-for-4 night with a pair of two-run homers, four RBI and a walk. Even without the results on Monday, was still making good contact and got robbed. Feels like he’s starting to wake up from his slump. 

“Right now, I'm trying to be consistent with my time and apply my timing. … I’ve been working really hard with Louis [Ortiz] and the other hitting coaches in the cage,” Devers said via an interpreter. “I've been feeling really well, really good in the past two series. I just need to keep getting better and keep improving over the coming days.”

Triston Casas: Pretty good night at the office for Casas as the DH, getting on base three times with a single and a pair of walks. Mostly laid off the low-and-away stuff he had chased recently. Went deep into at-bats on both walks. 

FIVE DOWN

Kutter Crawford: Crawford started strong and efficiently, needing just 20 pitches to get through the first two. He ran into trouble in the third and started nibbling at the strike zone, walking the bases loaded before a bases-clearing double with two outs. Needed six pitches for the first two outs in the inning before 23 for the final out. Had more trouble in the fourth before calling it a night. 

“He was off today, command-wise with the walks,” Alex Cora said. 

Masataka Yoshida: Poor night at the plate for Yoshida, finishing 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts and groundouts, plus a hit by pitch. Stared at a fastball well in the zone to go down looking in the first, then whiffed on a fastball practically at his eyes in the fourth. Jammed on both pitches he put in play. 

Justin Garza: Takes the loss after getting knocked around in the 10th. A completely non-competitive walk started the inning with neither of the four pitches coming anywhere close. Left a slider over the plate on Randal Grichuk’s RBI double before hitting Mike Moustakas. Gave up a single to set up a sacrifice fly. 

Christian Arroyo and Reese McGuire: Lumping the No. 7 and 8 spots of the order together. Both were fine in the field, but 0-for-5 at the plate and each with a pair of K’s. Arroyo at least had an RBI on a sac fly. Threw a minor fit after his second strikeout. McGuire couldn’t check his swing on a breaking ball at his feet to end the game. 

NOTABLE

This is the first time the Red Sox have gone to extra innings in three straight games since June 25-28, 2000. It’s the first time it’s happened in three consecutive days since May 10-12, 1996. 

Devers has homers in three of his last five games. His first of the game (311 feet off Pesky’s pole) was the shortest of his career. It would not have been a home run in any other ballpark.

The Red Sox are now 17-18 at home. They’ve lost seven of nine at Fenway.

The two-run fourth inning was Boston’s first multi-run inning in their last 60 innings, going back one week to June 6 in Cleveland.

QUOTE OF NOTE

“Just got to keep grinding. At one point, it’s going to go the other way,” Cora said. “From my end, no [it’s not deflating after the Yankees series]. Just got to play well. That’s it. Two extra-inning games, it’s kind of like the flip of the coin. … Obviously yesterday, we didn’t play well, and today we played O.K. We played better. We didn’t pitch the way we’ve been pitching lately, but from my end, it’s not deflating.”

UP NEXT

Final game of the three-game set will be Wednesday at Fenway with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. RHP Garrett Whitlock (3-2, 4.78 ERA) will face LHP Austin Gomber (4-5, 7.57 ERA).