BSJ Game Report: Mariners 6, Red Sox 3 - West Coast swing ends on sour note as Boston blows lead in Seattle

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

Road trip ends on sour note as bullpen, defense blow lead: The Red Sox appeared to be in cruise control with a 3-0 lead and five scoreless innings from Kutter Crawford, but John Schreiber and Richard Bleier struggled in relief in the sixth and seventh as the Mariners exploded for six runs in the two innings to take a 6-3 win. Seattle took the lead on a broken-bat single for Julio Rodriguez in which Rafael Devers and Yu Chang collided going for the dribbler. The Sox would have had a chance to turn a double play and get out of the seventh. Boston squandered a chance to win the series and get in position to tie Toronto for the final Wild Card spot with a .500 on their road trip, but instead, they return to Fenway with a 2-4 stretch. Jarren Duran homered in the third inning, but the Sox lost for just the third time this season when leading after six innings.

"Tough one," Alex Cora told reporters of the road trip. "We're going home, and we got a good stretch coming up. Two walk-off losses and two tough games here. So, we didn't play horrible baseball, but it just didn't happen. We'll be ready for Friday."

TURNING POINTS

Bottom of the sixth and seventh: Eugenio Suarez started things off with a double off Schreiber, which was apparently all Seattle needed to get the bats going. Cal Raleigh followed it up with his fifth homer against the Red Sox this season (third in this series). Schreiber still couldn't find his way in the seventh, leaving a jam on the bases for Bleier. His and the defense's struggles allowed another four runs to scratch across as the Mariners took hold of the lead. Suarez got Boston to bite when he stole second, which allowed Rodriguez to steal home for the nail in the coffin. 

TWO UP

Kutter Crawford: Crawford did his part today, giving up just four hits, one walk and no runs across five scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Continues to just be solid and reliable. Has allowed three or fewer runs in five of his last six starts and one or fewer in three of his last four. Only had 81 pitches, but his velocity was ever so slightly down. Got himself through a couple jams, too. Cora told reporters they did not consider him for the sixth inning.

Jarren Duran: Led the way for a sluggish Sox offense with his two-run homer in the third inning. Has really found his game over this stretch. 

FIVE DOWN:

John Schreiber: Just didn't have it and wasn't good enough in his 1.0+ innings of work. Gave up three hits and four earned runs with a walk. Struggled with command and left pitches over the plate, especially on Suarez's sixth-inning double and Raleigh's homer. 

Richard Bleier: Couldn't stop the bleeding, giving up three hits and two earned runs, not even making it a full inning. An error behind him didn't help. 

Managing the bullpen: After all the talk of Pivetta saving the bullpen after getting into the eighth inning on Monday and even after Brayan Bello went six on Tuesday, it’s hard to see why the Red Sox just had to get two innings out of Schreiber, especially after a shaky sixth inning with the homer and the double. Boston has an off-day Thursday and still had some rested arms – Brennan Bernardino hadn’t pitched since Sunday. Either way, puzzling to push Schreiber and then turn to Bleier.

"It's one of those days, where we had guys down, and we decided to go to John," Cora said. "That's what we have when you start playing close games. You've got to stay away from guys and other guys have to do the job. Today, we felt Kutter, he grinded through five. We went with John after he threw the ball well in San Francisco. ... We weren't able to get outs."

Rafael Devers and Yu Chang: Two straight games of Little League shenanigans in the field for the Sox. Devers and Chang didn't communicate at all as they collided going for the grounder with Rodriguez's bat hurdling through the air. Boston had a chance at a double play to get them out of the seventh. Easy way to forget about Devers' on-the-run catch on a foul ball in the third.

"Communication, right? Two guys just trying to make a play, and they didn't make it," Cora said. "I don't mind guys going after it. Effort. You can't question effort. Both guys were trying to make a play, and communication has to be better."

Heart of the order: Devers (1-for-4), Adam Duvall (0-for-4, K) and Triston Casas (0-for-3, BB, K) were held without a hit until Devers' single in the eighth. Boston only had six hits on the day and just two for extra bases. Could have used something from their power bats.

NOTABLE 

Cora said Trevor Story won’t be active Friday, per Chris Cotillo. Story hasn't had any setbacks, but likely wants more rehab time. 

QUOTE OF NOTE

"We've been talking about defense all season," Cora said when pressed about the defense. "You see us work before games, and we've been talking about defense since spring training. So, at the end of the day, we have to make plays, right? We'll go over it on Friday, talk about what happened, and move on."

UP NEXT

Boston will return home for a 10-game set at Fenway, beginning with a three-game series against the Blue Jays. Friday’s opener is set for 7:10 p.m. LHP James Paxton (6-2, 3.34) will face RHP Alek Manoah (2-8, 5.87).