Red Sox rally but 6-run first inning too much to overcome in 7-6 loss to Angels in series opener

The Red Sox were back home at Fenway Park on Monday night, fresh off a series win in Atlanta and set to face the visiting Los Angeles Angels.

The Sox’ highs from the weekend quickly changed just five pitches into the game after the Angels teed off on Richard Fitts. The Halos belted three homers in a six-run first inning, knocking Fitts out of the game after just one frame.

Despite the Angels scoring six runs in the first inning, the Red Sox fought back, drawing within one run twice, resulting in a 7-6 loss. The Red Sox dropped to four games under .500 (29-33). They are 16-15 at Fenway Park and 6-16 in one-run games. The Sox continue to play uninspiring baseball, having not won more than two games in a row since a three-game winning streak April 26-29.

“They fought it,” Alex Cora said after the game. “Put some good at-bats in the middle innings and put pressure on them late, but it just didn’t happen.”

The plan for Fitts tonight was to throw about 75-80 pitches, with this being his second start coming off the injured list. Los Angeles had other plans; Zach Neto led off the game with a 389-foot bomb to the Green Monster seats on the fifth pitch of the game to quickly give the Angels a 1-0 advantage.

Fitts began to encounter significant difficulties after walking Nolan Schanuel and subsequently allowing Taylor Ward a single. Jorge Soler reached on a fielding error from third baseman Abraham Toro, who was unable to make a play on an effortless charity hop to third base. Mike Trout came to the plate and hammered a fastball right down the heart of the plate 454 feet into the Green Monster seats for a massive three-run blast. 

Two batters later, Jo Adell added another run with a solo shot of his own to make it 6-0.

Fitts finished the first inning with three outs on 39 pitches. In the process, he became just the second starter in Red Sox history to allow six runs and three homers in one inning or fewer, joining Oil Can Boyd, who accomplished this forgettable feat on May 23, 1988.

“Horrible,” Fitts said following the game. “I felt like our team did enough to win tonight outside of me. I feel terrible about it. I put us in a terrible spot, not just for this game but for days to come with our bullpen too. Nobody hates this more than I do.”

Red Sox starters continue to fall short of pitching deep into games. The Sox’ starters have failed to complete five innings in 22 of 62 games this season.

Despite the starting pitching being a major letdown, the Red Sox had some fight inside them. Hunter Dobbins pitched in relief of Fitts and held the Angels scoreless over four frames before giving up a run in his fifth inning of work.

Rafael Devers put Boston on the board with an RBI double in the third, and in the fifth inning, the Sox’ offense exploded for a four-run rally to cut the Halos’ lead to one run.

Jarren Duran started things off with his second double of the game, and after Devers drew a walk, lefty-killer Rob Refsnyder roped an RBI single off Angels starter Tyler Anderson. The Sox’ cleanup hitter Carlos Narvaez then followed with an RBI double to make it 6-3, chasing Anderson from the game after 4 1/3 innings of work.

Romy Gonzalez returned from the injured list on Monday and immediately made his presence felt, adding a two-run double down the right field line. His two-bagger brought the game to a 6-5 score, marking the closest the team has come to a comeback.

In the sixth inning, Adell provided an extra run for the Angels by tagging Dobbins for a solo home run, his second of the game. The Red Sox missed a prime opportunity to capitalize on lefty Reid Detmers in the sixth inning. Ceddanne Rafaela led off the eighth and hit his fourth homer, making it a 7-6 ballgame.

Hard-throwing reliever Luis Guerrero was able to keep the Angels off the board in the ninth. Boston was unable to complete the comeback against former closer Kenley Jansen, who recorded his 12th save of the season and the 459th of his career. He’s 12-for-12 in save opportunities this year.

The one-run losses are continuing to pile up for the Red Sox this season. Duran was asked after the game why the club has struggled so much in one-run contests. Both cited the team’s youth and said that the players lack the experience to deliver in key moments of the game.

“Personally I think it says we’re a really, really good team and we’ve been in a lot of games, but we just got to get over that hump,” Duran said. “We have a lot of young guys who are just learning to compete at this level, I know when I first came up at this level I was scared to death to make a mistake and play, so I’m trying to pass that on to the younger guys like hey bro you’re going to be a big part of this, just keep going.”

“I know we’re going to hit our stride eventually where those guys figure it out,” he continued. “They’re learning every single day. It’s only a matter of time before it clicks for them.”

Boston and Los Angeles will play the second game of their three-game series on Tuesday night when Brayan Bello (2-1, 3.83 ERA) will start opposite of lefty Yusei Kikuchi (1-5, 3.06 ERA).