The Red Sox had spent the better part of the past week finding different ways to win.
On Wednesday, they found plenty of ways to lose.
An offense that has been among baseball’s best since the All-Star break pounded the ball into the ground all night, while one of the majors’ better defensive teams committed a season-high four errors in a sloppy 4-0 loss to the Marlins at LoanDepot Park.
Boston was shut out for just the sixth time this season, snapping its five-game winning streak and falling to 73-60.
Still, the Red Sox will leave Miami having taken two of three from a Marlins club that improved to 42-27 at home. Boston remains 39-28 on the road and now gets an off day before beginning a pivotal four-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx.
The offense that produced late comeback victories in each of the first two games of the series never found its footing against Ryan Gusto.
Gusto entered with a 4.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings, hardly the profile of an overpowering starter. But the right-hander kept Boston beating the ball into the ground and escaped every bit of trouble he encountered.
Ryan Gusto in 5 starts this month:
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) August 27, 2026
24.1 IP | 1.85 ERA | 1.15 WHIP | 5 BB | 19 K
His best stretch as a big leaguer! 🐠 pic.twitter.com/mTvjFjFvBj
The Red Sox produced 18 ground-ball outs against Miami’s four pitchers, including 12 against Gusto, and averaged just 13.3 pitches seen per inning. Only three balls they put in play registered an exit velocity of at least 100 mph.
Boston’s first opportunity came in the second when a walk, single and hit batter loaded the bases. Gusto escaped by inducing a grounder back to the mound.
He stranded two more runners in the third, then retired seven straight before Boston mounted its last serious threat in the sixth.
Andruw Monasterio was hit by a pitch and Jarren Duran singled to put runners at the corners with two outs, finally chasing Gusto. Victor Vodnik entered and struck out Anthony Seigler to end the inning.
Gusto finished with 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and three walks while hitting two batters and striking out two.
Miami’s bullpen took it from there, and Boston finished with only five hits.
Duran provided some of the few encouraging swings. A night after crushing a 412-foot grand slam in the 11th inning, he put two balls in play at more than 100 mph and added a 99.2 mph groundout.
If Duran can sustain that quality of contact and Roman Anthony eventually returns looking anything like the hitter who posted a .292/.396/.463 slash line as a rookie, Boston’s lineup could