Red Sox’ hot streak hits a wall in sloppy shutout loss to Marlins

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.

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 become considerably more dangerous down the stretch.

On Wednesday, Sonny Gray had little margin for error, and his defense made his night considerably more difficult.

The Marlins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first on Heriberto Hernández’s RBI single, then Boston handed them another run in the second.

Otto Lopez singled and stole second, but Connor Wong’s throw bounced off Lopez’s helmet and rolled into the outfield. Lopez never stopped running and came all the way around to score.

It was an early indication of what would become an uncharacteristically poor defensive performance.

The Red Sox entered Wednesday ranked third in the majors with 54 defensive runs saved and had made several difficult, heads-up plays to help win the first two games in Miami.

Boston committed four errors in the finale.

Gray did his best to pitch around them.

After Miami put two runners in scoring position later in the second, Gray struck out Kyle Stowers and Griffin Conine to escape. He worked out of more trouble in the third with help from Monasterio, who threw out a runner at home from shortstop.

Gray ultimately allowed two runs over five innings, surrendering five hits and two walks while striking out six. He averaged 18.6 pitches per inning and needed 93 pitches to record 15 outs.

It was his shortest outing since July 25 and an unusual night for a pitcher who has completed at least six innings in 18 starts this season.

With Garrett Crochet sidelined since late April with shoulder inflammation, Gray has emerged as Boston’s ace. But without any run support, his 17th victory would have to wait.

The defense made things even messier in the eighth.

Nick Sogard started at first base with Willson Contreras getting a day off as the Red Sox continue to manage the veteran’s leg soreness. Sogard has made only 23 starts at first in his minor league career, and Boston’s lack of a natural backup at the position showed.

Two more errors helped Miami tack on a pair of insurance runs. Sogard was charged with two errors on the night, including one when a grounder ate him up in the eighth and allowed Lopez to score. Javier Sanoja followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0.

Monasterio at least found ways to reach base despite his continued offensive downturn.

He reached three times on a single, walk and hit by pitch, but entered Wednesday with a .604 OPS in August after posting a 1.044 OPS in July.

The timing of that slump isn’t ideal for Monasterio. Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are both nearing returns from the injured list, potentially creating a squeeze for playing time in Boston’s infield.

The Red Sox will take Thursday off before heading to Yankee Stadium for a four-game series that carries considerably more weight than the last time the rivals met.

Boston entered its late-June series against New York at 32-46 before sweeping four games at Fenway and beginning a dramatic turnaround. More than two months later, the Red Sox will arrive in the Bronx at 73-60 and firmly in the playoff race.

Patrick Sandoval (1-2, 4.54 ERA) will get the ball for Boston in Friday’s opener.

Whitlock Nearing Return

Boston could receive an important reinforcement for its bullpen as soon as this weekend.

Garrett Whitlock faced hitters before Wednesday’s game as he works his way back from right elbow inflammation, and the right-hander believes he could be ready for the Yankees series.

“I feel like I’d be good,” Whitlock told MLB.com. “I’m just going to let them make that decision. I’m not that decision-maker.”

Whitlock has been sidelined since Aug. 13, retroactive to Aug. 10. Before going on the injured list, he had a 2.05 ERA with 49 strikeouts over 44 innings in 45 appearances.

“We’ll see how he recovers tomorrow and then go from there,” Tracy said.

Whitlock felt it was important to throw to hitters before returning to the Red Sox for the final stretch run. 

“Just knocking the rust off and feeling what it’s like to have a hitter in the box again,” Whitlock said. “Because you don’t want to go too many days without having someone try and swing off you. So I think that’s just it — knock the rust off, make sure everything’s moving the way it’s supposed to. You’re gonna have more adrenaline than just throwing a bullpen. So just to feel that game speed as close as you can.”

Getting him back would provide a significant boost to a bullpen that has been operating without one of its most important late-inning arms.

Rough Night for Rehabbers

Boston’s three rehabbing position players had little success for Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.

Anthony went 0-for-4 with a strikeout one night after homering and driving in three runs. Story went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, while Kiner-Falefa finished 0-for-2 with two walks and was credited with an RBI when a run scored on an error.