Reid Detmers shuts down Red Sox as Angels snap Boston’s five-game winning streak

The Red Sox had won five straight behind a resurgent rotation. On Tuesday, it was the opposing starter who took over.

Reid Detmers held Boston to one hit over six scoreless innings, striking out nine as the Angels snapped the Red Sox’ winning streak with a 6-1 victory at Fenway Park.

Boston fell to 80-66 after managing just four hits against Los Angeles pitching.

The Red Sox entered Tuesday with a 21-13 record against left-handed starters and the fifth-best team OPS in the majors against lefties at .764. Detmers made those numbers look irrelevant.

The Angels left-hander allowed just one hit and one walk while throwing 112 pitches, tied for the eighth-highest total by a starter this season. Only 19 pitchers have reached 110 pitches in an outing this year.

Detmers has been one of the majors’ best starters since the All-Star break, posting a 1.37 ERA over 10 starts, the lowest among qualified starters in that span. 

The southpaw extended his scoreless streak at Fenway Park to at least 17 2/3 innings, becoming just the second visiting pitcher since 2010 to reach that mark.

Boston’s lineup, already missing Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela to injuries, also played without Adley Rutschman, who received a day off. Trevor Story batted cleanup for the third time in four games, while Nick Sogard hit fifth.

Sogard had two of Boston’s four hits, but the Red Sox never generated much of a threat against Detmers.

Sogard has been one of Boston’s more productive hitters lately. In 21 games since Aug. 17, he is batting .300 (24-for-80) with a .903 OPS, 10 extra-base hits (six doubles, four homers), 10 RBI and nine multi-hit games.

Patrick Sandoval, meanwhile, had a difficult outing against his former team.

Making his first career start against the Angels, Sandoval allowed four runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out 10. 

Sandoval matched his season highs in strikeouts (10) and innings pitched, but allowed 10 hits, tied for the second-most of his career.

He previously struck out 10 on July 29 at Oakland and Aug. 28 at New York, while his previous season-high innings total came Aug. 11 at Toronto. His career high for hits allowed is 11, set May 12, 2024, against Kansas City while with the Angels.

The left-hander, who signed with Boston after the 2024 season, has continued to struggle with baserunners, entering Tuesday with a 1.76 WHIP.

He has walked 27 batters in 55 innings this season, and one of his two walks Tuesday proved costly.

With two outs in the third, Sandoval walked Mike Trout to put runners at first and second. The Angels followed with two straight RBI singles to extend their lead to 3-0.

One of those hits came from a familiar face.

Vaughn Grissom, who spent two seasons in the Red Sox organization after being acquired from Atlanta in the Chris Sale trade, doubled and scored in the second inning before delivering an RBI single to center in the third. He also walked to lead off the sixth.

Grissom has hit safely in six of his last nine games since Aug. 30, batting .278 (10-for-36) with three doubles, a homer, six RBI and three walks. Tuesday marked his 10th game this season reaching base at least three times.

Another former Red Sox player helped Los Angeles preserve its lead late.

Ryan Watson, who appeared in 35 games for Boston before being designated for assignment Aug. 4, entered with two outs and a runner on first in the eighth. The Rule 5 Draft pick struck out Story swinging to end the threat.

Zach Neto went 4-for-5 with a double, homer and two RBI, capping his night with a two-run shot in the ninth that extended the Angels’ lead to 6-1. He also doubled in the seventh and singled in the first and fifth.

Roman Anthony also had a difficult night, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He has two hits and 12 strikeouts over his past 25 at-bats.

Anthony made hard contact twice Monday, including a 109.4 mph lineout. The quality of those swings offers some encouragement even as he works through the slump.

Wilyer Abreu singled in the first and walked in the eighth, reaching base multiple times for a team-leading 66th game this season.

Story doubled and scored in the seventh. Since returning from the injured list Aug. 30, he is batting .351 (13-for-37) with five doubles, four RBI and an .837 OPS in nine games.

The Angels snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 25-46 on the road. They held Boston to four hits or fewer for the 24th time this season and earned their first win in five meetings with the Red Sox.

The Red Sox will look to take the series Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Rookie left-hander Jake Bennett (9-6, 3.34 ERA) will start for Boston against Angels right-hander Ryan Johnson (3-8, 5.17 ERA).