FINAL: Rockies 9, Red Sox 8 (12) - Boston Drops 4th Straight on Tovar Walk Off RBI Single

The Red Sox fall to the Colorado Rockies 9-8 in a wild back and forth game in 12 innings on Monday night. Ezequiel Tovar walked it off with the bases loaded on an RBI Single. The Boston bullpen blew multiple leads again and failed to close it out. The Red Sox have now lost four-straight coming out of the All Star Break. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• The Rockies were up 4-0 but the Red Sox managed to rally which they did all night. 
• Jamie Westbrook got Boston started with a big 3-Run Home Run making it 4-3 Rockies. It was only his 2nd MLB homer of his career. 

• Connor Wong hit a big solo shot in the 8th that tied it at 5. 

• Sam Hilliard had a monster 2-Run shot in the 10th for Colorado that tied the game up at 7. 

• The 12th inning became the big problem when Tyler O'Neill made an error on a Jake Cave RBI Single allowing Brendan Rodgers to score and Cave advance to 2nd.  

• Tanner Houck didn't have his best stuff tonight but still gave Boston a chance to win by going 6 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 BB and 2 K. 
• Alex Cora was ejected from the game in extra innings arguing balls and strikes. 

The Red Sox will be back in action tomorrow night in the second game of this three-game series with first pitch at 8:40 p.m. 

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WHO: Red Sox (53-45) at Colorado Rockies (36-64)
WHEN: 8:40 p.m.
WHERE: Coors Field, Denver.
SERIES TO DATE: 0-0
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Tanner Houck (8-6, 2.54 ERA) vs. LHP Austin Gomber (2-6, 4.61 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
LIVE BOX
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Duran CF
Refsnyder LF
Wong C
Devers 3B
O'Neill RF
Yoshida DH
Gonzalez 1B
Rafaela SS
Westbrook 2B

SP Tanner Houck

OPPONENT
Blackmon DH
Tovar SS
Doyle CF
Togila 1B
Rodgers 2B
Cave RF
Stallings C
Hilliard LF
Schunk 3B

SP Austin Gomber
WHAT'S UP

• The Red Sox have lost 3 straight games for just the 2nd time in a 52-game span since 5/19 (also 6/25-29)...They haven't lost 4 in a row since 5/15-18 (0-4).
• Tonight's starter, Tanner Houck, ranks T-5th among MLB pitchers in fWAR (3.4).                 
•    He ranks 4th among qualified pitchers in ERA (2.54), while ranking 2nd in HR/9.0 IP (0.38, 5 HR/117.0 IP).       
•    Jarren Duran recorded a career-high-tying 4 RBI yesterday at LAD, hitting a 2-run HR and a 2-run double (also recorded 4 RBI on 4/25/23 at BAL).            
•  Duran ranks 4th in MLB in bWAR (5.6; see box on right).                 
• In 40 games since 6/1, he's batting .341 with a .994 OPS...He leads the AL during that span in XBH (25)and doubles (14), while ranking 2nd in hits (59), total bases (104), and stolen bases (11).       
• Against RHP, Boston is batting .260 (3rd in MLB) with a .767 OPS (2nd)...Against LHP, the club has hit .243 (15th) with a .706 OPS (17th).
• The Sox have lost each of their last 4 games against left-handed starting pitchers...They're 6-10 in their last 16 games facing a left-handed starter.
• Houck has never faced the Rockies in hsi MLB career. 
• Rafael Devers is currently : 0 for his last 10 with a BB.                          
• Tyler O'Neill Is batting .301 (22-for-73) in 23 career games vs. COL, his 2nd-highest average against any opponent (min. 20 G) (1st: .351 AVG vs. ATL).              
• This is Boston's 5th ever regular season series at Coors Field, most recently visiting from 8/27-28/19  (2-0) and 9/24-25/13 (1-1)...The club's only series of 3+ games at the venue were 6/22-24/10 (1-2) and 6/15-17/04 (1-2).