Final: Guardians 7, Red Sox 6

The Red Sox got a five RBI night from Bobby Dalbec, but it wasn't enough to overcome the fielding adventures of Franchy Cordero or a late-game bullpen meltdown, suffering a 7-6 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

The Sox 6-5 heading into the eighth, but Cordero's third error of the night led to the tying run scoring before Josh Naylor homered off Tanner Houck. It was Boston's fifth loss in six games since the second half began and 11th loss in their last 13 tries.

Dalbec hit two two-run homers and added a sacrifice fly to account for all but one Boston run.

Cordero made two errors on the same play in the second, leading to two unearned runs.

WHO: Red Sox (49-49) vs. Cleveland Guardians (49-47)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: 1-1
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: BOS 4-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 4.30) vs. RHP Cal Quantrill (7-5, 3.75)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7 

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Duran CF
Verdugo LF
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Vazquez C
Cordero 1B
Dalbec 3B
Bradley Jr. RF
Sanchez 2B

GUARDIANS

Kwan LF
Rosario SS
Ramirez 3B
Naylor 1B
Reyes DH
Miller 2B
Jones RF
Hedges C
Straw CF

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox are 2-12 in their last 14 games and 4-14 in their last 18...This is the 1st time the Sox have lost as many as 10 times in a 12-game span since doing so in August 2020. They are 1-4 through the first 5 games of their season-long 10-game homestand from 7/22-31.... The Red Sox are opening the 2nd half with a stretch of 17 consecutive days with a game from 7/22-8/7, matching their longest streak of the season. The Sox will have 3 off days in August: 8/8, 8/15, 8/22. They also closed the 1st half with a stretch of 17 consecutive days with a game from 7/19-8/7 (5-12). ...Today continues the Red Sox’ 10- game, 10-day homestand vs. TOR (0-3), CLE (1-1), and MIL (3 G)...It is their longest homestand of the season. The Sox are 3-8 in their last 11 home games after going 16-6 at Fenway Park from 5/18-7/4. 6 of the Sox’ last 9 games at Fenway Park have been sellouts, as well as 7 of their last 12. The Sox have scored 4.6 runs per game at home, 3rd-best in the AL behind NYY (5.3) and TOR (4.9)...They are 19-5 (.792) when scoring 5+ runs at home. ....The Red Sox are in a stretch during which each of their 27 games from 7/4-8/3 will be against a team that entered today with at least a .500 record (4-15 so far): NYY (7), TB (7), CLE (4), HOU (3), MIL (3), and TOR (3). 50 of their remaining 64 games are against teams who entered today with at least a .500 record (78.1%). ....The Red Sox on Sunday concluded a stretch during which each of their 17 games from 7/4-24 were against AL East opponents. The Red Sox are 0-11-1 in 12 series against AL East opponents this season...They are 12-3-3 in series play against all other teams. 35 of the Sox’ remaining 64 games are against AL East opponents (54.7%): BAL (11), NYY (9), TB (9), TOR (6). ...The Red Sox trail the Rays by 3.5 games for the AL’s 3rd Wild Card position (see below). The Red Sox began the season by going 10-19 through their first 29 games...They could become the 1st team to lose as many as 19 of their first 29 games and still make the Postseason since the 1989 Blue Jays (10-19). In the previous 20 seasons (2002-21), there have been 3 teams that had a .500 or worse record through their first 98 games in a season and went on to win the AL or NL pennant: the 2021 Atlanta Braves (won World Series), 2014 Kansas City Royals (won AL pennant), and 2007 Colorado Rockies (won NL pennant)...9 other teams in that situation made the Postseason... The Red Sox lead the majors in doubles (219) and lead the AL in XBH (324)...They rank 3rd in MLB in XBH, 4th in hits (862), and 5th in AVG (.255). They rank 3rd in the AL in runs (446) and total bases (1,388), and 5th in SLG (.410) and OPS (.726). The Red Sox have scored 5+ runs in a game 47 times, tied for 2nd most in the AL (NYY-51, TOR-47)...They are 31-9 in such games since 5/10, after starting the season 4-4. ...Garrett Whitlock has made 4 scoreless relief appearances for BOS since being reinstated from the 15-Day IL on 7/15,retiring 18 of 19 batters faced (6.0 IP, H, 9 SO). Whitlock has made 21 scoreless appearances of at least 2.0 innings since the beginning of last season, 2nd most in the majors behind Collin McHugh (26). The right-hander owns a 1.82 ERA (18 ER/89.0 IP) in 54 career relief appearances, the 2nd-best mark as a reliever in the majors since the start of 2021 (min. 75.0 IP)...Whitlock trails only CLE’s Emmanuel Clase (1.31). Four rookie pitchers have started for the Red Sox this season: Josh Winckowski (8 GS), Kutter Crawford (5), Brayan Bello (3), and Connor Seabold (3). The last time the Sox had as many as 4 rookie pitchers make at least 3 starts in a season was 2006...Jon Lester (15), Lenny DiNardo (6), Kason Gabbard (4), and David Pauley (3) each made at least 3 starts. The Sox have featured 9 rookies this season: Brayan Bello, Connor Seabold, Connor Wong, Jaylin Davis, Jeter Downs, Josh Winckowski, Kaleb Ort, Kutter Crawford, and Tyler Danish...Bello, Downs, and Winckowski each made their MLB debut this season.

NOTES:

* Originally, Rich Hill was set to pitch for Double A Portland in Worcester Wednesday evening. But the Red Sox decided to change that plan. Instead, Hill remained with the Sox. That way, if the Sox have to go deep into their bullpen Wednesday night and perhaps need Thursday's scheduled starter Kutter Crawford, Hill could make a start for the parent club Thursday.