The Red Sox blew it in Tampa.
A routine play away from securing a collection win towards the Rays on Saturday evening, they made an error that ended up costing them that sport, then got here again Sunday and mustered simply six hits in a 5-2 loss to drop the collection.
The Sox misplaced two out of three and fell to 7-9 on the season. They’ve misplaced all three collection towards American League East groups thus far, going 1-2 every towards the Yankees, Blue Jays and Rays.
The takeaways from Sunday:
1. The offense can’t get going.
The Red Sox’ calling card this season has been aggression on the plate, and for the primary inning on Sunday, that appeared prefer it was lastly going to begin working.
Trevor Story and Kiké Hernandez swung on the first two pitches of the sport by Rays’ starter Shane McClanahan. Story doubled, then Hernandez singled him dwelling. Xander Bogaerts added one other first-pitch single and Alex Verdugo singled on the second pitch of his at-bat because the Sox took a 2-0 lead within the first inning by swinging early within the rely.
But McClanahan discovered his groove and settled in, profiting from the Sox’ aggression and throwing seven innings on simply 86 pitches.
It’s no totally different than normal for them. The Sox rank thirtieth out of 30 whereas seeing simply 3.7 pitches per plate look this 12 months. They chase unhealthy pitches exterior the zone 32% of the time, the worst charge within the huge leagues.
Hitting coach Peter Fatse known as it a “double-edged sword” earlier within the week and likes that his hitters are being aggressive, however it hasn’t been working to this point.
The Red Sox have been held to 4 runs or fewer in every of their final seven video games. They’ve gone 2-5 whereas scoring 2.3 runs per sport in that stretch.
A giant challenge has been discovering a leadoff hitter. Hernandez and Story have shared that spot and have posted a mixed .254 on-base proportion out of the leadoff spot, which ranks twenty fourth in MLB. Story is 4-for-17 since being moved to the highest of the order.
It doesn’t assist that the Sox have been with out J.D. Martinez, who’s out with left adductor tightness.
2. Rich Hill lastly put collectively a very good begin
Hill, 42, entered with a 7.00 ERA by way of his first two begins of the season, however had a greater curveball on Sunday and was in a position to work round some spotty command to maintain the Rays off steadiness. He saved them scoreless by way of 4 innings, holding them to 4 hits and three walks, placing out one.
3. Where was Tanner Houck?
The Red Sox have been saying all week they have been planning to piggy-back Houck behind Hill, since they received’t be capable to deliver Houck with them to Canada due to his vaccination standing.
But it was Phillips Valdez who relieved Hill within the fifth inning. Valdez, who has been largely utilized in low-leverage conditions, was wild on this one. He confronted 4 batters, hitting two of them, strolling one other and recording only one when he departed the sport with the bases loaded.
Ryan Brasier relieved him and promptly allowed a two-run double to Ji-Man Choi. Manny Margot punched one other one throughout with a fielder’s selection and the Rays took a 3-2 lead.
Matt Barnes and Jake Diekman every allowed a run and the Sox had used 5 pitchers whereas dropping 5-2 earlier than they lastly warmed up Houck.
Houck appeared dominant in 1 2/3 innings, placing out two, however it was too little, too late on this one.
Source: www.bostonherald.com