This weekend’s journey to Wrigley Field was presupposed to symbolize a simple portion of a brutal stretch within the Red Sox’ schedule. Three video games in opposition to the lowly Cubs that adopted a collection with the Blue Jays and precedes two weeks in opposition to nobody however the Rays and Yankees going into the All-Star break.
Not so quick.
What began as a promising street journey with final weekend’s sweep of Cleveland has turned irritating. A day after their bullpen blew a late lead in a nasty loss, the Red Sox blew a really winnable recreation. Rookie Josh Winckowski produced one other robust begin, but it surely was wasted by defensive errors and his offense’s incapacity to capitalize in a sloppy 3-1 loss on Saturday night time.
The Red Sox dropped their second consecutive collection – this one much more painful in opposition to a rebuilding Cubs workforce – they usually’ll look to rookie Connor Seabold on Sunday to assist them keep away from an embarrassing sweep.
The takeaways:
1. Sloppy protection the distinction
Rafael Devers has actually been higher defensively at third base, however he’s nonetheless been vulnerable to miscues. A expensive throwing error within the second inning paved the best way to a Cubs lead they finally wouldn’t give again.
Patrick Wisdom began the body with a lazy curler to Devers, who tried to make a troublesome play on the run however threw the ball away into the dugout, placing Wisdom at second. Nico Hoerner, the subsequent batter, then laid down an ideal bunt down the third-base line, however Winckowski additionally threw the ball away into the dugout to let Wisdom rating.
Two batters later, Hoerner got here round to attain on a sac fly to present the Cubs a 2-0 lead.
It was a troublesome day defensively throughout the infield, which included a grounder to first that Franchy Cordero dropped in sixth. In the eighth, the Cubs added an insurance coverage run due to some extra Red Sox sloppiness. Wilson Contreras hit a one-out single and pinch-runner Nelson Velazquez stole second, however Kevin Plawecki’s throw was dropped by Xander Bogaerts. Tanner Houck then threw a wild pitch, and Wisdom’s single to left gave the Cubs a two-run cushion.
2. Josh Winckowski deserved higher
There are going to be some shifting elements within the Red Sox’ rotation over the approaching weeks, as Chris Sale and Nathan Eovaldi return and the employees reshuffles with out Rich Hill, who went on the injured checklist Saturday. As the mud settles, Winckowski has proved he deserves a shot to stay round within the rotation.
Winckowski delivered one other robust begin Saturday that was deserving of a greater end result. Over six innings, the rookie was the recipient of some dangerous luck. He allowed six hits, however considerably unbelievably, 5 of them didn’t depart the infield. All six have been singles and the hardest-hit one was 88.8 mph off the bat.
Besides the second-inning mess, Winckowski did a superb job of pitching himself out of bother, as he struck out six and acquired 5 of his eight whiffs on his slider. The rookie, who has now made 5 profession begins, has a 1.96 ERA in 4 outings since rejoining the rotation after Eovaldi’s damage.
3. The Cubs misplaced their starter, however the Sox didn’t capitalize
The Red Sox appeared to get a break within the first inning when Cubs starter Alec Mills left the sport injured after throwing simply seven pitches. He was changed by Mark Leiter Jr., who entered the sport with a 5.55 ERA as a multi-inning reliever.
But the Sox regarded out of types in opposition to him. Perhaps they have been unprepared for a pitching change so early within the recreation, however they made Leiter Jr. seem like an All-Star, particularly so when Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts went down so as on six pitches within the fourth.
Boston solely mustered 4 baserunners in opposition to the right-hander over 5 1/3 innings. They lastly broke by within the sixth, when Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled and the Red Sox lastly threatened. But with runners on first and third with no outs, Devers grounded right into a double play they usually solely scored one run out of the possibility.
The Red Sox weren’t any extra profitable in opposition to the remainder of Chicago’s bullpen. Down two within the ninth in opposition to Cubs nearer David Robertson, they regarded able to rally after Jarren Duran’s leadoff double. But Devers and Martinez each struck out trying, and after Bogaerts labored a stroll, Alex Verdugo hit a deep fly out to finish the sport.
Source: www.bostonherald.com