It all almost got here undone within the second inning, when Tanner Houck confronted a bases loaded jam with three-time MVP Mike Trout coming to the plate.
But the Red Sox starter struck out the Los Angeles Angels celebrity to flee the jam with minimal injury, and from that time on Houck was off to the races.
Coming off a stretch the place he has continuously gotten crushed by opposing lineups the second and third occasions via the order, Houck received higher because the night time went on in what was certainly his greatest begin of the season. He allowed one run over six innings whereas hanging out eight, however the Red Sox bats couldn’t give him any run assist and the Angels wound up incomes the 2-1 win on a Mickey Moniak solo dwelling run off Kutter Crawford within the eighth.
“He did an outstanding job,” Red Sox supervisor Alex Cora mentioned of Houck. “Changing speeds, using his good slider, good fastball too, it was a good one for him.”
Houck labored his means via an uneventful first earlier than operating into bother within the second. He allowed a stroll, a single after which an RBI groundout by Luis Rengifo to place the Angels on the board, and after that hit a batter and allowed one other single to load the bases for Trout.
Facing the same spot as Corey Kluber in Sunday’s loss to San Diego, Houck leaned on his stuff and received Trout to foul off back-to-back sliders, the latter of which discovered its means into Connor Wong’s glove to finish the inning. From that time on Houck fed the Angels a stead eating regimen of sliders, splitters and cutters, finally retiring 12 of the final 13 batters he confronted.
Houck’s stuff was filthy all through and general he drew 17 whiffs, together with on 7 of 13 sliders and 6 of 11 splitters. He additionally received Trout and fellow MVP Shohei Ohtani to go 0 for five with 4 strikeouts and a stroll in what was actually a press release outing forward of the membership’s imminent rotation shakeup.
And but the offense couldn’t capitalize.
Boston has now solely managed one run in its final 23 innings, and Monday the lineup was flat out uncompetitive. The Red Sox managed 4 hits with no walks towards the Angels employees, with the lone run coming after Connor Wong doubled and got here in to attain on a Masataka Yoshida grounder that bounced excessive off the glove of first baseman Jared Walsh within the sixth.
That tied the rating at 1-1, however after Moniak took Crawford deep within the eighth the Red Sox couldn’t provide you with any response within the ninth. The recreation wound up wrapping up at 11:43 p.m. ET after solely 2:05, one of many quickest video games of the 12 months and one of many earliest finishes for a Red Sox west coast recreation in current reminiscence.
With the loss the Red Sox fall to 26-22 on the season. Brayan Bello (3-1, 4.45 ERA) will get the ball for Boston on Tuesday towards Angels starter Griffin Canning (2-2, 6.14). First pitch is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET.
Source: www.bostonherald.com