Post by Admin on Aug 25, 2016 20:09:27 GMT -5
Drew Pomeranz's gem wasted in Red Sox' 2-1 loss to Rays
Jason Mastrodonato
Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Playing baseball in five cities over 12 days wasn’t so much the disaster it could’ve been for the Red Sox, but they might end up feeling like they left a few wins on the road.
The Sox lost another tight one on Thursday afternoon, dropping a 2-1 game to the Rays in a game that will be remembered (or forgotten) for its baserunning mistakes and missed opportunities at the plate.
Drew Pomeranz struck out a career-high 11 batters over six-plus innings, but two hits in the seventh inning cost him the decisive run. He allowed a leadoff single to Steve Souza Jr. before giving up an RBI double to Mike Mahtook, who had been in an 0-for-34 stretch and hadn’t gotten a hit since Aug. 9.
The Red Sox finished the 11-game road trip with a 7-4 record. They scored only 49 runs on and were instead led by their starting pitching, which threw 68-⅔ innings with a 2.62 ERA.
The bullpen was another story. Manager John Farrell is scratching his head trying to figure out how to piece together the late innings after his relievers went 4-for-6 in save opportunities while taking two losses.
While base running and defense had been one positive for the Sox for most of this trip, they lost Wednesday’s game when Heath Hembree dropped a throw from Travis Shaw at first base and let the game-winning run score from third.
Base running was a big issue on Thursday. Trying to claw back in the seventh, Chris Young drew a lead off walk and was then picked off first base. He attempted to steal with a very small lead but did not appear to get a good jump and was eventually thrown out after getting caught in a rundown.
Two batters later, Travis Shaw doubled. He was eventually stranded when Bryan Holaday struck out.
In the eighth, Dustin Pedroia hit a lead off single but Xander Bogaerts hit into a double play. Mookie Betts hit a two-out single down the left-field line and tried turning it into a double, but Mahtook threw him out with a strike from the corner.
The Red Sox scored their only run in the sixth inning, but they should’ve had more. Holaday and Pedroia singled and Bogaerts walked to load the bases with nobody out. Betts hit a sacrifice fly to put the Sox up 1-0 and Hanley Ramirez drew a walk to again load the bases, but Jackie Bradley Jr. hit into a double play to end the inning.
The Red Sox entered the day hitting .218 with the bases loaded. The MLB average is .262 in such spots.
David Ortiz pinch hit for Young with two outs in the ninth and struck out.
www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/clubhouse_insider/2016/08/drew_pomeranzs_gem_wasted_in_red_sox_2_1_loss_to_rays