It seems series sweeps are all the Boston Red Sox know.
The Red Sox suffered a 7-4, 12-inning loss to the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday at Progressive Field. The crushing defeat continues a wild, unpredictable stretch for the Red Sox, who now travel to Detroit for three games against the American League Central-leading Tigers.
The Red Sox, who won seven in a row after stumbling through a 10-game losing streak, now have lost three straight. It’s difficult to put a finger on just who this team really is.
Let’s go over some notes from Wednesday’s loss.
— The Indians jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Cleveland scored in the first inning of all three games.
— Brandon Workman pitched well in his third start of the season.
Workman was charged with three earned runs on four hits over five innings of work. He struck out three, walked two and threw 85 pitches (52 strikes).
“I thought he went out and kept the game under control,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “ … I thought he used his curveball well, mixed his stuff up and after the walk to lead off the sixth and the base hit by (Michael) Brantley, he turned it over to the bullpen in the sixth inning, which is kind of what we’re expecting right now.”
— David Ortiz drilled his 13th home run of the season in the sixth inning. Ortiz entered the at-bat hitting .145 (9-for-62) with one extra-base hit since May 15.
— Brock Holt provided Boston’s only other offense with a two-run single in the seventh inning.
— Xander Bogaerts, who has been scorching, went 0-for-5. He was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning and scored on Ortiz’s homer.
— Stephen Drew went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts in his second game since returning. He scored on Holt’s single.
— A.J. Pierzynski was ejected by home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Workman walked Asdrubal Cabrera to begin the inning. Pierzynski could be seen having a discussion with Wolcott behind the plate, and he evidently said the wrong thing.
“I don’t know. It happens,” Pierzynski said. “Just the timing was rather odd. But you know, whatever. Stuff happens out there.
“I’ve been kicked out a couple of times in my career. I remember getting kicked out last year in a no-hitter. Stuff happens.”
It was a strange ejection, as Pierzynski wasn’t animated at all in his conversation with Wolcott. Pierzynski seemed a bit surprised by the hook, and Farrell quickly sprinted out of the Red Sox’s dugout to intervene.
“We didn’t agree on what time the game should have started,” Pierzynski said sarcastically. “I said it should have started a little earlier, he said a little late. We just didn’t get along as far as that went.”
— Chris Capuano was unable to record an out while facing three batters in the sixth inning. Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall and David Murphy all collected singles. Chisenhall’s was a well-placed bunt to the left side.
— Burke Badenhop continues to be a ground ball machine. He induced a huge double play in the sixth after taking over for Capuano.
— Koji Uehara pitched two scoreless innings (10th and 11th). The Red Sox have an off day Thursday.
“He was well-rested,” Farrell said. “He was more than willing to go back out for a second inning of work.”
— Edward Mujica had shown improvement of late, making five straight scoreless appearances. He immediately ran into trouble in the 12th inning, though, and Cabrera ended the game with a three-run, walk-off homer.
