Even Mike Napoli’s first three-hit game since April 25 was not enough to put an end to the Boston Red Sox’s misery.
Despite a breakout performance Thursday from the much-maligned first baseman, the Red Sox could not salvage the final game of their road trip from hell, losing to the Houston Astros 5-4 at Minute Maid Park.
Boston now has lost each of its last eight games, including all seven on the trip, and returns to Fenway Park still searching for its first post-All-Star break win.
GAME IN A WORD
Reminiscent.
After losing the first game of their road trip on a walk-off home run, the Red Sox dropped the finale in identical fashion. Instead of Mike Trout, this time it was Astros second baseman Jose Altuve doing the honors.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
In the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie game, Altuve deposited a Craig Breslow fastball into the Crawford Boxes beyond the left field fence, clinching a series sweep for the home team.
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ON THE BUMP
— Home runs were an issue for Joe Kelly on Wednesday, and Miley quickly was bitten by the longball, as well. Marwin Gonzalez took the Red Sox starter deep in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one run apiece.
Miley labored in the second, walking consecutive batters after coming within one strike of retiring the side in order, but rebounded to strike out No. 9 hitter Jake Marisnick and end the inning.
The left-hander struggled with command throughout the night, issuing five walks, but was successful in stranding the majority of those runners. He escaped a first-and-third jam in the third, retired the side in order in the fourth and sixth, and worked his way out of another sticky situation in the fifth with some help from catcher Ryan Hanigan.
Altuve stroked a one-out double in the fifth to put the tying run in scoring position, but Hanigan gunned him down at third after initially bobbling a Miley offering.
Alexi Ogando came on to work the seventh with Miley’s pitch count sitting at 107, but all told, it was a positive start for the 28-year-old, who now has allowed just one run in 13 innings over his last two outings.
— As for Ogando… Well, let’s just say he didn’t enjoy the same good fortune.
After retiring L.J. Hoes for out No. 1, the tall right-hander served up a game-tying home run to pinch hitter Colby Rasmus. It was the sixth consecutive Houston run to come via homer and the fifth longball Ogando has allowed in his last five relief appearances.
After Altuve singled in the ensuing at-bat, Ogando was done.
— The Astros broke the 2-2 tie before Junichi Tazawa could record an out.
The first batter Tazawa faced, Gonzalez, lofted a double over the head of Mookie Betts in center field. Altuve easily scored from second base, but Gonzalez was caught getting greedy and thrown out at third for the first out of the inning. That proved to be a costly miscalculation, as Carlos Correa immediately doubled down the left field line.
Houston still touched Tazawa for an additional run, however. Evan Gattis singled up the middle to score Correa, extend the Astros’ lead to 4-2 and end the right-hander’s night.
For those of you scoring at home, here’s how the first six batters of that seventh inning fared: groundout, home run, single, double (out at third), double, single.
— Tommy Layne, pitching in his fourth consecutive game, relieved Tazawa and stopped the bleeding, getting Preston Tucker to ground into the shift for the final out.
— Breslow worked a perfect eighth before taking the loss in the ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— After managing just two total runs over the series’ first two games, the Red Sox wasted no time in getting on the board in the finale. Betts doubled to lead off the game and came in to score when David Ortiz roped a double of his own two batters later.
The last time the Red Sox had scored a first-inning run? Way back on July 4.
— Boston added a second run in the second courtesy of a rare display of power by Napoli. The slumping first baseman crushed a home run into the left field seats off Astros starter Lance McCullers, snapping a 74-at-bat homerless streak dating back to June 17.
Napoli came through again in his next at-bat, leading off the fourth inning with a double down the left field line. The Red Sox were unable to drive him in, however, as McCullers retired the next three men he faced.
— The Red Sox’s bats went into a deep slumber after Napoli’s second extra-base hit, as Astros pitchers set down 12 of the next 13 batters. Hanley Ramirez, who reached on an error, was the only baserunner during that span.
They finally stirred in the eighth, when David Ortiz launched a leadoff home run to cut Boston’s deficit to 4-3. Ramirez followed with a single, stole second and, after a video review, was ruled safe.
Boston’s next two batters failed to reach, but after Houston turned to closer Luke Gregerson, Napoli again seized the moment. He doubled over the head of a frozen Tucker in left, scoring Ramirez to pull the Red Sox even.
Napoli finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored — his best offensive showing in months. But alas, it came in a losing effort.
— Betts, who led off with a single, was the only man to reach in the top of the ninth.
TWEET OF THE GAME
[tweet https://twitter.com/Shesta_Sox/status/624420495492907008 align=’center’]
UP NEXT
After wrapping up a seven-game road trip against American League West opponents, the Red Sox now begin a 10-game homestand back at Fenway. The Detroit Tigers will be in town for the first three of those contests beginning Friday night.
Thumbnail photo via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images
