The West Coast hasn’t been kind to the Boston Red Sox.
The Red Sox have dropped five of six out west after suffering an 8-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday at Safeco Field. Seattle has outscored Boston 20-5 over the first two games of the teams’ three-game set.
Clay Buchholz will be thrown into the fire Wednesday, as he’ll make his first major league start since May 26. The Red Sox then will have Thursday off before beginning an important three-game series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
Let’s go over some notes from Tuesday’s lopsided defeat.
— Jake Peavy still is searching for his first win since April 25. He has one win in 16 starts this season.
Peavy has been the victim of low run support all year. He entered Tuesday’s contest averaging just 3.17 runs of support — the second-lowest mark among qualifying American League pitchers, behind Ubaldo Jimenez (2.64). But while the Red Sox’s offense produced just two runs Tuesday, Peavy definitely didn’t have it.
The right-hander allowed seven earned runs on eight hits over five innings. He surrendered two home runs as part of a four-run fifth inning and now is tied with David Price for the most home runs allowed in the American League (16). Peavy has allowed at least one long ball in 13 of his 16 starts this season.
— Felix Doubront made his first relief appearance of 2014. The left-hander worked two scoreless innings in which he struck out one and threw 24 pitches (15 strikes).
James Jones was the only hitter to reach against Doubront. He did so on a Stephen Drew error in the seventh inning. Jones swiped second and third base, but Doubront escaped the outing unscathed.
Doubront’s fastball was up around 89-90 mph. He topped out at 91.
— The Red Sox’s only offense was provided by Brock Holt, who crushed a 2-0 fastball into the right field seats for his second home run of the season.
Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr. each collected two hits. Mike Napoli (two hits and a walk) and Daniel Nava (one hit and two walks) each reached base three times.
— A.J. Pierzynski had a forgettable night at the yard.
Pierzynski went 0-for-4 while leaving nine men on base. He also was charged with a passed ball, continuing what has been a shaky road trip for him both offensively and defensively.
Pierzynski, who is 1-for-18 on the trip, is hitting .148 (9-for-61) in June. His swing-at-anything approach hasn’t helped.
— Drew, who went 0-for-3, is hitless in his last 21 at-bats. He’s hitting .133 (6-for-45) this season.
— The Red Sox went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base.
— Red Sox manager John Farrell announced before the game that Buchholz will pitch Wednesday, though Boston’s rotation remains in flux, as the skipper did not announce a corresponding roster move.
— Shane Victorino went 0-for-4 with a strikeout while playing six innings in right field with Triple-A Pawtucket.
Victorino also committed a throwing error and now is 0-for-13 over five rehab games split between Pawtucket (four games) and Single-A Lowell (one game).
