The Boston Red Sox failed to ride the wave. Again.
The Red Sox have struggled to build and sustain momentum all season, so perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that they followed Sunday’s shellacking of the Kansas City Royals with a 6-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
The Sox returned home after Monday’s off day having won four of their last six contests following a seven-game losing streak. They couldn’t keep the good times rolling, and they’re now back to 10 games under .500 (31-41).
GAME IN A WORD
Uphill.
The Orioles beat up Joe Kelly for four runs in the second inning, putting the Red Sox into a big hole early. David Lough ripped a three-run homer into the bullpen to make it 4-0.
The Red Sox continued to scratch and claw. They had plenty of baserunners throughout the contest. But the ascent proved fruitless, as Boston simply couldn’t get over the hump.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Manny Machado doubled home Ryan Flaherty in the sixth inning to give the Orioles a 6-3 lead.
The Red Sox chipped away with runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. They couldn’t produce a shutdown inning in the sixth, however, and it killed Boston’s momentum.
Dustin Pedroia’s RBI double in the ninth gave the Red Sox some life. David Ortiz, who represented the tying run, couldn’t come through, though.
ON THE BUMP
— Kelly didn’t look happy when he was removed in the fourth inning. An ugly night will do that.
Kelly lasted just 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander allowed five earned runs on eight hits and two walks.
Kelly has gone five or fewer innings in six of his 14 starts. He has allowed five runs or more in six outings.
— Robbie Ross Jr. was charged with one run on one hit over two innings.
— Alexi Ogando tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings, though he surrendered an RBI double in which the run was charged to Ross.
Ogando hasn’t allowed an earned run over his last seven appearances, lowering his ERA to 3.26.
— Craig Breslow pitched two scoreless innings.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mookie Betts, fresh off being named last week’s American League Player of the Week, extended his hit streak to 10 games with a third-inning double. He reached base three times.
— Brock Holt knocked in Boston’s first run via a groundout. It scored Sandy Leon, who went from first to third on Betts’ third-inning double off the Green Monster
Holt struck out looking with two men on base in the sixth inning. John Farrell was heated about the call and barked at home plate Tim Timmons, who responded by ejecting the Red Sox manager.
— Pedroia hit an RBI double in the ninth inning. He reached base twice out of the No. 3 spot.
— Pablo Sandoval had yet another multi-hit game.
Sandoval produced three opposite-field singles, one of which drove in a run. The Panda has at least two hits in eight of his last 10 games.
— Hanley Ramirez went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a run scored.
— Mike Napoli, who batted eighth for the first time this season, donned the golden sombrero. He struck out four times and lowered his batting average to .199.
TWEET OF THE GAME
I chuckled.
[tweet https://twitter.com/ry_hudson/status/613520553488596992 align=’center’%5D
UP NEXT
The Sox and O’s will battle again Wednesday night. Same time. Same place.
Clay Buchholz is scheduled to face Bud Norris in the middle game of the teams’ three-game series.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
