BOSTON — Rick Porcello failed to apply the brakes.
Porcello pitched OK on Monday as the Red Sox suffered a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. But an OK effort wasn’t enough to stop Boston’s losing streak from reaching seven games or to prevent Porcello’s personal slide from reaching five starts. The skids continued, much to the pitcher’s dismay.
“It felt pretty good, honestly,” Porcello said of his two-seamer, which Red Sox manager John Farrell said before the game was a point of emphasis. “I mean, I was sinking it well on the right-handed hitters. Some of their lefties called for a different approach, so we didn’t use it as much against them.
“All my pitches were working. Just one inning where they put up three runs, that was basically it.”
The Braves scored three in the fourth to open the scoring. Nick Markakis plated the first run with an RBI single after Freddie Freeman singled and stole second base. Markakis then scored on a wild pitch and A.J. Pierzynski added an RBI single on a ball first baseman Mike Napoli typically handles cleanly.
“They bunched some singles together,” Farrell said. “There was a curveball that checks up right behind the plate that eludes (catcher Sandy) Leon for another run. Not really any hard hit balls, just base hits they were able to bunch up.”
Porcello allowed four runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five, walked one and threw 97 pitches (63 strikes). The right-hander showed frustration in the dugout after exiting the contest, which he said was a product of leaving the Red Sox in a bind. Porcello was removed with the bases loaded and only one out in the seventh inning, forcing Robbie Ross Jr. to minimize the damage by virtue of an inning-ending double play after surrendering an RBI single to Jace Peterson.
“I’m mad that I felt good,” Porcello said of his obvious displeasure. “I ended up loading the bases with one out. I mean, that’s not good. In any situation you have bases loaded with one out, it’s a tough situation to get out of. I was pissed off that we were in that spot to begin with.”
Porcello’s five-start losing streak is the second-longest of his seven-year career, as he lost six consecutive starts with the Detroit Tigers in August and September of 2012. It’s a disappointing reality for the 26-year-old, whom the Red Sox clearly had high expectations for going into this season, and Monday’s defeat probably stings a bit more knowing he could have played the role of stopper and that he actually pitched well outside of the fourth and seventh innings.
“You have to ask each guy individually,” Porcello said when asked if players are pressing in the hopes of ending Boston’s losing streak. “I can’t speak for everyone. I think we need to focus on the task at hand and everyone focus on their job.”
Porcello did his job for much of Monday’s game. He just didn’t do it well enough for his entire start on a night when the Red Sox’s offense struggled against Braves starter Williams Perez.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
