This will be a tough one to swallow.
The Boston Red Sox took a 2-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Monday despite a solid start from Eduardo Rodriguez. The left-hander had just one earned run and nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings, but ultimately, his offense wasn’t there for him.
The Red Sox stranded eight baserunners and went just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Let’s take a look at how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Grind.
This game wasn’t the best showing from either team, but it was clear that whichever team made the most of what little scoring opportunities it had would take the game, even if it was by a small margin. Rodriguez and Orioles starter Kevin Gausman started off a little shaky, but they both found their stride in the early innings.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, it was the Orioles who capitalized on Rodriguez’s weak first inning, and they took the slim win.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
The Red Sox couldn’t get a ninth-inning rally going.
Boston was never really out of it throughout the contest, but it failed to do anything with its baserunners, which is generally important in scoring runs. A 1-2-3 ninth inning from O’s closer Zach Britton put the nail in the Red Sox’s coffin and completed the shutout.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez had a solid night for the Sox, but it ultimately came down to his pitch count. The left-hander struggled early, starting off the first inning with a single to Nolan Reimold and a walk to Manny Machado. Reimold scored on a fielding error by Josh Rutledge, but Rodriguez avoided any more damage with a strikeout and a groundout.
The rookie started the second inning the same way — with a hit and a walk — but once again got himself out of the jam. He settled down after the first two innings, including a 1-2-3 fifth that saw him strike out Baltimore’s heaviest hitters in Machado, Chris Davis and Adam Jones.
Rodriguez eventually pitched his way to one earned run on five hits with nine strikeouts and three walks over 5 1/3 innings. His night ended after 104 pitches.
— Matt Barnes put two runners on to finish out the sixth, but he got himself out of the jam without any damage. The righty left with two outs in the seventh after striking out Reimold and getting Davis to fly out.
— Lefty Tommy Layne came in for Barnes to get Davis out, but he didn’t get the job done, as the first baseman sent a single into right field.
— Jean Machi came in to get the elusive final out of the seventh, but instead he immediately gave up an RBI double to Jones. He then struck out Steve Pearce to end the inning.
Machi held it down in the eighth, striking out two and forcing a groundout with an infield single in between.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— It was a bad offensive night for the Red Sox, as Gausman two-hit Boston over six innings. Pablo Sandoval and Xander Bogaerts provided those hits, both singles in the fourth inning.
Brock Holt pinch-hit for Rutledge in the eighth and added a single of his own.
— Mookie Betts ended his 18-game hitting streak by going 0-for-3. He did get on base after walking in the eighth, though.
— The Red Sox did get some baserunners, as David Ortiz, Travis Shaw, Jackie Bradley Jr., Rutledge and Betts all collected walks. The club even had the bases loaded in the fourth inning but ended the rally with two straight outs.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Oh, you know. Nothing special.
[tweet https://twitter.com/PeteAbe/status/643503728562163718 align=’center’]
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will play the second game of their series against the Orioles on Tuesday, as Joe Kelly and Ubaldo Jimenez go head-to-head in the 7:05 p.m. ET contest.
Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images
