Red Sox Wrap: Boston Hits Rock Bottom In 21-2 Loss To Angels At Fenway

BOSTON — The Red Sox won’t just want to put Saturday night’s game in their rearview mirror. They’ll want to bury it and never speak of it again.

It was by far the Red Sox’s worst game of the season, as they were trampled by the Los Angeles Angels 21-2 at Fenway Park. There truly wasn’t one good thing to say about how Boston played, as all-around poor pitching, next to no offense and four errors, completed a miserable trifecta.

Here’s how it all unfolded.

GAME IN A WORD
Bad.

Pitching, offense, defense, you name it. All of it was bad, and the only thing the Red Sox have to hold onto is the fact that it only counts as one loss.

IT WAS OVER WHEN …
The Angels put up 11 runs in the seventh inning.

In all honesty, this game probably was over long before then, but the seventh was the point of no return.

ON THE BUMP
— The season-long nightmare continued for Clay Buchholz, as the Red Sox right-hander was hit hard from the first inning. Buchholz started the game by giving up a two-run homer to Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols, and it only went downhill from there. Buchholz gave up another run in the second (it was unearned) and then a solo shot to C.J. Cron in the fourth. Buchholz put on two runners in the fifth inning and got only one out before being yanked for Heath Hembree, who let both of the starter’s runners score.

Buchholz finished the night with six runs (three earned) on seven hits with one strikeout, one walk and two homers over 4 1/3 innings.

— Hembree was on the mound for all five of the Angels’ fifth-inning runs, but they were all unearned. An error by Red Sox third baseman Travis Shaw — his second of the night — turned what would’ve been a 5-4-3 double play into a bases-loaded jam. Two singles and a bases-clearing double later, and the Angels were up 9-0.

Hembree pitched a scoreless sixth inning, though, ending with three runs (zero earned) on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings.

— Robbie Ross Jr. continued Boston’s bad pitching night by giving up four runs on a walk and five singles before being pulled with only one out in the seventh. Pat Light came on and allowed Ross’ baserunners (and five more of his own) to score in what ended up being an 11-run seventh for L.A.

Ross finished with six runs on five hits with a walk over 1/3 of an inning. Light came back out in the eighth and finished with six runs (five earned) on five hits with two strikeouts and two home runs over 2/3 of an inning.

— Ryan LaMarre (yes, outfielder Ryan LaMarre) pitched in the ninth and was the only reliever to not let a run cross the plate. He gave up two hits.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— After a productive day Friday, the Red Sox were in the business of stranding baserunners Saturday. The team went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

— Mookie Betts scored the Red Sox’s first run on an error by Angels third baseman Yunel Escobar and added another with a solo home run. The right fielder went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI.

— Hanley Ramirez had a good night for Boston, going 2-for-2 with a run scored and a double.

— Bryce Brentz (1-for-4), Christian Vazquez (1-for-3) and Dustin Pedroia (1-for-5) all singled in the ninth for the Red Sox. Vazquez also added a walk.

— The rest of Boston’s lineup didn’t show up to play and all went hitless. Xander Bogaerts (0-for-3) walked twice, though. Jackie Bradley Jr. went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Uh, at least we witnessed history?

https://twitter.com/MikeGianella/status/749427885304377344

UP NEXT
The Red Sox finish their series with the Angels in a 1:35 p.m. ET contest Sunday at Fenway. Sean O’Sullivan (1-0, 7.94), a former Angel, will make a spot start for Boston and go head-to-head with L.A. right-hander Matt Shoemaker (3-8, 4.12).

Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images