The third time was the charm for David Price after the All-Star break, but it still wasn’t enough.
The Boston Red Sox ace struggled in his first two outings after the Midsummer Classic, but Thursday night’s start in Anaheim, Calif., was a different story. However, the Los Angeles Angels loaded the bases in the ninth inning off closer Brad Ziegler before walking off with a 2-1 win on Hanley Ramirez’s throwing error.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Heartbreaking.
Price pitched one of his best games of the season, but the Red Sox’s bullpen and fielding let him down in the ninth.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Daniel Nava, a former Red Sox, grounded a potential double-play ball to Ramirez, but the Boston first baseman overthrew catcher Sandy Leon, allowing two runs to score.
[mlbvideo id=”983443983″ width=”640″ height=”360″ /]
ON THE BUMP
—Â Price the ace was on full display.
The left-hander faced the minimum batters through three innings, although he allowed the first batter in the second and third innings to reach via singles. But he followed both hits by getting the next batter to ground into a double play.
Price did get into some trouble in the fifth, as he allowed three singles and a walk in the inning. However, he escaped without allowing a run, thanks to Jefry Marte’s puzzling decision to try to steal third base. He was thrown out on the attempt, which prevented the Angels from tying things up when they hit back-to-back singles later in the frame.
Price quickly settled back down with 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh. He shut out the Angels through eight innings before Brad Ziegler entered for the ninth and finished with only one walk and six strikeouts.
— Ziegler had a rough ninth inning. The Red Sox closer allowed three singles, paving the way for Ramirez’s fielding mistake.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mookie Betts got the Red Sox on the board in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly to left field. Sandy Leon, who led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a Brock Holt single, scored on the play.
Betts finished the night 1-for-3 with the RBI.
— Boston came close to tacking on more runs in the fourth after David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back singles with one out, but Jackie Bradley Jr. hit into a double play.
— Every Red Sox batter except Bradley had one hit.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Big Papi has a new portrait, courtesy of the Angels.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will continue their lengthy road trip with Game 2 of a four-game series against the Angels on Friday night at 10:05 p.m. ET. Rick Porcello will look to continue his strong season when he takes the mound opposite Tim Lincecum.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
