BOSTON — The Red Sox will want to put this game in their rearview.
Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals was going well enough early, as the Red Sox were down by just two runs and eventually overcame that deficit. However, starter Eduardo Rodriguez completely lost control in the sixth, and the bullpen was even worse, as the Royals mashed their way to a 10-4 beating of the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Here’s how it all unfolded.
GAME IN A WORD
Disastrous.
This game took a big turn for the worse in only one half-inning. The Red Sox were enjoying a 4-2 lead after putting up three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but their pitching completely imploded in the top of the sixth, when the Royals struck for eight runs.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
The Royals scored eight runs in the sixth inning. A six-run deficit against one of Major League Baseball’s best bullpens isn’t exactly an ideal situation.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez certainly wasn’t at his sharpest Sunday, to say the least. The left-hander didn’t have much control through his outing, but he seemed to be minimizing the damage until the sixth inning rolled around. Rodriguez loaded the bases with no outs with a walk to Eric Hosmer, a double to Kendrys Morales and another walk to Salvador Perez. Rodriguez managed to get Alex Gordon on a flyout after that, but the bullpen unraveled everything from there.
Rodriguez finished the night with five runs allowed on four hits with four walks and only one strikeout over 5 1/3 innings.
— Matt Barnes relieved Rodriguez, and things couldn’t have gone worse for the right-hander. Barnes gave up a single and a triple, hit outfielder Paulo Orlando with a pitch, allowed Cheslor Cuthbert to reach on a fielder’s choice and gave up another single to Lorenzo Cain before being yanked. And all that happened without a single out.
Barnes ended up with five runs allowed on three hits.
— Robbie Ross Jr. came in after Barnes and did a little damage himself before finally ending the sixth frame. He gave up a two-RBI single to Hosmer and another single to Morales before inducing two groundouts to end the inning.
— Junichi Tazawa came out in the eighth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. He stayed in for the ninth and gave up a single and a fielder’s choice to start, but the right-hander ended the frame on a nice double play he started on a comebacker from Gordon.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— David Ortiz got the scoring going Sunday with a solo home run in the fourth inning. The designated hitter went 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
— Xander Bogaerts drove in a couple of runs in the fifth inning with a single, going 1-for-4Â with two RBI.
— Brock Holt went 1-for-5 with a leadoff single and an RBI groudout in the fifth. Mookie Betts went 2-for-4.
— Chris Young had a nice night, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. continued to improve out of the No. 9 hole, going 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.
— Sandy Leon went 1-for-3Â and reached base on an error in the fifth. The catcher also scored a run and walked.
— Travis Shaw (0-for-3) and Hanley Ramirez (0-for-4) went hitless, but Shaw picked up a walk.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
There’s always a bright side, right?
https://twitter.com/RedSox_Thoughts/status/770089158203338752
UP NEXT
The Red Sox remain at Fenway on Monday night to start a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays. Rick Porcello will search for his 18th win this season against Rays starter Matt Andriese in the 7:10 p.m. contest.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
