Drew Pomeranz hasn’t had the best start to 2018.
The Boston Red Sox starter pitched five innings, giving up four runs (all earned) on six hits in his teams’ 4-2 loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Thursday night.
The southpaw hasn’t pitched more than five innings since May 8 when he tossed six innings with six strikeouts, and his most recent four starts (including Thursday) have been riddled by hits and high pitch counts.
The first inning has been a noticeable issue for the lefty. Through his eight starts, Pomeranz has given up 11 hits, nine earned runs, six walks and two home runs in the first inning alone.
One of those two home runs came Thursday night from Carlos Correa, who hit a two-run moonshot to left field in the first.
Despite the rough outing, both Pomeranz and Red Sox manager Alex Cora found optimism in the hurler’s velocity on his four-seam fastball. Pomeranz averaged 90.4 mph on his fastballs Thursday, according to Baseball Savant, while averaging well under 90 mph in his previous outings.
Here are more notes from Thursday’s Red Sox-Astros game:
— Dustin Pedroia was a last-minute scratch with left knee soreness. Cora said it was just a “bad day” for the second baseman, who likely will sit out Friday’s game, as well.
“We were wishing the bad days were in like three months, but (Thursday) was a bad day,” Cora said after the game, as seen on NESN’s Red Sox postgame coverage. “Hopefully, he got treatment (Thursday), he’ll come here (Friday) and see where we’re at. Most likely stay away from him (Friday) and see how he does over the weekend.”
— Pedroia said he was told by doctors he would have days where he’d feel terrible, but he didn’t believe them until Thursday when he felt the discomfort.
“They knew this was going to happen certain days,” Pedroia said after the game. “It stinks, but it is what it is,”
— Mookie Betts also was not in the lineup, missing his fourth straight game. Cora said a decision will be made whether the right fielder will play Friday after he partakes in full baseball activity at the park.
— Before the game, Cora received his 2017 World Series ring. He was the bench coach of the Astros during their championship run.
“It was good to see the guys. They’re looking at me and laughing. We know every secret,” Cora said. “They know what I look for and what we’re trying to accomplish and what we do to try to be good.”
