The Boston Red Sox were unable to win their weekend series against the Chicago White Sox with a 5-2 loss Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Rick Porcello gave a quality start with three runs allowed (two earned) through six innings of work, but Boston’s offense didn’t provide much support for him.
The Red Sox managed to tally seven hits, but none of them came in the two bases-loaded situations in the sixth and seventh innings.
The Red Sox fall to 44-22 with the loss, while the White Sox improve to 22-41.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Frustrating.
The Sox batted 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello gave up a leadoff single in the first, and then got an out when Yolmer Sanchez grounded out into a fielder’s choice. Sanchez later scored on a double by Jose Abreu. Porcello was able to escape the inning without further damage by striking out Matt Davidson.
Porcello ran into trouble in the third inning when the bases were loaded with one out following a walk, an error and a hit batter. He was able to get an infield fly for the second out, but he walked Tim Anderson to bring home Chicago’s second run. Porcello got another fly out to end the inning with the Sox trailing by only a run.
The veteran right-hander pitched a seamless 1-2-3 inning in the fourth — his first of the day. Daniel Palka doubled to right field with one out in the fifth inning, but Porcello got out of the frame without surrendering a run.
Porcello walked Anderson to begin the sixth inning, and the White Sox shortstop soon moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Anderson scored on a groundout to first base because Porcello tripped over the bag and fell. This stumble allowed Anderson to beat Porcello’s throw home as Chicago took a 3-1 lead.
— Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless seventh inning during which he struck out two batters.
—Â Brandon Workman struck out the side and allowed a single in a scoreless eighth inning.
— Matt Barnes began the ninth inning with a strikeout, then got into some trouble. Yoan Moncada reached on an infield single, then advanced to second on a groundout. Abreu was intentionally walked and then Palka doubled off the Green Monster to drive in two runs and increase Chicago’s lead to 5-2.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— J.D. Martinez led off the second inning with a ground rule double to right field, and he tied the score 1-1 on a single by Rafael Devers. Devers advanced to second on a groundout and later stole third, but he was thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice by Jackie Bradley Jr.. JBJ stole second base but the Sox couldn’t get him home.
— Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Moreland both walked in the third inning, but neither would score as Martinez grounded into a fielder’s choice at third base to end the frame.
— Moreland led off the sixth inning with a single, but he didn’t advance any further because Martinez grounded into a double play right after. Devers walked and Brock Holt singled to put runners on first and second with two outs, and then Bradley was hit to load the bases. Blake Swihart popped out to center field, stranding three runners and squandering a great opportunity to put some runs on the board.
— The Sox had some life in the seventh. Benintendi hit a ground rule double to right field and Xander Bogaerts got hit by a pitch, all with one out. Moreland lined out to center for the second out, and then Martinez walked to load the bases. Eduardo Nunez pinch hit for Devers and hit a ground ball that Moncada should’ve handled, but he botched it, allowing Benintendi to score on an error. Holt flied to center to end the inning with the bases loaded.
—Â Bogaerts (0-for-4) and Bradley (0-for-3) were the only Red Sox starters without a hit.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Martinez has been a great free-agent signing so far.
.@JDMartinez14 is the first @RedSox player with 21+ homers through 65 games since @therealmanny99 in 2001. pic.twitter.com/PrFU49HAEG
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) June 10, 2018
UP NEXT
The Sox begin a 10-game road trip with a series against the Orioles in Baltimore on Monday night.
