The Boston Red Sox’s four-game winning streak came to an end Tuesday night at the hands of a fellow division leader.
Boston’s offense was stifled by Philadelphia starter Jake Arrieta as they fell to the Phillies 3-1 at Fenway Park.
Although the Red Sox didn’t lack in offensive chances, they struggled to score the runners they put in scoring position.
With the loss, the Red Sox fall to 75-34, while the Phillies climb to 59-48.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Stumped.
The success of the Red Sox’s offense this season has been well-documented, but they couldn’t figure out a way to string together hits against Arrieta.
ON THE BUMP
— Drew Pomeranz showed some improvement from his previous starts this season, allowing two runs on four hits over five innings. He walked four, hit two and struck out three.
Though his line wasn’t exactly stellar, he did a better job minimizing damage and keeping the ball inside the park, something he’s struggled to do while battling through injury this season.
After an uneventful first inning, Pomeranz put Maikel Franco on with a one-out walk. Franco later scored from first on a double from Jorge Alfaro to make it 1-0.
The southpaw responded with a quiet third inning, but worked back into trouble in the fourth. The Phillies loaded the bases with a walk, double and hit batter, then plated their second run of the game with a sacrifice fly by Scott Kingery. In his final inning, Pomeranz allowed two batters to reach with two outs before striking out Franco to end the fifth.
— Joe Kelly allowed a single in a scoreless sixth.
— Heath Hembree walked one and struck out two in a hitless, scoreless seventh.
— Matt Barnes got out of the eighth scoreless, but did load the bases on two singles and a walk. All three of the outs he recorded were strikeouts.
— Hector Velazquez entered in the ninth and surrendered a leadoff double to Rhys Hoskins. Carlos Santana then drove Hoskins in with a single past Xander Bogaerts, making it 3-1 Philly. The right-hander allowed one more hit later in the frame, but got out of the stanza without any further issue.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox’s offense struggled to plate runners in the opening innings. They put runners in scoring position in each of the first four frames, but were unable to drive any of them in.
— Boston’s fortune changed a bit in the sixth, with Blake Swihart and J.D. Martinez getting to second and third with a single and double, respectively. Swihart scored to cut Boston’s deficit to 2-1 on a Bogaerts groundout. With Martinez at third and two down, Ian Kinsler lined out to end the inning and strand the tying run.
— The Red Sox created a chance in the ninth, with Martinez leading off the frame with a walk and Bogaerts getting hit by a pitch. But Kinsler struck out, pinch-hitter Mookie Betts popped out and Brock Holt struck out to end the game.
— Swihart, Martinez, Bogaerts, Kinsler, Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. all had one hit.
— Mitch Moreland, Eduardo Nunez and Holt all went hitless, as did Betts in his pinch-hit at-bat in the ninth.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Impressive.
That's an 11-game hitting streak for @BLAKESWIHART_1! pic.twitter.com/Vn7cX5XebX
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 1, 2018
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will get Wednesday off before beginning a big four-game set with the New York Yankees on Thursday. Brian Johnson is set to get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by CC Sabathia. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
