Red Sox Wrap: Seven-Run Third Proves Costly In Boston’s 10-8 Loss Vs. Mariners

The starting pitching woes continued for the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon.

The Seattle Mariners jumped all over Rick Porcello, tagging him for nine runs (four earned) on six hits over 2 2/3 innings. The Boston right-hander walked four and fanned three in the 10-8 loss at T-Mobile Park.

Seattle amassed seven runs in the third inning, doing enough damage for the remainder of the game. Boston did make it interesting at times, including the ninth inning when they loaded the bases with one out and coming within two, but it couldn’t complete the comeback as it dropped its first series of the season.

With the loss, the Red Sox fell to 1-3, while the Mariners climbed to 5-1.

Here’s how it all went down:

GAME IN A WORD
Woes.

Porcello looked great to begin the game, then fell apart in the following innings. All of Boston’s starting pitchers have given up at least six runs in each of their starts.

ON THE BUMP
— Porcello started the game strong, tossing a 1-2-3 first with two strikeouts.

The second inning wasn’t as smooth as the first. The righty surrendered back-to-back doubles to Jay Bruce and Omar Narvaez, but got Tim Beckham to strikeout looking and Ryon Healy to pop out to third. He walked the bases loaded before Dee Gordon wasted no time smacking a single to left center to cut the Red Sox’s lead to 3-2. Porcello was able to get out of the inning before Seattle could push more runs across the plate.

Porcello ran into trouble in the third after J.D. Martinez committed an error in left on a Mitch Haniger fly ball. He took second when Domingo Santana flied out, but Porcello walked Bruce on four-straight pitches, paving the way for the Mariners to take their first lead on a three-run moonshot off the bat of Narvaez.

Beckham walked and moved to third on a Healy single before Porcello loaded the bases with his third walk of the inning with just one out. Beckham tagged from third on a Gordon fly out to up the lead to 6-3 before Seattle added another run with an RBI single, ending Porcello’s afternoon.

— Brian Johnson took over with two outs in the third and instantly gave up two runs when Haniger doubled for the 9-3 advantage.

The inning finally came to a close on a Santana fly out.

Johnson’s next inning didn’t get off to the best start, as Bruce hit a 358-foot home run to right to take a 10-6 lead in the fourth.

Johnson pitched a clean fifth with a strikeout, ending his afternoon on a high note.

The left-hander would be done after 2 1/3 innings of work, giving up one earned run on four hits.

— Brandon Workman got the ball for the sixth and tossed a hitless, scoreless frame.

— Colten Brewer found himself in a bit of trouble in the seventh, but escaped unscathed in dramatic fashion.

The newcomer gave up a leadoff single to Gordon before getting Mallex Smith to pop out and Haniger to strike out. A walk to Santana put two men on, but Brewer responded by getting Narvaez and Bruce to go down swinging to keep Seattle from upping its lead.

— Ryan Brasier gave up a hit in a scoreless, two-strikeout eighth.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX
–Boston struck first with a three-run first inning.

J.D. Martinez drove in Boston’s first run after Rafael Devers roped a one-out double to left field. The third baseman scored when Martinez singled for the early 1-0 lead.

Boston threatened to do some damage by loading the bases with one out, but Mitch Moreland popped out for the second out, bringing Eduardo Nuñez to the dish. After he worked the count to 3-2, the infielder hit a ground ball through the shortstop to drive in two runs to go up 3-0.

Christian Vazquez flied out to end the inning.

— The Sox tried to up their lead in the third with runners on second and third but two outs, but couldn’t plate any runs, which proved to be crucial in Seattle’s home half of the frame.

— Boston got some runs back in the fourth via a three-run home run from Martinez, marking the 1,000th hit of his career.

After Vazquez walked to begin the inning, Devers singled to put two on for Martinez to absolutely smoke the ball over the left field wall to bring the Sox back within three. Bogaerts followed up with a single, but Sam Travis ended the inning with a fly out.

— Mookie Betts brought his team back within three in the top half of the sixth when he collected his first home run of the season — a solo shot to left — to make the score 10-7.

— The Red Sox made some noise in the eighth after Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a line-drive double to right before Betts drew a walk, bringing Devers to the plate. But the third baseman ended the threat with a lineout to left.

— Boston put the lead runner on when Martinez drew a walk in the ninth before Bogaerts flied out for the first out of the inning.

Sox manager Alex Cora elected to pinch-hit Andrew Benintendi for Travis, and he also drew a walk to bring the game-tying run to the plate in Mitch Moreland. He worked the count to 3-2 before walking to load up the bases.

Cora pinch-hit Blake Swihart for Nuñez and he too worked the count full before drawing a walk to bring in a run to make it 10-8. Vazquez struck out swinging before Bradley grounded out to end the game.

— Devers and Martinez paced Boston with two hits each. Travis and went hitless, while Swihart and Benintendi went hitless in their pinch-hit appearances. All other batters accounted for a hit.

TWEET OF THE GAME
This … is less than ideal.

UP NEXT
Boston travels to Oakland for a four-game set against the Athletics. David Price is set to make his 2019 debut for the Red Sox, countering Aaron Brooks. First pitch from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum is slated for 10:07 p.m. ET.