It’s been the exact opposite start to the 2019 Major League Baseball season for the Boston Red Sox that many expected. And their struggles continued Saturday night.
Boston lost its third straight game, and eighth of the season when the Arizona Diamondbacks walked off with a 5-4 victory at Chase Field. The starting pitching has yet to find a groove and manager Alex Cora has had to utilize his relief pitchers early (and often) throughout the first 10 games.
But despite the 2-8 record and a rough stretch, Cora is sticking to what he’s said quite a few times this season: “We’ll be fine.”
“There’s no frustration,” Cora said after the game, as seen on NESN’s Red Sox postgame coverage. “We just keep grinding. We show up tomorrow. Hopefully, we have a happy flight, go home … put everything into perspective and move forward.”
The skipper said the team “played with good energy” despite the loss, and liked what he saw from his offense.
“It’s not perfect right now, obviously,” Cora said. “The quality of the at-bats were better today, they kept fighting … too bad we didn’t win.”
Here are some other notes from Saturday’s Red Sox-Diamondbacks game:
— J.D. Martinez extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his pinch-hit single in the seventh.
— David Price is the first starting pitcher to not give up a home run in his start.
The southpaw also collected his first RBI of his career with a single in the second inning.
— Price also is the first starter this season to now allow a home run during his start.
— Boston has given up 72 runs to begin the season.
— Hector Velazquez will get his first start of the season when the Red Sox try to salvage a win from Arizona on Sunday.
