It certainly wasn’t the start that Boston Red Sox pitcher Kyle Hart wanted.
In the first inning alone, the Red Sox left-hander allowed a leadoff double, two consecutive walks to load the bases, an RBI-single and a sacrifice fly. Boston trailed by two runs after the opening inning, benefitting from the Philadelphia Phillies leaving three runners stranded.
The good news, though, is that a self-motivating pep talk got Hart to settle in. He finished by allowing two runs on two hits in 3 2/3 innings.
He did, however, explain what happened to reporters after the Red Sox snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory Wednesday.
“… I’ve been working on some stuff this week and I think I made the mistake today of taking those adjustments into the game and putting those at the forefront instead of competing,” Hart said on a video conference call. “(That’s) what should be at the forefront, not so much the minor adjustments that you’re trying to make because at the end of the day you have to go out and win the ballgame. So, that was the mistake I made in the first inning, instead of just letting my competitive juices flow and knowing those adjustments will be there.
“I think given more time and more reps, those things are going to just fall into place and I can really focus on my sequences, the competitive side of the game and not tinkering with other stuff,” Hart continued.
The Red Sox will travel to Baltimore to face the Orioles in a four-game series beginning Thursday.
