The Red Sox were not on top of their game Sunday.
Unfortunately, it was the same day as Boston's doubleheader with Chicago.
The Red Sox fell to 10-6 on the season with their 5-1 loss to the White Sox at Fenway Park in Game 2 of the twin bill. Boston collected just four hits against Chicago, one of which was an RBI single by J.D. Martinez.
But a so-so start from MartÃn Pérez couldn't sustain the offense's lackluster performance against the White Sox's solid pitching. The lefty earned his first loss of the season.
Here's how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Tough.
This was not the outcome Boston wanted from its second game of the day.
ON THE MOUND
-- Pérez got the start in the second game instead of the first because he's not a morning person. But he was not on top of his game in the evening.
The first three batters he faced Sunday all singled, allowing the White Sox to score the first run of the game in the opening inning with José Abreu driving it in on a fielder's choice.
But it was the top of the fourth where Chicago did the most damage, giving up three earned that included a lead-off home run from YermÃn Mercedes. Pérez was pulled after working two outs.
The southpaw went 3 2/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on seven hits. He didn't walk a batter and threw 41 of 58 pitches for strike with four strikeouts.
-- Austin Brice inherited a runner in relief and gave up a double that sent Danny Mendick home from first to make it a 4-0 game. He got the next batter out to end the inning.
Brice came back out for the fifth. He forced José Abreu into a double play after allowing a leadoff single before striking out the side.
-- Hirokazu Sawamura had a rough go in the sixth.
Chicago made it a 5-1 game after one run came in from the two hits and single walk he gave up.
-- Phillips Valdez finished the game with a 1-2-3 inning seventh inning.
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
-- Boston went three innings before ever getting anyone on base. But in the fourth, they started laying into White Sox starter Michael Kopech and he was pulled.
J.D. Martinez got the Red Sox on the board with a single to center field that drove in Kiké Hernández from second base.
Matt Foster got out of the jam after the run, though, after getting Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Marwin Gonzales to fly out.
-- Nothing came of a Bobby Dalbec single in the fifth or a ground rule double from Bogaerts in the sixth.
TWEET OF THE GAME
At least it seemed like a beautiful day at Fenway Park, right?
UP NEXT
The Red Sox still can split the series with a win in the final game of the series Monday. First pitch is slated for at 11:10 a.m. ET.
