Red Sox Wrap: Nathan Eovaldi’s Start Spoiled By Boston’s Quiet Bats

The Boston Red Sox received a strong bounce-back start from Nathan Eovaldi but weren’t able to put the offense together to support him Tuesday in a 3-2 defeat to the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park.

Eovaldi went allowed just one run on two hits in six innings against the A’s after allowing six runs on seven hits against the Detroit Tigers last week.

Oakland starter Chris Bassitt was equally as impressive, and unfortunately, the Red Sox were limited to just four hits.

Boston fell to 22-15 while Oakland improved to 22-15.

Here’s how it went down:

GAME IN A WORD
Duel.

With Eovaldi and Bassitt each throwing well, it had the feeling of a great pitching duel.

ON THE BUMP
— Eovaldi showed off his velocity and had it all working for him Tuesday night. The right-hander retired the side in order in the first, third and fifth innings.

Eovaldi went six frames and allowed just one run on two hits with four strikeouts. He threw 102 pitches (65 strikes), which likely was why he got pulled after one of his better starts this season.

— Darwinzon Hernandez took the mound in the seventh with the Red Sox and A’s tied at one and quickly allowed Oakland to take the lead. He allowed each of the first three batters he faced to reach base as he made it through just 1/3 inning.

The left-hander was pulled after allowing one run with runners at second and third. He gave up two runs on two hits in just 1/3 innings work.

— Adam Ottavino replaced Hernandez in the seventh and got the first batter he faced to ground into a fielder’s choice, which prevented a run from scoring.

But the righty allowed an RBI single to right field as Oakland stretched its lead to two. Ottavino eventually induced a line out to left field to end the frame with runners on first and second.

— Hirokazu Sawamura came on in the eighth and pitched a one-hit inning with two strikeouts.

He returned for the ninth, with Boston trailing 3-2, and pitched another one-hit inning, but didn’t allow a runner into scoring position. The right-hander finished with zero earned runs and four strikeouts on 32 pitches (22 strikes).

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IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox struck first with one run in the home half of the first.

Alex Verdugo slapped a one-out single to shallow center and advanced to third base after two wild pitches from Bassitt. J.D. Martinez did the rest, sending a sacrifice fly to right field which allowed Verdugo to score.

— Michael Chavis recorded a one-out single in sixth after Bassitt retired 15 Red Sox batters in a row. It was just Boston’s second hit of the night.

— Rafael Devers cut Boston’s deficit to 3-2 with one swing of the bat in the seventh inning. The third baseman sent a solo shot, which measured 353 feet, into the Green Monster.

— Chavis was the only Red Sox batter to record multiple hits (two) while Verdugo and Devers rounded out Boston’s four hits.

TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Mitch Moreland received some pregame praise from Red Sox manager Alex Cora and was granted a warm welcome from those at Fenway Park.

UP NEXT
The Red Sox will return to Fenway Park to host the A’s on Wednesday with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. ET on NESN.