It was a tale of two different versions of Martín Pérez against the Houston Astros over the last week.
Last Thursday, he had perhaps one of his best outings in a Boston Red Sox uniform, shutting down the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
But hoping to build off that Tuesday at Fenway Park, the Astros had Pérez's number the second time around. He lasted just two innings, giving up six runs (all earned) on as many hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts in an eventual 7-1 loss.
Pérez, ever candid, had an honest take on the showing.
“I didn’t have my best stuff tonight,” Pérez said, via The Boston Globe. “I think my two-seamer, I threw inside too much, and when I tried to make a good pitch, they hit it. It’s one of those nights where you have to compete no matter what. I tried to do my best. ...
“I was a little mad because my job is to go deep into the game,” Pérez later continued. “But I threw too many pitches, too many foul balls. Too many base hits and pitches in two innings, that was bad.”
The outing shouldn't mar the view of Pérez's campaign as a whole thus far, as he's been a steady mid- to back-end of the rotation guy all season.
Pérez's likely next start will be Sunday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays.
