The Boston Red Sox didn't generate much offense as they fell to the Cincinnati Reds, 2-1, at Fenway Park on Tuesday.
With the loss, the Red Sox now stand four games under .500 at 23-27 while the Reds improve to 17-31.
Check out the full box score here:
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
It's tough to get a true sense of Boston's offense given the disparity in its recent performances at the plate.
It was just last week the Red Sox scored 33 runs in three games against the Chicago White Sox, but after getting shutout by the Orioles on Monday, it took until the ninth inning for the Red Sox to push a run across the plate against the Reds, which snapped a 17-inning scoreless stretch.
Boston only mustered four hits against the Reds -- the Red Sox have just eights hits over their last two games -- and couldn't solve Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo. Castillo's electric stuff was too much for Boston as he had the Red Sox swinging and missing with high regularity. Cincinnati's offense wasn't much better, as the Reds scored both of their runs off throwing errors.
Boston's bats came to life with three hits in the bottom of the ninth, but Trevor Story couldn't come through with a timely base knock, striking out to end the game with the tying run 90 feet away.
Boston's offense should be able to produce more, and the Red Sox's inconsistencies at the plate are truly puzzling.
STARS OF THE GAME
-- Castillo was nearly unhittable in this one. The hard-throwing righty fired six innings of one-hit ball while striking out 10, including fanning four straight bridging the first and second inning. Castillo did have some control issues with three walks, but his nasty arsenal of pitches kept Boston's offense at bay.
-- Michael Wacha did his part on the mound. The right-hander tossed 5 2/3 innings, allowing no earned runs and just three hits while striking out three. The free-agent signing has definitely been a nice addition to Boston's starting rotation.
-- Tyler Danish had a strong showing out of the Red Sox bullpen. He hurled 1 2/3 innings of relief and surrendered two hits while striking out three.
WAGER WATCH
It took until the top of sixth inning for the first run of the game to cross home plate, and if bettors could have accurately predicted that, it would have resulted in a massive payday. Matt Reynolds broke the scoreless deadlock by scoring on a Rafael Devers error, and odds of the first run being scored in the sixth were at +3000, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. So, a $10 bet on that prop would have won $300.
ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox will complete a quick two-game set with the Reds at Fenway Park on Wednesday before heading out on a 10-game west coast road trip. First pitch for the series finale is slated for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage on NESN.
