Red Sox’s Alex Cora Credits Nathan Eovaldi Following Loss Vs. Royals

The Boston Red Sox followed up a strong Friday win with a walk-off loss on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora provided a positive outlook despite a bumpy outing from starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, which saw the right-hander allow two home runs to Royals hitters.

“Obviously they put pressure on him,” Cora said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “They did the same thing with him last year here. They put the ball in play, they got a lot of hits, but he gave us a chance to win. It didn’t look great, but he gave us six (Innings) and gave us a chance to win the game.”

Eovaldi tossed six innings while allowing four earned runs on seven hits while walking none and striking out seven.

The 11-year veteran, who is now 5-3 on the season, largely acknowledged the mistakes he made, including missed locations with some of his pitches.

“I struggled a little bit earlier on,” Eovaldi told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “I gotta be able to go out there and command the zone… I just didn’t make my pitches and left a pitch middle away and he (Kyle Isabel) was able to go that way with it and they were able to score and take the lead.”

Eovaldi added: “It was like the (Houston) Astros start. I feel like I struggled early and just struggled to make those adjustments, and as the game got going a little bit more, I was able to settle in… I need all my pitches, all my offspeed pitches. I felt like earlier in the game, I was leaving them over the plate, over the middle part and they were able to hit them and battle. And as the game went on, I was able to find my groove and start commanding the zone a little better.”

With the loss, the Red Sox dropped beneath the .500 mark in the standings, and still sit four games back in the American League Wild Card race.