Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rich Hill had to be glad to be back on a big-league mound for the first time Wednesday afternoon since suffering a knee sprain on July 1.
But Hill didn't leave his outing as a happy camper.
The 42-year-old lefty struggled in his return from the injured list against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, pitching just three innings while allowing four runs on six hits to get saddled with the loss.
"It was just poor execution," Hill said following Boston's 6-1 defeat, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "Poor execution on the breaking balls, poor execution on the fastballs, and that's what it came down to. Pitched like crap. That's what it is at the end of the day."
Hill's short outing was compounded with Brayan Bello, who Red Sox manager Alex Cora used again in a piggyback role, exiting the game after just 2/3 of an inning due to a left groin strain.
That gave a taxed Boston bullpen a bigger workload which the Red Sox were trying to avoid in the series finale, and was one of the main reasons for Hill's dissatisfaction with his start.
"You go out there to pitch and compete," Hill said. "We can come up with a number of things that could have went right, or could have went wrong, or whatever. But at the end of the day, it's about results. It's frustrating from my perspective to go out there and not give us the innings that we needed.
"We're in a little bit of a tough spot with the bullpen, and the guys being used the last five days or so. Understanding that, that's where the frustration comes in. Not being able to supply more support for the staff. Something as a starting pitcher eats at you for the next four days until you get the next turn."
Hill did come out of his outing saying his knee felt good and that he had no issues with the knee brace he now wears while pitching.
Hill, who is now 4-5 on the season with a 4.52 ERA, will try to put this lackluster performance behind him when he presumably will start once the Red Sox return to Fenway Park early next week.
