The Boston Red Sox suffered a second straight loss Tuesday night when they fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-1, at Fenway Park.
With the defeat, the Red Sox slip under .500 at 2-3 while the Pirates improve to 3-2.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Through the first four games of the season, all the issues for the Red Sox stemmed from their starting pitching and not their offense.
On Tuesday, things flip-flopped for Boston.
The Red Sox couldn’t get their attack going and it’s not like they were facing a top-end starter in the big leagues, either, with Roansy Contreras allowing just one run on three hits and one walk in 5 2/3 innings. Boston showed signs of its offense gearing up for another big performance — the Red Sox notched double-digit hits in each of their first four games — with two hits in the first inning, but only had two more hits the rest of the way.
Right now the Red Sox just can’t get everything going together, and while it’s frustrating, they don’t feel far off from doing so, either.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Bryan Reynolds has worn out Red Sox pitching as he went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. He is now 6-for-9 with three homers in the first two games of the series.
— Nick Pivetta turned in a serviceable start, which the Red Sox haven’t gotten much of to begin the season. The veteran righty tossed five innings surrendering three runs on three hits to go along with three walks and six strikeouts.
— Ji Hwan Bae did a little bit of everything for the Pirates. He belted a two-run home run — the first of his Major League Baseball career — in the top of the second and made a ridiculous web gem play in the bottom of the eighth. The center fielder, who started the game at second base, robbed Rafael Devers out of extra bases when he leaped high at the base of the Green Monster to make a spectacular catch.
WAGER WATCH
FanDuel Sportsbook sets the odds of Red Sox cleanup hitter Masataka Yoshida recording an RBI at +125. Yoshida accomplished that feat in the bottom of the first — he’s driven in a run in four out of Boston’s five games — to cash the bet. A $100 wager would have resulted in a total payout of $225.
ON DECK AT NESN
Wednesday will be a getaway game for the Red Sox as they close out their three-game set with the Pirates and their first homestand of the season. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.
