The St. Louis Cardinals offense haunted the Boston Red Sox once again, this time not requiring any ninth-inning heroics to finish off their three-game sweep at Fenway Park on Sunday night.
Dropping their series finale, 9-1, the Red Sox were doomed from the get-go, set back by their pitching beyond that of their starter.
Corey Kluber unsuccessfully attempted to dodge the long ball, allowing two to the Cardinals through five innings. Kluber allowed four earned runs off seven hits and three walks while striking out five hitters. However, despite several calls to the bullpen from manager Alex Cora, Boston was unable to stop the bleeding throughout the night.
Brennan Bernardino and Ryan Brasier combined to allow five earned runs off six base hits, including a home run. Boston did hold St. Louis scoreless in the ninth inning after failing to do so in back-to-back games, but by that time, it was much too late.
"We played two good games, and we lost in the ninth, and today, they kicked our butt," Cora told reporters postgame, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald.
Here are more notes from Sunday's Red Sox-Cardinals game:
-- Kluber, who took home his fifth loss of the season, has yet to earn a win at Fenway Park this season. The Cardinals rallied to take Kluber deep on two occasions through his five innings on the mound, raising his season total for home runs allowed to 11.
-- Kluber allowed at least one home run in each of his eight starts made this season, allowing multiple long balls now three times with the Red Sox.
-- Cora provided a brief pitching staff update afterward, regarding left-hander Joely RodrÃguez.
"Good chance (RodrÃguez is activated Monday)," Cora said, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.
-- Alex Verdugo, who went 1-for-3 at the plate, recorded the only extra-base hit from the Red Sox -- a double.
-- Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, who hit three home runs during the series in Boston, is now 13-for-34 with six home runs in games played throughout his career at Fenway Park.
-- Red Sox reliever Richard Bleier was the only pitcher to not allow a run to the Cardinals, tossing a scoreless ninth inning.
-- First pitch of the Mariners-Red Sox series opener from Fenway Park is set for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch the full game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.
