Red Sox Notes: Boston’s Three Errors Directly Impact Loss Vs. Astros

After Monday night’s discouraging loss to the Houston Astros, the Boston Red Sox were hoping to tighten up their defense but saw their struggles return en route to their second straight loss at the hands of the defending World Series champions.

Boston committed three errors in the game, two of which led to the four-run seventh inning for the Astros. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said they had a direct impact on the game, recapping each run.

“Look at how they scored their runs,” Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “The first play was going one way and (Rafael Devers) doesn’t make the play, and they hit the homer. Then Martin (Maldonado) with the bunt; Connor (Wong) goes to the ball, Tanner (Houck) does too. (Rafael) was late to the plate, they score. We get a chance to turn the double play in the eighth and we don’t turn it and they score seven runs.”

The Red Sox have committed 90 errors this season and their Outs Above Average is a Major League Baseball-worst -53 according to Baseball Savant.

Frustration was boiling over for the skipper when he was ejected in the seventh inning after arguing with plate umpire Pat Hoberg about a pitch Mauricio Llovera threw, and Hoberg deemed it a ball.

“We didn’t agree with the pitches,” Cora said. “There were two strikeouts, one to (Justin Turner) after a nine-pitch at-bat. … Just frustration to be honest. He’s one of the best hitters, and he’s grinding. I just didn’t agree with it.”

Here are more notes from Tuesday’s Red Sox-Astros game:

— Tanner Houck returned to the mound after missing 54 games with a facial fracture. He gave up three earned runs on four hits in five innings of work in his seventh loss of the season.

— Wilyer Abreu made his major league debut after Alex Verdugo was ejected from the game in the fourth inning for chirping Hoberg.

— With the loss and the Seattle Mariners defeating the Chicago White Sox, the Red Sox fall five games behind in the American League Wild Card race.

— The Red Sox continue their series with the Astros on Wednesday night with Chris Sale making the start for Boston. NESN’s full coverage of the game from Minute Maid Park begins at 7 p.m. ET.