Red Sox’s Nick Pivetta Supported After Back-To-Back Losses Vs. Blue Jays

The Boston Red Sox have leaned heavily on their bullpen throughout the season, but lately, that hasn’t gone nearly as well.

Boston suffered a second consecutive loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, falling 5-4 on Saturday afternoon, putting the Red Sox in a four-game deficit amid a tight American League wild-card race. Simultaneously, the loss dropped Boston to dead last in the AL East as the bullpen was charged with all five runs Toronto scored.

That started with right-hander Nick Pivetta, who Boston skipper Alex Cora defended following the loss at Fenway Park.

“He gave us enough,” Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “We got to the sixth inning with three runs, right? Then, they scored there. We had our chances, you know. … I think pitching-wise, we grinded with them but I think today was tough for him. Location-wise, he wasn’t effective, but the stuff was really good — as far as velocity, not the other stuff.”

Pivetta took the mound after John Schreiber gave Boston a scoreless first inning as the opener. And pitching out of the bullpen has been a role that Pivetta has flourished in — recording a 2.23 ERA since being shifted from a starter to a reliever.

Yet, as was the case in the series opener, the Blue Jays were ready for whatever the Red Sox had to offer.

Toronto tagged Pivetta for three earned runs through four innings of work, then scored against left-handers Brennan Bernardino — the losing pitcher — and Joe Jacques.

In two games to open up Boston’s 10-game homestand, the Red Sox have allowed 28 hits and 12 runs while also committing four errors. They’ll have one final shot in Sunday’s series finale to bounce back after entering the series having gone undefeated in seven previous matchups with the Blue Jays.