Red Sox Notes: Boston Cannot Support Historic Nick Pivetta Streak

The Boston Red Sox could not get anything going with the bats in a 5-0 loss to start the four-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.

That hurt for Boston, especially given how dominant Nick Pivetta was for the majority of his start for the Red Sox.

Pivetta allowed just three hits and two walks across 5 1/3 innings, getting back in a rhythm after a challenging stretch in his return from the injured list. The Red Sox starter attacked hitters consistently and found himself in a favorable stretch.

“I like the way I started. I didn’t like the way I finished,” Pivetta told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “I needed to keep the team in the game better than I had. … I was locating all of my pitches earlier on. Curveball was much better. Sweeper, I was locating earlier on. I felt like my fastball command was on point as it has been.”

Pivetta struck out eight Tigers in a row, which tied a team record for the Red Sox. Pivetta thought that run was “cool to do,” though it was far from his mind on the mound. He focused on keeping Boston in the game in what his manager described as a “tremendous” start.

“He threw the ball well,” Alex Cora shared, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “… He was really good. Today, he was able to use all his pitches. He elevated and expanded with his sweeper.”

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Red Sox Wrap: Tigers’ Trio Of Homers Downs Boston

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Here are more notes from Thursday’s Tigers-Red Sox game:

— Pivetta’s eight-straight strikeouts tied a franchise record with Roger Clemens in 1986, as referenced on the NESN broadcast.

— The Red Sox got shutout for the fifth time this season.

— Boston falls to 3-8 against the American League Central and 6-13 in series openers this season.

— Pivetta tallied his second-highest strikeout total of the season, only trailing his 10 strikeouts from his first start of the season in Seattle against the Mariners.

— The Red Sox tallied their fewest hits (2) of the season for the second time this year in addition to the home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on April 9.

— Boston falls to 3-4 in Pivetta’s starts this season.

— The Red Sox and Tigers continue the series at Fenway Park on Friday night. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET. The game will air on Apple TV+.