Red Sox Notes: Alex Cora Offers Blunt Assessment Of Deflating Road Trip

The Boston Red Sox had visions of the playoffs when they started a key late-season road trip last week.

But by the time the six-game trip concluded Wednesday night at Citi Field, Boston’s postseason hopes hung by a thread.

The Red Sox went 1-5 over that stretch and capped it off by getting swept by the Mets. New York completed the sweep with an 8-3 win and Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t mince words when he provided his assessment of a deflating road trip.

“It sucked, man. It was tough,” Cora told reporters. “We went to Detroit two-and-a-half games back or three-and-a-half games back and now we’re five-and-a-half. Right now we’re just an average team. We got to show up on Friday and try to be better. It’s a huge homestand.”

The reality of the situation the Red Sox currently are in isn’t lost on Cora. He knows time is running out on the season.

If the Red Sox intend on making the playoffs, they will have to turn things around in a hurry. Boston sits 5 1/2 games behind the Kansas City Royals for the third and final American League wild card spot with only 22 games left.

The Red Sox didn’t take advantage of the opportunities sent their way, either on the field or in the standings. Boston’s offense hit into three consecutive inning-ending double plays against the Mets on Wednesday and while their losing streak got extended to five games — the Red Sox scored eight runs over that span — the Royals snapped a seven-game skid.

It’s obviously possible for the Red Sox to get back into contention, but it’s a tough task, one made more difficult with the way Boston has played as of late.

“We’re a .500 team. We’re playing .500 baseball. I don’t think that’s good enough,” Cora said. “We got to be better.”

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Here are more notes from Wednesday’s Red Sox-Mets game:

— Tanner Houck served up a first-inning grand slam to Jesse Winker but settled down nicely after that. The All-Star starting pitcher completed five innings, giving up four runs on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.

“Felt like I got back into the zone, going right after hitters with my best stuff,” Houck told reporters. “First inning kind of got away from me in terms of the walk in there, falling behind hitters.”

— Rafael Devers did drive in a run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third inning in the loss to the Mets, but he continued to be ice cold at the plate. The Red Sox slugger went 0-for-3 and is now batting .098 (4-for-41) since Aug. 21.

— The Red Sox ended the game in unflattering fashion, with Kenley Jansen, who worked in a non-save situation, and Rich Hill combining to walk in three runs in the bottom of the eighth. According to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, it was the first time the Red Sox issued at least three walks with the bases loaded since Sept. 6, 2010.

— The Red Sox will have Thursday off before opening up a three-game series back home starting Friday against the abysmal Chicago White Sox, who sports a 32-109 record. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus 90 minutes of pregame coverage, on NESN.