The first inning has given the Boston Red Sox trouble since the All-Star break. In four of the six games they’ve played, the Red Sox have allowed at least one run in the first inning.
That was the case on Wednesday night, when Lucas Giolito surrendered two home runs to the Philadelphia Phillies to fall to an early 3-0 deficit. After a scoreless second inning, the Red Sox starter served up two more home run balls in the third and fourth innings to extend the Phillies’ lead to five.
Giolito’s arsenal relies on his four-seam fastball. When the fastball isn’t commanded properly, his other pitches suffer as a result. That was the case on Wednesday. His four-seamer was all over the map, and the Phillies punished his mistakes.
His slider was effective with nine whiffs on 15 swings, but his inability to spot the fastball limited his changeup usage to just seven. When Giolito is at his best, his fastball-changeup combo gives hitters fits.
Giolito spoke about his performance after the game.
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“No way around that. I made a lot of mistakes down the middle of the plate they put out of the park, so we were down early,” Giolito said.
While the Red Sox fell behind, a Romy Gonzalez grand slam and a late Carlos Narvaez home run helped them secure the win. Despite a 2-4 road trip, Giolito was encouraged by the team’s fight.
“Overall, it wasn’t a great road trip. We lost two series, but to get that momentum of knowing we have the talent and the drive to be able to come back if we’re down or grind out wins like that, it’s huge and important for us moving forward,” Giolito said.
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The Red Sox head back to Fenway Park to start a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Despite the disappointing road trip, Boston still holds a 1 1/2 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays for the third American League Wild Card spot.
