Red Sox bats remain missing in frustrating loss to Blue Jays
Where has the Red Sox offense gone? The Boston bats were quiet again Wednesday in a 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, as the Red Sox mustered one measly run off just four hits.
It marks the third straight game the Red Sox offense has gone cold at a frigid Fenway Park. Boston has scored just four runs over the first three games of the series, and is in jeopardy of being swept off its home field in Thursday's series finale.
The four hits by the Red Sox on Wednesday set a new season low for the club. It's the team's fewest knocks in a game since last September when Boston was one-hit by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jarren Duran was 1-for-5 out of the leadoff spot and Rafael Devers was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. But Kristian Campbell was the only other Sox batter to log a hit Wednesday night with a leadoff single in the eighth. He wasn't on base for long, as Carlos Narvaez grounded into an inning-ending double play two batters later.
No. 3 batter Alex Bregman drove in Boston's only run with a first-inning sac fly, but he was 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts. After Devers ripped a ground-rule double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Bregman swung at the very next pitch and grounded out to end the Boston threat.
Triston Casas was 0-for-4 out of the cleanup spot, as was No. 5 hitter Trevor Story, who fanned twice. Story had a chance to be a walk-off hero in the bottom of the 10th when he stepped to the plate with ghost runner Bregman at third. But he struck out swinging at two sliders way out of the zone, and two batters later after an intentional walk to Wilyer Abreu, Campbell struck out to end the threat.
Toronto scored the game-winning run in the 11th on a sac fly by Bo Bichette.
The Red Sox were a dreadful 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position on Wednesday night. That has been par for the course in the current series, with Boston just 2-for-29 with runners in scoring position.
Overall, the Red Sox are 17-for-99 in the series, slashing .172/.215/.222 at the plate with just five extra-base hits. After striking out 14 times on Wednesday, Boston has now whiffed 30 times over the first three games against Toronto.
"We have to be better. A lot of strikeouts," manager Alex Cora said after the game. "We just have to make adjustments. We have to as a group. But I trust these players and this group. We're going to show up tomorrow and try to win a game."
Four runs in three games
Remember how potent the Boston offense was in the weekend series against St. Louis? The Red Sox opened their Fenway schedule by scoring 36 runs over a three-game sweep of the Cardinals, including an 18-run outburst on Sunday.
Since then, only four Red Sox have crossed home. Those four runs have come off two RBI singles and two sacrifice flies.
With Wednesday's loss, Boston is just 1-3 in one-run games this season.
At least Rafael Devers is hitting
The only good news out of the Boston lineup is Devers continues to mash after his super slump to start the year. After going hitless in his first 21 at-bats, Devers has gone 13-for-30 (.433) with five doubles, a homer, eight RBI and eight runs scored.
Wednesday night was the second game this season where Devers logged multiple extra-base hits.