Boston’s Batting Average in Blunders Still Higher Than This Performance
Where defensive gaffes, baffling pitching habits, and one run look like a mercy to avoid a shutout.
A Reality Check in Nine Innings
Well, that didn’t take long. Just 24 hours after putting the Astros through a 14–1 humiliation that made Red Sox Nation sound like it was hosting a summer block party, the Red Sox managed to roll out the welcome mat and hand Houston a clean, tidy 4–1 victory. No drama, no nail-biting, no “maybe we can steal this late” hope—just a slow bleed from the very first pitch.
Hunter Brown, the Astros’ starter, was surgical. Six and two-thirds innings of near-flawless baseball, ten strikeouts, and only one earned run. By the time he left the mound, it was clear that Boston’s bats had already called it a night sometime around batting practice.
The tone was set early—very early. Jeremy Peña wasted no time in the first inning, launching a leadoff homer into the night sky like it was batting practice. Before Sox fans had even turned their TV’s on, we were down 1–0. Then Yainer Díaz doubled in another run that same inning, because why wait to pile it on?
Boston’s one flash of life came in the second inning. Trevor Story, bless his persistence, managed to score on a Ceddanne Rafaela RBI single. And that was it. That was our offensive highlight of the night. Mark it down, because nothing else on the scoreboard changed for us.
Of course, Díaz wasn’t done being a thorn in our side. In the sixth inning, he strolled up and blasted a two-run homer off Walker Buehler, effectively sealing the game. At that point, even the popcorn vendors looked like they were packing it in.
Walker Buehler: A Starter in Name Only
Let’s talk about Walker Buehler. On paper, it’s not the ugliest line you’ll ever see: six innings, four hits, four runs, four walks, and four strikeouts. But here’s the problem—every one of those runs felt back-breaking. He’s the kind of pitcher who will look completely in control for two batters, then suddenly throw batting-practice meatballs to the third. You don’t need to be a stat nerd to know that four walks in six innings is a bad omen.
And while the bullpen didn’t blow the game—Bennett Sousa and the rest of the relief crew held the Astros scoreless after Buehler departed—it didn’t really matter. You can’t “hold the line” when your offense is already lying face-down in the dirt.
The Offense: M.I.A. Yet Again
When the box score’s “top contributors” column includes only one player who crossed the plate, you know you’re in trouble.
Trevor Story deserves a nod for actually scoring Boston’s lone run, but even that felt like more luck than skill given how quickly our momentum evaporated afterward. Rafaela drove him in with a single, but after that, the bats went colder than a January night at Fenway.
The rest of the lineup? A collective shrug. No clutch hits, no stringing together quality at-bats, and no real signs of fight. It’s almost like the offense looked at Tuesday’s blowout win and decided, “Yeah, that’ll cover us for the week.”
The Astros: All Business, No Sloppiness
I’d love to say Houston gave us some openings and we just didn’t take advantage, but that’s not what happened. The Astros were crisp in the field, efficient at the plate, and absolutely smothering on the mound. No booted grounders, no wild pitches, no mental lapses. It was as if Tuesday night’s embarrassment never happened, and they were here to remind us who’s still got October on their calendar.
The Whiplash Effect: From Euphoria to Ennui
If Tuesday was a party, Wednesday was the hangover. The 14–1 win had people talking like we were a team of destiny, but last night was a reminder that we’re still a wildly inconsistent bunch. One night we look like a playoff lock, the next we can’t buy a run.
And that inconsistency is exactly why this team can’t seem to get over the hump. Every time momentum starts to build, we find a new way to pump the brakes.
Looking Ahead: Miami or Bust
Next up, we head into a series against the Marlins, with Lucas Giolito set to start on Friday. The Marlins are, frankly, beatable. But so were the Astros on Tuesday, and look how fast that flipped.
What’s it going to take? A consistent approach at the plate, for one. And maybe a starter who can go more than six innings without issuing enough walks to qualify as a charity event. But hey, this is the Red Sox—we might just score ten runs in the opener and then get no-hit the next night.
Final Word: Why You Should Keep Reading (and Suffering)
If you’re a Red Sox fan, you already know the drill. We live for the highs and suffer through the lows, and we do it with equal parts sarcasm and stubborn loyalty. That’s why Red Sox Digest exists—to call out the nonsense, roast the underperformers, and occasionally celebrate the nights when everything actually clicks.
So subscribe, because whether we’re winning 14–1 or losing 4–1, you’re going to want someone to translate the madness into something you can laugh about over your morning coffee.