Game 34: Red Sox Lose 3-1 in Extras Because Bases Loaded with Nobody Out Isn't Enough Anymore
Houston look the rubber-match series victory in the most soul-crushing way possible. The Red Sox responded by having the same approach, but executed like the fan proposal caught on the big screen.
Final Score: Astros 3, Red Sox 1 in 10 innings. Boston drops to 13-21 and now sit a comfortable 10 games back in the AL East. They left 13 runners on base. Thirteen. That’s not bad luck — that’s a full-blown identity crisis.
Ranger Suarez Gave us Hope, Then *got injured*
Ranger Suarez looked sharp early, coming off “probably one of the best (games he’s ever pitched),” according to himself.
He went four shutout innings on 70 pitches before a reported hamstring injury ended his day. Tin hat wearers speculate he had diarrhea, or he’s had enough pitching like prime Pedro with zero run support. Suarez gave Fenway a rare season for cautious optimism. He felt something (still up in the air of where something was felt), talked to Andrew Bailey for a brief interaction, leaving him with a confused expression, and we haven’t seen him since. Another promising start derailed. Another name for the IL watch list.
Suarez talked to the media post-game. When asked if he’s confident he’ll avoid the IL, he mentioned dealing with the same injury last April and not missing any time. In 2023, Suarez did in fact land on the IL with a hamstring strain, but made it clear this injury feels no where close to the severity of that one.
The Offense: All Traffic, No Destination
The Red Sox offense spent the afternoon treating scoring like it was extra credit. They racked up nine hits, including a solo homer from Jarren Duran in the fifth that gave Boston a slim 1-0 lead. The crowd woke up for approximately 45 seconds, and the only other time we heard them was when a fan dropped to a knee proposing to his girlfriend. She said yes, but like the rest of us, couldn’t be more depressed watching this lifeless offensive approach.
From there? Nothing! Zip. Zilch. They went 0-11 with runners in scoring position and left 13 stranded. They loaded the bases. They had second and third. They had traffic James that would make Storrow Drive blush, and they scored exactly one run all day. This wasn’t bad luck. This was performance art in futility.
Willson Contreras had three hits. Roman Anthony doubled, but clutch hitting remains on the injured list right alongside half the rotation.
The Bullpen Held the Line… Until Zack Kelly Was Given an Impossible Task
After Suarez exited, the bullpen actually did a respectable job. Five innings, six hits, two walks and six punch outs. Tyler Samaniego, Greg Weissert (yes you read that right), Jovani Moran, Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman combined to keep Houston in check. Chapman struck out Carlos Correa and Yordan Alvarez (the latter on a triple-digit heater) to give the offense an opportunity to walk it off in nine. For a moment, it felt like maybe, just maybe, the baseball gods were smiling down to us.
Just like every other inning of this series, the Astros begged Boston to finish the game in nine. Contreras sends a swinging bunt right back to Bryan Abreu, and he throws the ball to Jahmai Webster in the camera well to give the Sox yet another RISP opportunity. Roman Anthony, who doubled in the at-bat prior, decided to be a good samaritan and roll over to Christian Walker. The threat over (but did it really ever begin?) and all 35,406 in attendance watch Zack (Sack) Kelly make his way onto the field.
Kelly walked a guy, then the bases got loaded because he forgot to remove Vicks VapoRub from his fingers. Jose Altuve and Isaac Parades felt bad, and gifted Boston a rare 6-2-5 double play that I’m not sure any of us have ever seen in a live MLB game. Two outs, runners on first and second… and Sack Kelly walks another on six pitches—one of which touched the strike zone. Cam Smith then ropes a line drive off the monster, scoring two, and putting this contest out of reach. Yes, out of reach— Craig Breslows club is YET to win a game this season after trailing by two or more runs.
This Team in a Nutshell
This wasn’t a loss to some juggernaut. The Astros are 14-21, in the same subpar trenches we’re wallowing in. They handed Boston chance after chance wrapped in a bow, and the Sox looked at those opportunities, shrugged, and decided to challenge called balls on themselves.
A quality start (sort of). A timely homer from Duran. A bullpen that actually held. Then extras, a couple of walks and another dozen guys left on base. It’s not normal losing anymore. This club finds a new way to embarrass themselves day in and day out.
To put a cherry on top, after the game Contreras blamed the “young guys” for the Red Sox offensive struggles. Marcelo Mayer took exception to that and called it an excuse. As a wise man once said, ‘excuses are lies.’
Houston takes the series 2-1. Boston heads to Detroit to face Tarik Skubal and Framer Valdez. This lifeless offense isn’t going anywhere and the classic Weissert/ Kelly appearance inheriting runners on base will continue because of course it will.