Sox Squander Opportunities, Drop Series Vs Jays, Secure Losing Road Trip

When you collect ten hits off the opposing starter and only allow him one trouble free inning, you’d expect to see a big run total.

Aug 15, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jake Peavy (44) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Nope. Despite collecting eleven hits off the Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox would go on to lose 2-1.

Jake Peavy pitched a solid outing: 6+ innings, five hits, two earned runs, four strikeouts and zero walks. Both of those runs came in the sixth. After allowing a leadoff single to Jose Bautista in a 1-0 game, John Farrell opted to leave Peavy in. Big mistake. Peavy would allow two more hits before Farrell finally gave him the hook. Craig Breslow would allow an inherited run via a sacrifice fly, but limited the damage. Junichi Tazawa and Rubby DeLaRosa would pitch a scoreless eighth.

The offense would leave twenty men on base. I repeat: TWENTY MEN LEFT ON BASE. Daniel Nava and Dustin Pedroia each had three hits, but no runs batted in. The lone run came via a force out by Jacoby Ellsbury (0 for 4, 1 walk, 5 LOB).

With the loss, the Red Sox concluded their road trip with a 4-6 record (Why couldn’t they sweep the Astros? Why did Jon Lester and Shane Victorino have a putrid fielding botch last night? Why couldn’t the KC series happen when the Royals weren’t in the middle of a hot streak?) Alright, enough venting.

Despite the 4-6 road trip, the Red Sox return home with a bigger lead in the standings than they had when it began (though it was a four game lead before last night).

The Red Sox return home for a three game set against the Yankees before a six game interleague West Coast trip. Felix Doubront takes the hill vs Andy Pettitte.