BOSTON — Eventually, the Red Sox’ bats were going to cool off.
That night came Wednesday. A day after their season-high 19-hit, 16-run outburst, the Red Sox reverted back to the offensive struggles that plagued them through the first month of the season. They created plenty of action off White Sox starter Lucas Giolito, but failed to capitalize in a 3-1 loss in Chicago.
The loss snapped the Red Sox’ six-game winning streak, a stretch in which they had scored nine runs per game.
The takeaways:
1. Several opportunities wasted
It looked like the Red Sox were about to pick up right where they left off from Tuesday when J.D. Martinez ignited a two-out rally in the first inning. He hit a single, Xander Bogaerts walked and Alex Verdugo drove in Martinez with an RBI single to give Boston a 1-0 lead.
But that’s inexplicably where the Red Sox’ offensive production stopped.
It wasn’t for a failure of chances. The Red Sox recorded seven hits and drew five walks – including four off Giolito – but finished the night 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 on base.
The Red Sox’ biggest chance came in the seventh. Trailing by two runs, Rafael Devers singled, Martinez singled and Xander Bogaerts walked to bring up Alex Verdugo. But he grounded out weakly to second to squander the rally.
2. One pitch was the difference
Rich Hill, coming off his worst start of the season when he lasted just two innings against the Mariners and wondered if he may have been tipping his pitches, bounced back well. He faced the minimum in his first trip through the White Sox order – getting a double play to end the third after issuing a walk to Reese McGuire, and held Chicago hitless through his first four innings.
But the home side finally got to him in the fifth. Jose Abreu dumped a leadoff double down the right-field line before A.J. Pollock reached on an error from Devers, who fielded a grounder to third but made an errant throw that was off line to first, where Franchy Cordero couldn’t make the tag.
The next batter, Jake Burger, demolished Hill’s 67 mph slider to left for a 444-foot three-run homer, and that was ultimately the difference.
