BOSTON — The Purple Sox had no downside scoring runs within the collection opener towards the division rival Baltimore Orioles as they put up a 12-spot in a win.
However whereas the Purple Sox put collectively that breakout efficiency, a typical thought ran by way of the crew given their offensive struggles within the second half of the season.
“It bought to the purpose (Monday) we have been within the dugout sort of saying, ‘Alright, let’s avoid wasting for tomorrow’ sort of factor,” Triston Casas mentioned. “Yesterday was a barrage, for positive.”
The Purple Sox certainly wished they might have had just a few of these runs for Tuesday evening’s recreation towards the Orioles. Boston tried to scrape collectively an offense, however largely got here up empty in a 5-3 loss at Fenway Park.
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It is an offensive efficiency that has change into too widespread as of late for the Purple Sox. They’ve scored three runs or much less in 10 out of their final 13 video games and have gone 2-8 in video games after they have that sort of manufacturing.
After scorching offensive stretches in June and July, the offense going flat late within the season comes as a shock to Purple Sox supervisor Alex Cora, and he would not suppose he is alone.
“I believe everyone is (stunned),” Cora mentioned. “We’re an offensive membership and at one level we have been one of the best offense in baseball. It felt like every time we confronted a righty, we had a very good likelihood of scoring loads of runs. And we’ve not executed that the final month, month-and-a-half.
The Purple Sox solely manufactured one run over six innings off Orioles right-hander Albert Suárez, who totaled a career-high eight strikeouts within the win. And so they scored twice within the eighth inning, however one run was gifted to Boston because of a balk from Yennier Cano.
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It felt just like the Purple Sox may carry the momentum of a giant offensive evening, wherein Tyler O’Neill and Rob Refsnyder hit back-to-back homers twice, all through the collection with the Orioles. However Boston’s offense is nothing however inconsistent and that outburst is extra of an outlier than the norm.
“I believe we’re all slumping collectively,” Cora mentioned. “For those who check out it. Once we have been scorching, everyone was hitting the ball in every single place. And it simply occurred that everyone is struggling on the identical time.”
extra crimson sox
Listed here are extra notes from Tuesday’s Purple Sox-Orioles recreation:
— Kutter Crawford deserved a greater destiny as he is now 0-5 in his final 5 begins. He recorded a high quality begin by tossing 6 1/3 innings wherein he allowed three runs on seven hits whereas he walked one and struck out six. It was additionally the thirtieth begin of the season for Crawford, who joined Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Seth Lugo as the one American League pitchers to notch that feat to date this season.
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“First full 12 months beginning that is my aim is to attempt to keep wholesome and attempt to make a minimum of 30 begins and throw 170, 180 innings,” Crawford mentioned. “So yeah, it is a good feeling, however we nonetheless bought just a few extra (begins) and two, three weeks left within the season, so nonetheless bought to maintain going.”
— Luis Guerrero, who made his MLB debut Sunday, had a lowlight by permitting two inherited runners to attain within the high of the seventh. He evened out his exhibiting by notching the primary large league strikeouts of his profession. He punched out each Coby Mayo and Jackson Vacation.
— Talking of strikeouts, the Purple Sox have executed loads of it this season. In truth, the Purple Sox set a franchise document in strikeouts this season and have fanned greater than 1,400 instances, in accordance with Boston Sports activities Information.
“It has been the entire season,” Cora mentioned. “It is the personnel that we’ve, however we’ve good hitters. We’re not strolling loads these days and that is a foul mixture, loads of strikeouts and no walks.”
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— STANDINGS WATCH: The Purple Sox did not get any assist because the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins each gained. Boston is now 4 video games behind Minnesota for the third and remaining AL wild-card spot whereas Detroit is three video games again.
— The Purple Sox will hand the ball to Nick Pivetta within the rubber match of their three-game set with the Orioles on Wednesday. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you may watch the sport, plus an hour of pregame protection, on NESN.
