“I was off a little mechanically”. “I’m just putting us being the eight-ball early on in games”.
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Price gave up a season-high 12 hits and six earned runs in 2 1/3 innings in a loss to Texas in his previous start. Farrell called a closed-door team meeting after Monday night’s loss here to stress the need for the rotation to perform better, and right-hander Rick Porcello answered the call Tuesday night, giving up one run in six innings.
Being 5 1/2 games out of first place, the Red Sox need Price to be better and be better soon.
Boston Red Sox second baseman Xander Bogaerts, right, talks with starter David Price on the mound during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 29, 2016, in St. Petersburg, Fla. “Curveball was bad. Can’t get my cutter or my slider where I want to”. “I haven’t pitched deep enough into baseball games, I’ve given up too many runs, given up homers”. They had two on with two outs in the fifth, but Jackie Bradley Jr. tried stealing third and was thrown out to end the inning.
“Moore was very good”.
Shaw homered in the second inning.
Boston Red Sox fans who tuned in for Wednesday’s matinee saw both the best and worst of David Price.
One night after moving ahead of Reggie Jackson for sole possession of 24th on the career RBI list, the slugger pulled even with another Hall of Famer, Frank Thomas, for 23rd with 1,704.
“A lot of things haven’t been going right, but I don’t think our confidence or faith in anyone in this locker room has swayed one bit”, said Shaw, who got his first home run since May 28, and added a two-run double and two-run single. It’s tough. I’m so much better than this.
The offensive outburst didn’t spill over to Tuesday. But the Rays made Price pay for his mistakes, starting with a fastball down the middle to Brandon Guyer in the third inning that the Rays right fielder crushed for a solo homer. Heath Hembree came in to the game to finish out the inning for him. We’ve got some adjustments and some work to do in certain areas.
Detroit (40-38) is coming off a 6-3 homestand, one that included a three-game sweep at the hands of the Indians, but they will get another shot at them immediately after the Rays series.
Price was beaten by the Rays for the second time this season, yielding four runs and nine hits over 6 1/3 innings.
Rays lefthander Matt Moore, meanwhile, no-hit the Red Sox through five innings.
Rays: OF Corey Dickerson (sore left thumb) missed his third straight but was available to pinch hit.
Notes: Already dealing with inconsistency in the bullpen, the Rays put closer Alex Colome – 19-for-19 in save opportunities – on the 15-day disabled list with biceps tendinitis in his throwing arm. Unfortunately Price gave up 4 runs by the 3rd inning and since the Sox offense couldn’t get him a single run of support, the Rays were easily able to get the win and take the series. The 2012 AL Cy Young Award victor ranks among the league leaders in strikeouts, innings pitched and wins. He has an AL-leading four outings with double-digit strikeouts, most by a Boston pitcher in a single season since Jon Lester had seven in 2010.
Moore (4-5) allowed three singles in seven innings and struck out five to beat Price, who fell to 1-3 in five career starts against his former team.
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The Red Sox have been below league average with runners in scoring position in June, hitting.259 in such cases after hitting.299 in those spots during April and May.
