The Boston Red Sox faced a disappointing 7-3 loss to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday. The game was marred by ejections and defensive errors from members of the Red Sox named Alex, leading to their defeat.
The first ejection came in the fourth inning when right fielder Alex Verdugo was inexplicably tossed from the game. Verdugo was in the dugout when home plate umpire Pat Hoberg ejected him for reasons unknown. Later in the seventh inning, manager Alex Cora was ejected after arguing balls and strikes with Hoberg.
Cora’s ejection was a result of his frustration when Red Sox reliever Mauricio Llovera walked Alex Bregman on a 3-2 pitch that was clearly outside the strike zone. This led to a momentum shift for the Astros, who went on to score four runs in the inning, extending their lead to 7-0.
However, it wasn’t just the ejections that cost the Red Sox the game. They also struggled defensively, making three errors throughout the game. Additionally, their hitting performance was lackluster, as they only managed to go 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.
The Red Sox finally managed to score some runs in the final two innings of the game after falling behind 7-0. Adam Duvall hit a solo homer in the eighth inning, and Justin Turner added a two-run single in the ninth. Despite their late surge, it was too little, too late to secure a victory.
Pitcher Tanner Houck had a decent outing in his first start since recovering from a facial fracture. He pitched five innings, allowing three runs, four hits, and three walks while striking out two. However, Astros pitcher Justin Verlander outshined him with an exceptional performance, pitching six scoreless innings and striking out nine.
The Red Sox’s defensive struggles were evident from the start, with Rafael Devers failing to make a play on a bouncer in the first inning that resulted in an infield single for Alex Bregman. Devers, who has struggled defensively this season, also made a throwing error in the first inning on a ground ball by Chas McCormick.
The Astros took advantage of the Red Sox’s mistakes and extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning. Martin Maldonado bunted with runners on first and second, and although he was thrown out at first base, Houck failed to cover home plate, allowing Mauricio Dubon to score from second.
Overall, it was a disappointing game for the Red Sox, as their defensive errors and ejections proved costly. Despite their late offensive efforts, they were unable to overcome the Astros’ lead. The Red Sox will need to regroup and improve their performance in order to bounce back from this defeat.
