’Pen writes sob story
Gives up 3-0 lead in eighth
NEW YORK — The Red Sox bullpen had been the best in baseball this season, and as good as it possibly could be this week.
But in the defining moments of what should have been a defining win, the Red Sox relievers could not get a single out when they needed it last night.
Handed a three-run lead in the eighth inning — with elite closer Craig Kimbrel waiting to finish off the save — Addison Reed and Joe Kelly combined to cough up four runs before recording an out. Yankee Stadium roared to life, and the Red Sox were left with a stunning 5-4 loss to their oldest rivals.
Instead of building their largest division lead of the season, the Red Sox saw their eight-game winning streak end and their edge drop to 31⁄
2 games ahead of the Yankees. It was the Sox’ first loss since July 30, and the first time their bullpen had allowed a run since Aug. 1.
“They’ve pitched so well for so long, and you could say for the entire season,” manager John Farrell said. “But the Yankees put some baserunners together and got a couple of key base hits.”
What the bullpen had done to stabilize the Red Sox pitching, trade addition Eduardo Nunez had done to inject life into their offense. Like the bullpen, though, Nunez faltered in his biggest moment last night.
After blowing the eighthinning lead, the Sox opened the ninth with three straight walks against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. One run scored on a deep fly ball to left field, but Nunez was thrown out attempting to go second-to-third.
He was thrown out by Aaron Hicks, who is notorious for having one of the best outfield arms in baseball. Replay review confirmed the bang-bang play.
“I have speed, too,” Nunez said. “Sometimes that thing works in your way, sometimes not. If he don’t pick that ball — that was a great pick for (Todd) Frazier, and a great tag — I would be safe, and then a fly ball to center field, tied game. That’s why we’re in first place. We run aggressive.”
Nunez said he would take the same chance if given the opportunity today. Farrell seemed to agree.
“In our advance meetings, we talk about opportunities to look for to take advantage of the running speed that we do have,” he said. “But I do believe there’s a means to an end with this. And while the outs are going to be glaring, I still feel like when we can put pressure on the defense, we’re going to look to set that tone.”
Pitching had set the tone during the Red Sox’ winning streak, and that seemed to be the case again when Eduardo Rodriguez pitched six scoreless innings and Matt Barnes followed with a scoreless seventh.
At that point, the Red Sox relievers had not allowed a run in 19 consecutive innings. Coming into the game, their 2.90 bullpen ERA was the best in baseball and Farrell had his two best relievers still available.
Reed entered as the set-up man having allowed just one run and two baserunners since coming over from the Mets.
But he clipped pinchhitter Brett Gardner on the toe — his first hit batter since 2014 — then allowed a home run to Hicks. There was a single and a walk before Farrell dipped back into his bullpen for Kelly, who allowed Didi Gregorius’ game-tying single, then Frazier’s go-ahead single.
By the time Kelly struck out Chase Headley for the first out of the inning, the damage was done. The Yanks padded their lead with a sacrifice fly.
“It happens,” Reed said. “But I picked a bad time for it to happen. The good thing is we still have a month and a half left in the season.”
Reed was acquired at the trade deadline specifically for situations like this, and Farrell said he next went to Kelly because he wanted high velocity and a pitcher who could control the running game. He said he never considered using Kimbrel in the eighth.
“That’s the reason Addison is here,” Farrell said, “so we can avoid those one-plus innings for Craig. We’ve seen and experienced what it does to him over the course of the full season, so we feel very good about the strength of our bullpen and the ability to go to multiple guys in that spot. It didn’t work (last night).”