Betts’ fun spoiled
Pitching woeful in Sox’ loss
BALTIMORE — As infielder Josh Rutledge began warming up in the bullpen, preparing to be the first position player to pitch for the Red Sox since Mike Carp in 2014, Junichi Tazawa started throwing right next to him. A picture of this moment during the Sox’ 13-9 loss to the Orioles last night could serve as the postcard for the 2016 season: Infielders might need to pitch, but the setup men will get ready just in case.
All four Sox pitchers who actually got into the game allowed at least one run in a four-hour performance that did not relieve the mugginess at Camden Yards.
Mookie Betts, who homered three times Tuesday, went deep his first two times up, Chris Young left the park twice and David Ortiz hit his 15th homer, but the Red Sox remained well behind the O’s, who climbed within two games of the lead in the American League East.
Betts became the first major league player to go deep in both the first and second innings on back-to-back nights while tying the record with five home runs in a two-game stretch.
“I mean, it felt good,” Betts said. “Obviously it would feel a lot better winning the game.”
Joe Kelly threw up a clunker, pitching dreadfully enough to be optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket after the game. Kelly recorded as many outs (seven) as runs allowed.
Manager John Farrell spent most of his postgame interview talking about Kelly, Clay Buchholz and the battered pitching staff. He offered only a few words on Betts’ performance.
“Sometimes you never see it in a career, and we’re blessed to be able to watch Mookie every night,” Farrell said.
Farrell had little else to be happy about.
Kelly was knocked around for four runs in the bottom of the first inning after Betts’ leadoff home run made it 1-0. The Sox took a 7-5 lead in the top of the third, but Kelly wasted that, too.
Jonathan Schoop hit a long RBI double that was slightly misplayed by Young, and Kelly’s night was done. He has an 8.46 ERA and will have plenty to work on while in Pawtucket.
“Just need to get that command better,” Kelly said.
Added Farrell, “He’s blessed with a golden arm and tremendous stuff, but the execution of it has not been as consistent.”
Tommy Layne was sloppy after inheriting Kelly’s mess in the third, and Buchholz started the fourth. He was clean until the sixth when a combination of bad pitches, a tight strike zone and a Dustin Pedroia error helped the Orioles take a 10-8 lead.
“We’re not robots,” Pedroia said of a Matt Wieters grounder that rolled between his legs.
“Pedey, 99 out of 100 times he comes up with it, but he didn’t, and that’s part of the game,” said Buchholz (3-6), who ate up 31⁄ needed innings but allowed four runs on three hits and four walks and took the loss.
Betts’ two-homer night went for naught, though he did cement his name in the history books as the first leadoff hitter and second-youngest player (any position), to hit five homers in two games.
Bryce Harper was the youngest player to do it when he went yard five times in two games (a three-day span) last May.
Nomar Garciaparra (July 2123, 2002) and Carl Yastrzemski (May 19-20, 1976) are the only other Sox players to do it.
“He’s swinging the bat great,” Pedroia said of Betts. “He’s been a force all year for us. He’s been fun to watch. Hopefully he continues to do what he’s doing because it’s pretty exciting.”
But without any pitching, the Red Sox had little to celebrate.